Madison County Arts Council

The Madison County Arts Council is a community based nonprofit cultural organization that provides services and resources to artists and organizations and presents and produces culturally diverse programming for the public. We promote the arts at the local level, endeavoring to make them a part of the daily fabric of community living.

We are surrounded by unparalleled beauty, which provides the backdrop for a wide variety of artist, craftspeople and community events. As the only broad based arts organization in our county, MCAC not only hosts numerous events and festivals but also serves as a clearinghouse of information on all arts within our county.

Arts in Education - A collaborative program in our schools and communities.
Bluff Mountain Festival - The largest regional traditional and old-time music event and silent art auction in the county. Check out the 2006 Festival Photos by Jim White Photography!
Barn Quilt Project - MCAC is sponsoring the creation of a series of paintings of quilt squares which adorn barns around our county
Quilting Photo-Documentary - MCAC contracted with well-known documentary photographer, Rob Amberg, to teach a documentary photography workshop to volunteer photographers
Arts Center events which includes exhibits, performances, lectures and classes

Community Public Art projects

Music and Dance around Madison - A collaborative program in our schools and communities.
"Madison Celebrates" Art Festival - A spring street fair of artisans and crafters as well as an exhibit of professional artists and silent auction.
"French Broad Fridays" - Starting Friday, June 13th. Every 2nd Friday. 5-?? Downtown Marshall.

Please see our Event Calendar for latest information.

Artist News

All Madison County artists are welcome to add their information to our Artist Directory. Please go to that section of our website and follow specific directions. Also there is a website section titled Artist Resources Calendar that lists meetings and events relevant to artists such as Marketing 101. In addition you can find information or juried exhibitions and opportunities that may be of interest to you.

MCAC also provides grant opportunities:

Grassroots Grants - As the designated county partner for the North Carolina Arts Council Grassroots funds, we provide grants to local arts related non-profits organizations such as:
- Arts CAMP
- Madison County school art programs
- Blue Ridge Old Time Music Week
- Mars Hill College
- Helping Hearts of Madison County
- S.A.R.T. Guild youth theatre program.
Regional Artists Project Grants - In collaboration with four other WNC counties and North Carolina Arts Council, MCAC provides grants to emerging and established artists to further their career. For further information on either of the above grant programs contact the MCAC office or go to the Artists Resources Download section of this website.

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