By Michelle Bliss
08-11-10 – The North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources has announced that $7.4 million will be given in grants to support arts organizations across the state.
One of the lucky recipients is Dreams of Wilmington, which served about 600 children last year with arts education opportunities. The Dreams Center will receive nearly $27,000, and most of that money is for general operating costs instead of specific programs. Dreams Associate Director Emily Colin says it's a huge relief.
"For any nonprofit organization, general operating money is sort of the holy grail in that you can use that money to fill the organization's greatest needs. People often are a lot more eager to fund programming than to fund, you know, keeping the lights on for understandable reasons. But without the lights, the program can't run."
The Cameron Art Museum, Cucalorus Film Festival, and the arts councils for Brunswick and Pender counties will receive grants as well.