Founded by the community in 1972, MACA is celebrating fifty plus years of arts resources, education, and connection in McDowell County. Thanks to y'all.
Welcome to the home page for McDowell Arts Council Association (you can also just call us MACA).
What is an Arts Council?
An arts council is a government or private non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the arts. In North Carolina, there are more than 75 local arts councils which support the 100 counties.
What is MACA?
MACA was founded in 1972 as an independent non-profit organization and we later became the designated local partner of the NC Arts Council to better serve McDowell County through statewide initiatives, educational opportunities, grants, and other arts resources.
MACA hosts, sponsors, and produces arts opportunities to promote growth in the educational, economic, community, cultural, visual and performance art sectors throughout McDowell County.
More about what we do here
What is an Arts Council?
An arts council is a government or private non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the arts. In North Carolina, there are more than 75 local arts councils which support the 100 counties.
What is MACA?
MACA was founded in 1972 as an independent non-profit organization and we later became the designated local partner of the NC Arts Council to better serve McDowell County through statewide initiatives, educational opportunities, grants, and other arts resources.
MACA hosts, sponsors, and produces arts opportunities to promote growth in the educational, economic, community, cultural, visual and performance art sectors throughout McDowell County.
More about what we do here
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WHAT IS MACA
MACA is short for McDowell Arts Council Association. We are an independent nonprofit, founded by 52 community members in 1972, right here in McDowell County. Originally named McDowell Arts And Crafts Association, we became a partner of the statewide network of arts councils to better serve our communities. 50 years later we exist to promote and preserve cultural life in McDowell County, NC. 
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WHAT IS AN ART COUNCIL?
The North Carolina Arts Council is an agency of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. MACA is a member of this state-wide network of resources, grants, and county partners. Arts Councils vary by county and no two look the same, but we all share the same core values: the arts are essential to the growth and well-being of our communities. 
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OUR VALUES
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our logo
MACA Logo, 1979
Designed by Don Balke of Nebo, McDowell County, NC Internationally known wildlife artist and McDowell County resident Don Balke created MACA’s logo shortly after moving to the area in 1979. The logo design depicts a dancer whose form flows like the gentleness of the Appalachian Mountains. The figure is painted in the restful colors of the mountains and the sky in shades of blue, purple, and magenta. This figure wraps itself around a magenta sun, Balke’s favorite color to incorporate into his paintings. This beautiful logo has become a recognized symbol of the arts in McDowell County, and the colors for “Handcrafted” were drawn from the original image of the Balke logo and incorporated into the quilt block. |
Our Quilt Block "Handcrafted" Block Number 8
The "Handcrafted" quilt block can be found above the entrance of the McDowell Arts Council (MACA) at 50 South Main Street in Marion. More info here |
