Dear Arts Supporter,

For more than 75 years, the Arts Council of Winston-Salem & Forsyth County has helped shape the creative heartbeat of our community by investing in artists, strengthening organizations, activating shared spaces, and ensuring that arts and culture remain accessible across our region. Because of supporters like you, this work continues.

Today, arts organizations across the country are navigating significant challenges, including rising operational costs, declining funding sources, and an increasingly competitive philanthropic landscape. At the Arts Council, we are  meeting  this moment with both urgency and optimism, grounded in the belief that the arts remain  essential to the identity, vitality, and future of our community.

As I begin my first months as permanent President & CEO of the Arts Council, I am honored to help lead this next chapter of our organization’s legacy. My focus is clear: strengthening trust, deepening community engagement, expanding impact, and ensuring that the Arts Council  remains  a strong and sustainable force for creativity in Winston-Salem and Forsyth County for the next  75 years. 

Through our Fueling the Future of Arts & Innovation campaign, we are advancing three core priorities that guide this work: 

Fueling Artists & Organizations 

We invest directly in the creative sector through our Community Grants Fund and strategic support for the artists and organizations that enrich our community.  Every gift helps put artists to work across Winston-Salem and Forsyth County, from teaching artists in classrooms and neighborhood programs to performers, musicians, designers, and cultural organizations that shape the creative identity of our city. The Arts Council is uniquely positioned to support creativity at every level of the arts ecosystem from emerging and grassroots creatives to some of our region’s most established cultural institutions.  In 2025 alone, the Arts Council awarded more than $1 million in grant funding throughout our community.

Fueling Access 

We believe the arts should remain accessible to everyone. Through stewardship of creative spaces like the Milton Rhodes Center for the Arts, along with programming, partnerships, and technical support, the Arts Council serves as a convener, collaborator, and catalyst for creativity across our region. Last year alone, the Arts Council invested more than $450,000 in in-kind subsidies and support to help ensure that artists, organizations, and audiences continue to have access to vibrant and active creative spaces. 

Fueling Sustainability 

We are strengthening the long-term future of the arts through investments in infrastructure, leadership, innovation, and organizational stability. Your support helps ensure that future generations will continue to experience the transformative power of creativity and artistic expression in Winston-Salem and Forsyth County.

As part of this effort, we are proud to introduce a new membership model designed to welcome and recognize supporters at every level of giving while creating new opportunities for deeper engagement with the Arts Council.

At the heart of this effort is the 1949 Society, our leadership giving circle recognizing donors who contribute $1,949 or more annually in honor of the Arts Council’s founding year as the first arts council  established  in the United States. 

Members of the 1949 Society help sustain and advance the arts across our community while receiving enhanced engagement opportunities, including a discounted venue rental, complimentary parking in the heart of downtown Winston-Salem, program discounts, complimentary popcorn, Gallery Shop discounts, the Arts Council E-Newsletter, and access to our inaugural City of the Arts Gala.

We invite you to save the date for this defining new event for our community:

City of the Arts Gala

Thursday, September 24, 2026

Milton Rhodes Center for the Arts

This signature evening will celebrate the creativity, innovation, and cultural spirit that define Winston-Salem while helping fuel the future of the arts in our region.

Your support of the Fueling the Future of Arts & Innovation Campaign will help us:

• Restore and expand funding for artists and organizations
• Sustain creative spaces that serve thousands each year
• Increase access to arts education and community programming
• Build a stronger and more resilient arts ecosystem

At a time when the arts need champions more than ever, your support sends a powerful message about the kind of community we want to be. Together, we can ensure that Winston-Salem continues to thrive not only as the City of Arts & Innovation, but as a place where creativity belongs to everyone. 



Thank you for believing in the power of the arts and in the future of our community. 

Make Your Gift to Fuel the Future of Arts & Innovation

With gratitude,

Shannon B. Henry 

Interim President & CEO of 

Arts Council of Winston-Salem & Forsyth County