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Asheville Area Arts Council

EIN 58-1371546 · Asheville, NC

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood85 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE MISSION OF ARTSAVL IS TO KEEP THE ARTS AT THE HEART OF OUR COMMUNITY. THE ARTS COUNCIL FULFILLS ITS MISSION BY SUPPORTING ARTS PROFESSIONALS AND BUSINESSES IN BUNCOMBE COUNTY THROUGH CONNECTION, ADVOCACY, AND GRANTS.

Income
$3.3 million
Spending
$2.5 million
Spent on programs
95%
Reserves
3.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 78%
Employees
6
Volunteers
57
Highest pay
$85,084, executive director/secretary

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 68% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 3.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 3% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 25% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 380% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    95% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    14 of 14 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (3)
  1. $2.1 million spent. GRANT PROGRAMS - IN FY25, ARTSAVL CONTINUED TO SERVE AS A PRIMARY STEWARD OF CREATIVE-SECTOR INVESTMENT BY REGRANTING $392,432 THROUGH 100 GRANTS TO 83 ARTS ORGANIZATIONS AND ARTISTS IN THE 20252026 FUNDING CYCLE, SUPPORTING PROGRAMMING FOR APPROXIMATELY 306,757 INDIVIDUALS. IN ADDITION TO ITS FIVE CORE GRANT PROGRAMS, ARTSAVL ADMINISTERED TWO SIGNIFICANT RELIEF GRANT INITIATIVES IN RESPONSE TO HURRICANE HELENE, DELIVERING $1.4 MILLION IN DIRECT ASSISTANCE TO ARTISTS AND CREATIVE BUSINESSES ACROSS WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA. THESE FUNDS HELPED STABILIZE THE REGION'S CULTURAL WORKFORCE, SUSTAIN ARTS ORGANIZATIONS DURING A CRITICAL PERIOD, AND ACCELERATE RECOVERY EFFORTS THROUGHOUT MULTIPLE COUNTIES.
  2. $130,478 spent. CONNECTION - IN FY25, ARTSAVL STRENGTHENED COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT THROUGH THE LAUNCH OF REDEFINE THE WEEKEND, A BOLD COUNTYWIDE CAMPAIGN DESIGNED TO RECONNECT RESIDENTS AND VISITORS WITH BUNCOMBE COUNTY'S CREATIVE COMMUNITY FOLLOWING THE IMPACTS OF HURRICANE HELENE. THE INITIATIVE PROMOTED ARTS EXPERIENCES IN DOWNTOWN ASHEVILLE, THE RIVER ARTS DISTRICT, BLACK MOUNTAIN, AND WEAVERVILLE THROUGH A REGIONAL ARTS GUIDE, DIGITAL AND PRINT ADVERTISING, STORYTELLING CONTENT, AND A NEW ONLINE HUB. SUPPORTED BY CONTINUED ENHANCEMENTS TO THE CREATIVE PORTAL, THESE EFFORTS INCREASED VISIBILITY FOR ARTISTS AND ARTS ORGANIZATIONS, DROVE TRAFFIC BACK TO CULTURAL DISTRICTS, AND REINFORCED THE ESSENTIAL ROLE OF THE ARTS IN COMMUNITY RECOVERY.
  3. $165,783 spent. ADVOCACY PROGRAMS - IN FY25, ARTSAVL ADVANCED ITS LEADERSHIP IN CULTURAL PLANNING AND POLICY BY LAYING THE GROUNDWORK FOR BUNCOMBE COUNTY'S FIRST CULTURAL RECOVERY PLAN, A COMPREHENSIVE 20262030 ROADMAP TO REBUILD A STRONGER AND MORE RESILIENT ARTS ECOSYSTEM AFTER HURRICANE HELENE. TO SUPPORT DATA-DRIVEN ADVOCACY, ARTSAVL LAUNCHED SEVERAL MAJOR RESEARCH INITIATIVES, INCLUDING CULTURAL ASSET MAPPING, A CREATIVE ECONOMY REPORT, AND STUDIES EXAMINING THE MUSIC INDUSTRY AND THE CRAFT SUPPLY CHAIN IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA. DURING THIS PERIOD, ARTSAVL WAS ALSO CONTRACTED BY THE NORTH CAROLINA ARTS COUNCIL TO SERVE AS THE POINT PERSON FOR ARTS RECOVERY ACROSS WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA, COORDINATING REGIONAL NEEDS, SUPPORTING LOCAL CREATIVES, AND ENSURING THAT THE ARTS WERE FULLY REPRESENTED IN BOTH IMMEDIATE RECOVERY EFFORTS AND LONG-TERM PLANNING DISCUSSIONS.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since October 1979.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.