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Artists and community leaders urge Wake County to fund 'Cultivating Creativity' cultural plan
Summary
Dozens of residents and arts leaders urged commissioners to adopt and fund the countywide Cultivating Creativity cultural arts plan, citing therapeutic benefits of art, economic impacts (speakers cited figures including 55,000 jobs and $1.5 billion in the creative economy) and requests for capital support beyond Raleigh and Cary.
At the Dec. 1 Wake County Board of Commissioners meeting, a large portion of public comment focused on the countywide cultural arts plan, called "Cultivating Creativity." Artists, nonprofit leaders and residents urged commissioners to adopt the plan and commit budget resources and capital support to ensure countywide access to arts programs.
Adam D. Cohen, executive director of Art Givers, told the board the arts provide therapeutic benefits and asked commissioners to "please do everything in your power to move the cultural creativity plan forward." Nate McGahnke, executive director of Arts North Carolina, cited economic figures on the creative sector, saying there are "55,000 jobs" supported in Wake County by the nonprofit arts sector and that the larger creative economy "represents $1,500,000,000," while noting Wake County's current per-capita arts investment lags peer counties.
Speakers from ArtSpace, VAE Raleigh, United Arts and other local groups described the plan's recommendations, urged capital support for arts facilities and called for implementation that centers equity and access. Carly Jones, president and CEO of ArtSpace, said Wake County "does not yet have the public investment that matches that potential" and urged action on capital investment and support for arts nonprofits.
Residents also gave personal testimony about the impact of arts programs in schools and therapeutic settings. Multiple speakers asked the board what the next steps would be for implementing the plan and requested that commissioners align budget priorities to support recommended actions.
