The roles of the Orange County Arts Commission include the following:
- Serve as the N.C. Arts Council Designated County Partner for Orange County.
- Manage state Grassroots Arts Program funds, as well as county arts grants funds, through an annual grants cycle for artists, schools and nonprofit organizations creating high-quality, diverse, cultural programs and projects in Orange County.
- Promote arts happenings through our monthly e-news Arts Update, social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) as well as traditional media sources.
- Manage and maintain www.artsorange.org, which offers arts stories, a calendar of events, and resources for artists and art lovers.
- Participate in several Triangle-wide arts programs including the Piedmont Laureate Program, the U.S. 4th Congressional District High School Art Competition, and Durham Arts Council Emerging Artists Program.
- Initiate and facilitate public arts throughout Orange County.
- Serve as the primary advocate for the arts in Orange County, making sure our community, elected officials and community leaders understand the critical and significant role the arts play in our economy, community and schools.
- Serve as a source of information for local agencies and organizations regarding all areas of arts administration, including programming, fundraising and marketing.
- Through meetings with arts and community leaders as well as research and analysis, assess the current state of the arts in Orange County. In order to better serve the arts community, determine the primary areas of need and use these identified gaps to determine the future focus and goals of the OCAC.