The Steering Committee serves as a core advisory group for a community-driven effort to explore and establish a future Arts Council for the Charlottesville area. The Steering Committee:

• Offers insights and feedback throughout the planning process

• Helps shape the vision, values, and proposed structure of a future Arts Council

• Elevates community needs and ideas through collaborative discussion

All responsibilities can be found in the Steering Committee Charter here.

The Steering Committee include artists, arts workers, cultural organizers, community members, arts supporters, and arts grantmakers who live or work in the Charlottesville area region including the surrounding counties; are involved in or deeply care about the arts, culture, and creative communities; represent a range of disciplines, identities, and experiences; and believe in and practice equity, collaboration, and community-centered leadership.

The Steering Committee operates with the following values:

• Equity & Inclusion: Centering underrepresented voices and cultural traditions.

• Community-Led: Prioritizing the expertise and lived experience of Charlottesville’s arts and culture community.

• Transparency: Encouraging open communication and shared understanding.

• Collaboration: Fostering collective decision-making and co-creation.

• Imagination & Sustainability: Building toward a future that is visionary, adaptive, and grounded in community needs.