45 years and Counting!
In 1981, a core group of Watauga County residents who love the arts and wanted to protect Appalachian culture and crafts gathered together and formed the Watauga Arts Council. Their goal was to create activities and events that shared their love of the community, to educate children, to continue the tradition of artistry and craftsmanship in the High Country, and to provide artists with the assistance they need to grow and develop their voice….
More of our story below…..
Our Story
In the years since our formation, the Watauga County Arts Council (WAC) has increased our impact and developed programs and goals that continue the vision of elevating the arts as an essential cornerstone of Watauga County’s identity. We do this through four pillars of engagement - advocacy, education, support, and inspiration.
For over four decades, the Watauga Arts Council has left an indelible mark on the cultural fabric of our community. Our fingerprint is visible in countless well-loved programs, partnerships, and initiatives that have helped shape the creative identity of the High Country.
WAC was instrumental in launching cornerstone programs like Music on the Lawn, the Jones House Gallery, and the Junior Appalachian Musicians (JAM) program. We’ve supported the formation and growth of dozens of local nonprofits, providing fiscal sponsorship, infrastructure, and critical early-stage guidance. We’ve connected artists with opportunities to exhibit, sell, and teach—helping many break into the field or sustain careers as working professionals.
Through youth camps, public workshops, classes, exhibitions, and performances, we’ve engaged generations—young and old—in the arts. WAC fostered collaboration across sectors, supporting local businesses, enriching public life, and ensuring that arts and culture continue to thrive across Watauga County.
This legacy is not just ours—it belongs to the artists, teachers, volunteers, partners, and dreamers who believed in what the arts could do for a place like this. Together, we’ve built more than a nonprofit—we’ve nurtured a movement that elevates the arts at the heart of our community.
Every nonprofit experiences seasons of growth and seasons of hardship. Over the past forty years, the Watauga Arts Council has had our fair share of both. The combined impact of the COVID-19 shutdown and the retirement of longtime Executive Director Cherry Johnson, who led the organization for 28 years, marked a significant turning point in our story.
Today, WAC has entered a new chapter under the leadership of Amber Bateman, a Boone native and passionate advocate for the role of arts and culture in shaping community identity. With the support of the Board of Directors and advisory team, Amber has spent the past five years strengthening the organization from the inside out—modernizing internal systems, clarifying our mission, evaluating programs, identifying service gaps, and forging strategic partnerships.
WAC has prioritized listening to the artists, business owners, and nonprofit leaders who make up our creative ecosystem—meeting them where they are, learning their needs, and helping to amplify their ideas. By building trust and creating platforms for self-expression, WAC is connecting creatives with the tools, resources, and visibility they need to thrive.
This foundational work is strengthening the backbone of our arts ecosystem for the years ahead —one where the arts are not just supported, but fully integrated into Watauga County’s civic, cultural, and economic life.
We are grateful for the all the artists, board members, and local leaders who invested their time, resources, and talents into the organization to sustain us and help us grow. We could not do this without YOU. THANK YOU!
