The City of Asheville’s Event Support Grant program—administered by ArtsAVL—supports free, public arts and cultural events that activate Asheville’s outdoor spaces and bring people together. 

This round of the Event Support Grant (Regular) awarded $60,712 to nine local organizations. Each funded event reflects Asheville’s commitment to fostering connection, celebrating creativity, and ensuring the arts remain accessible to everyone.

“Free, public arts events are part of what makes Asheville such a vibrant and welcoming place,” said Katie Cornell, Executive Director of ArtsAVL. “We’re grateful to the City of Asheville for investing in these experiences that bring people together, celebrate our creativity, and ensure everyone has access to the arts—no matter who they are or where they live.”

This grant program provides $3,000–$10,000 in support to Buncombe County nonprofit organizations producing larger, established annual outdoor events. This competitive annual cycle is the City’s primary mechanism for supporting high-impact community festivals and cultural programming.

Organizations honored with grants are:

Arts 2 People – Support for the Surreal Sirkus Arts Festival, a free all-day fair with music, art activities, local vendors, and a one-night-only theater performance.

Asheville Downtown Association – Support for Downtown After 5, the Pritchard Park Arts & Cultural Series, Oktoberfest, and the Chai Pani Holi Celebration.

Asheville Mardi Gras – Support for the annual Mardi Gras Parade, a beloved, family-friendly downtown event in the heart of winter.

Asheville Symphony – Support for Symphony in the Park, the annual family-friendly community concert at Pack Square Park.

Blue Ridge Pride – Support for the Blue Ridge Pride Festival, a celebration and advocacy event for the LGBTQIA2S+ community of WNC.

Folk Heritage Committee – Support for Shindig on the Green®, a free series of seven outdoor concerts showcasing Southern Appalachian music, dance, and storytelling.

Open Hearts Art Center – Support for UnLabelMe: Asheville's Inclusive DisABILITY Pride Celebration.

United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County – Support for the United for Youth Block Party, featuring arts activities such as crafts, spoken word poetry, and music, and advancing the Bold Community Goal that all Buncombe County students graduate high school ready to pursue their dreams.

YMI Cultural Center – Support for the 43rd Goombay Festival, a three-day Afro-Caribbean celebration of the culture and contributions of Black people in Western North Carolina.

Also recently announced is a new pilot program offering up to $1,000 to help cover City-related fees (such as permitting, street closures, or sanitation) for pop-up or smaller-scale events.This program is open to Buncombe County nonprofits and open to for-profit businesses located within the footprint of the proposed event. Applications for this pilot program will be accepted year-round. This new option ensures organizers can take advantage of evolving opportunities throughout the year—not just during a single annual grant cycle.

Find detailed eligibility guidelines and application information for both the Event Support Grant and the Rolling Mini-Grants at artsavl.org/esg.