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Residents and arts leaders urge Wake County commissioners to fund countywide cultural plan
Summary
More than a half dozen arts leaders and residents told the Wake County board they support the Countywide Cultural Plan and urged commissioners to prioritize funding in the next budget cycle, citing student outreach, festival attendance and economic impact.
Multiple speakers — including parents, artists and nonprofit executives — used the board’s public comment period to urge Wake County to make the finalized Countywide Cultural Plan a budget priority and to continue or expand funding for United Arts and partner organizations.
"The arts are not enrichment. They are education," said Sandy Fried Fogelman, a cultural arts representative and parent, who urged the board to protect funding that brings artists into underfunded schools. David Brower, executive director of Pinecone (the Piedmont Council of Traditional Music), said the Raleigh Wide Open Music Festival drew an estimated 155,000 people over two days, that 65% of attendees were from Wake County, and that the event employed more than 500 musicians and workers — data he offered to underline the plan’s economic and civic value.
Other commenters included professional storytellers and United Arts leaders who said arts experiences improve learning for neurodiverse students and strengthen community ties. Diana Hurtado, a United Arts Wake County board member, asked the board for a clear timeline and an agency lead for implementation; Reagan Carlisle, head of programming at United Arts, urged commissioners to designate implementation funding in the coming budget cycle.
Speakers requested that the county move from plan adoption into actionable budgeting and staffing so that arts education and public programming reach every zip code in Wake County. Commissioners acknowledged the presentations and said staff would continue to work with municipal partners and community organizations on next steps.
