Wilmington — The Arts Council of Wilmington and New Hanover County has announced the awarding of $430,000 in grants to support 43 arts and culture organizations throughout New Hanover County. These grants are made possible through funding from The New Hanover Community Endowment, which provided a grant to the Arts Council to administer the 2026 Arts and Culture Grants Program.
Building on the success of its 2025 pilot program, The Endowment, in partnership with the Arts Council, launched an enhanced Arts & Culture Grants Program for 2026. The funding strengthens local arts organizations, supports innovative programming, and ensures that arts and culture remain accessible to the community.
“The arts are vital to our community’s identity, economy, and quality of life,” said Rhonda Bellamy, president and CEO of the Arts Council of Wilmington and New Hanover County. “Thanks to The Endowment, we can invest in our anchor arts institutions as well as numerous volunteer-led organizations that bring creativity, inspiration, and cultural enrichment to Wilmington and beyond.”
The 43 grant recipients, selected and awarded by the Arts Council, represent a wide range of disciplines, including theater, music, dance, and literary arts. Funding will support programs ranging from educational initiatives to public performances, exhibitions, and community engagement projects.
| Big Dawg Theater | $15,000 |
| Black Arts Alliance | $5,000 |
| Brooklyn Arts Music Academy | $15,000 |
| Cameron Art Museum | $15,000 |
| Cape Fear Chorale | $5,000 |
| Cape Fear Cultural Assoc of India | $5,000 |
| Cape Fear Swing Dance Society | $5,000 |
| Carolina Beach Mural Project | $5,000 |
| Chamber Music Wilmington | $15,000 |
| Children’s Museum of Wilmington | $1,000 |
| Cinema Sisters | $5,000 |
| Cucalorus Film Foundation | $15,000 |
| Dance Cooperative | $5,000 |
| Dreams | $15,000 |
| FlowILM | $5,000 |
| Harrington Repertory | $4,575 |
| Island Arts Council | $5,000 |
| Mouths of Babes | $15,000 |
| Music on Market | $5,000 |
| Narrative Arts | $15,000 |
| NC Jazz Festival | $15,000 |
| Opera House Theatre | $15,000 |
| Opera Wilmington | $15,000 |
| Panache | $5,000 |
| Performance Club Theatre Company | $5,000 |
| Port City Playwrights | $4,425 |
| Preservation NC (Bellamy) | $15,000 |
| Soaring as Eagles | $5,000 |
| Thalian Association | $15,000 |
| Thalian Hall | $15,000 |
| Theater For All | $15,000 |
| Turning the Wheel | $15,000 |
| WHQR | $15,000 |
| Willis Richardson Players | $5,000 |
| Wilmington School of the Arts | $15,000 |
| Wilmington Symphonic Winds | $5,000 |
| Wilmington Symphony Orchestra | $15,000 |
| Wilmington Virtuosi Brass | $5,000 |
| Wilmington Voices | $5,000 |
| Wilson Center | $15,000 |
| Working Films | $15,000 |
| Wrightsville Beach Museum | $15,000 |
| Youth Choir of Wilmington | $5,000 |
At Port City Daily, we aim to keep locals informed on top-of-mind news facing the tri-county region. To support our work and help us reach more people in 2026, please, consider helping one of two ways: Subscribe here or make a one-time contribution here.
We appreciate your ongoing support.
