ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Leaders from the National Endowment for the Arts will visit Western North Carolina next week, holding a public meeting and touring communities still recovering from Hurricane Helene.

NEA Chair Mary Anne Carter and members of the National Council on the Arts are scheduled to be in Asheville and Marshall on May 5-6. The visit will include site tours and a public meeting focused on how natural disasters affect the arts sector and how artists and cultural organizations can support recovery efforts.

Carter said the agency aims to better understand the storm’s impact on artists and arts groups, which are often among the most vulnerable after disasters, and to identify ways to support long-term recovery.

North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein said the region’s arts sector remains a key economic and cultural driver as communities rebuild. U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis added that targeted investments, including support for the arts, will be critical to long-term recovery.

The NEA said it has distributed more than $19 million in funding to North Carolina organizations over the past five years through direct grants and partnerships. More than 20 organizations in the state have received grants so far in fiscal year 2026.

On May 5, council members will visit sites in Marshall, one of the towns hardest hit by flooding, including Marshall High Studios and the Madison County Arts Council. They are also scheduled to meet with ballad singers Sheila Kay Adams and Donna Ray Norton to discuss regional music traditions.

A public meeting of the council will be held May 6 at the Diana Wortham Theatre in downtown Asheville. The session will include presentations on disaster preparedness and recovery for artists, as well as programs supporting veterans and artist residencies. The meeting will be open to the public and streamed online.