HENDERSONVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Artists have taken a massive hit from Hurricane Helene. The Arts Council of Henderson County is here to help.
“We are as a community still trying to respond to human basic needs that are still unmet through the region,” said Mel Ailiff, Executive Director of the ACHC. “But then after that we need to look at small business and economic recovery, right? That’s what we’re looking to respond to because all of these people are effectively small businesses.”
ACHC has compiled several resources to help artists get back on their feet.
According to Ailiff, the first and simplest way to support artists in Henderson County is to donate directly to the ACHC through Venmo, Zelle or their fundraiser site, givebutter.com/heleneartistrelief. The organization is aiming to raise $25,000 for the arts community. It’s already surpassed $3,000.
“Those donations are going to go directly to the creative community,” Ailiff said. “The goal of the funding is to provide economic resources and support to the organizations and artists.”
There are also several grants available for impacted artists:
- The Craft Emergency Relief Fund, or CERF+, is a grant specifically for crafters. Their emergency grants are for $3,000 themselves. Applications can be submitted here.
- The Arts AVL Emergency Relief Grant is available for artists of any discipline. The relief grants are for $500 each.
“The more people that help support this, the sooner we can help people,” Ailiff said. “That’s our goal. To get money in the hands of people who need it most, as fast as possible.”
In addition to fundraising, the ACHC is planning a variety of booth and festival events for the future. One of the biggest losses for Henderson County artists was the cancellation of Art on Main, an art festival originally scheduled for the weekend Helene hit the region.
For more information about ACHC, visit their website, www.acofhc.org.