CHARLOTTE — Charlotte city council voted to distribute millions in art grants at a meeting on Monday.
The vote to join the new arts and culture model was 8-2 with Councilmembers Victoria Watlington and Renee Johnson voting against the plan.
The plan will distribute millions of dollars in art grants that will include Mecklenburg County, the Foundation for the Carolinas, and the group formerly known as the Arts and Science Council.
The plan was created in response to difficulties in the art community caused by funding and venue issues created by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In April, the Foundation for the Carolinas and ASC called for $10 million in funding from the county and $11 million from the city. They also proposed a new Arts, Science and Cultural Council to govern arts funding.
The Council would consist of seven county appointees, five city of Charlotte appointees, three foundation appointees, and two appointees from a new arts and science council grants board.
The two groups finalized their partnership in September, but a final decision on the funds was delayed by the dissent in the council.
Council members voiced concerns about fairly structuring the new board, giving the city enough control over city money, supporting equity and diversity in arts, and collecting administrative fees.
But county commissioners began making appointments to the new Arts, Science and Cultural Council in November.
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