(Winston-Salem, N.C.) – The North Carolina Museum of Art, Winston-Salem (formerly SECCA) is pleased to announce it is the recipient of an FY 2026 grant award of $60,000 from the National Endowment for the Arts. This funding will support the pilot exhibition and community programming series NC Strong: Resilience, Tradition, & Innovation at the NCMA Winston-Salem Downtown, an innovative new gallery space allowing for continuous audience engagement during a two-year closure for renovations of the NCMA Winston-Salem campus. NCMA Winston-Salem is part of the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

“The National Endowment for the Arts is proud to support opportunities across the country for Americans to experience and participate in the arts,” said Mary Anne Carter, chair of the National Endowment for the Arts. “As we celebrate the country’s 250th anniversary this year, it is a moment to recognize the important role the arts continue to play in our lives, communities, and heritage.”

The inaugural series of exhibitions will explore the processes, practices, and natural materials of early to mid-career artists from across North Carolina. Featuring contemporary fiber art, woodworking, design, and pottery, exhibitions will celebrate the breadth of lived experiences and creative processes that shape the art of North Carolina and the Southeast. The exhibitions will take place alongside complementary programs bringing the community together to commemorate America 250 NC and celebrate North Carolina’s pivotal role in our nation’s cultural history.

The exhibition series opens with Unboxed: Art Beyond the Museum (July 11 – Aug. 30, 2026), a group exhibition of North Carolina artists who have contributed to the Portable Gallery, a signature education outreach initiative bringing original works of art directly into public schools. Unboxed presents artists at different career stages, each concerned with place, identity, and imagination. Their works reflect a range of subjects, materials, and techniques as diverse as North Carolina itself – a fitting introduction to the NC Strong programming series.

The series will continue with the exhibition Process as Practice: Three Artists from Western NC (Sept. 17 – Nov. 29, 2026), showcasing the resilience of artists in communities impacted by Hurricane Helene, and Piedmont Abstract (Dec. 17, 2026 – Feb. 28, 2027), featuring three central NC artists who create colorful abstract work using a variety of conventional and unconventional techniques.

“We are thrilled that the National Endowment for the Arts chose to fund the NC Strong program series,” said Bill Carpenter, executive director of NCMA Winston-Salem. “The state of North Carolina and the NCMA have long been national leaders in strengthening the creative economy and making the arts accessible. This generous support enables us to expand our community outreach to bring great art and impactful educational experiences to even more North Carolinians.”

Additional support for NCMA Winston-Salem Downtown and programming is provided by Anna Reilly and Matthew Cullinan, Mia Celano and Skip Dunn, Ann and Borden Hanes, Twin City Development Foundation, Robbin and Don Flow, Stuart Parks, Innovation Quarter, EMBER Audio + Design, Joe Logan, Pinnacle Financial Partners, Claire and Randall Tuttle, Atwell Ford Real Estate, Leland Little Auctions Ltd., Fader Real Estate, and Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS
Established by Congress, the National Endowment for the Arts is an independent federal agency that is the largest funder of the arts and arts education in communities nationwide and a catalyst of public and private support for the arts. By advancing opportunities for arts participation and practice, the NEA fosters and sustains an environment in which the arts benefit everyone in the United States. To learn more, visit arts.gov.