CORAC was established in 1977 to serve as the official municipal advisory body and advocate for the arts and in the intervening years, over 70 citizens, on appointment by City Council, have served on the Commission, sharing their vision for Raleigh's arts. The Commission is both proactive and responsive to the needs and interest of the community.

Addressing Community Needs

CORAC has conducted surveys, public forums and focus group meetings to check the pulse of the arts community and its supporters. The Commission identifies special needs and concerns and creates subcommittees and task forces from the arts community to address those concerns.

Since CORAC is not itself a programming agency, except for special projects, it has created those that do. A number of arts agencies have spun off from this thoughtful planning process: Arts Access sensitized the arts community about the needs of people who are disabled, to ensure full access to programs and facilities. Artspace provides artists with studio space, and the public with the opportunity to watch them at work. Artsplosure-The Raleigh Arts Festival produces First Night Raleigh on New Year's Eve, and the Spring Jazz and Arts Festival. Arts Foundation, (now a component of the United Arts Council) provides financial stability to local arts groups through the annual United Arts Fund Drive. Contemporary Art Museum exhibits new and innovative contemporary art and design by regional and prominent national and international artists.

Strengthening the Arts - Your Arts Commission at Work

CORAC contributes to the City's culture in a number of ways. As liaison between the community and City Council, CORAC makes recommendations not only about grants to individuals and organizations, but also on a wide range of matters related to the arts. Reciprocally, City Council refers questions about the arts to the Arts Commission.

Grants

CORAC manages the City Arts Grants Program for the City Council, providing funding to local arts organization's each year. CORAC, with the United Arts Council of Raleigh and Wake County, cosponsored the Regional Artists Project Grants Program which encompasses five counties.

Planning

Playing a pivotal role in cultural planning, CORAC helped develop Raleigh's Cultural Arts Action Plan in 1985 and continues to advocate for the Performing Arts Center put forth in the document. CORAC's Action Plan is periodically evaluated through focus groups. Regional cultural planning also ranks high on CORAC's list of priorities.

Recognition/Promotion

CORAC's ongoing activities include the Raleigh Medal of Arts annual awards, recognizing extraordinary achievement, and the regular Municipal Building Arts Exhibitions. A carefully designed arts promotion program enables CORAC to disseminate information on arts activities and issues through the ARTSBEAT journal, this Web page, Cables Access Channel 22, a computerized phone system accessible at 831-6789 and touch-screen computer kiosks in three Wake County public libraries.

Information/Services

The CORAC staff, Linda Rae Hall, Executive Director manages the Arts Commission office from Suite 210, 21 West Martin Street, Raleigh, NC. The staff offers the following services to the arts community, at no charge. Consultations with artists (marketing, grants); and with organizations (grants management, administration). The office has an excellent resource library of arts-related materials available for loan.

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