About Us

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. 

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.

OUR VALUES 

• ​The arts are for all people
• To provide resources for arts development that are fair, transparent and accountable.
• Helping our youth succeed through creative approaches to education in and beyond the classroom
• Undertaking local initiatives to enhance our economy, education, and the well-being of our community
• Work to ensure that meaningful arts experiences are accessible to all McDowell County residents including people with disabilities, caregivers, and aging adults ​​​​

Our Staff

Susan Pyatt-Baker
Executive Director
[email protected] 
828-652-8610

Anna Branam
Assistant Director
[email protected]
828-559-1404

Biscuit, Rose Jerome 2025

Biscuit the Cat
Security 
​Front Window 24/7

Our Board of Directors

Omi Salavea, Boad President

Megan Martin, Vice President

Silvia Martin del Campo Vargas, Treasurer

Summer Perkins, Secretary
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Summer Perkins is a Senior Salesforce Consultant at NeuraFlash and a Board Member and Secretary of the McDowell Arts Council Association. She serves on the board because she believes deeply in the value of the arts and recognizes the important role MACA plays in enriching the local community and supporting arts education in schools.

Joey Hill, Board Member

Ramona DeAngelus​, Board Member

Jess Winebarger, Board Member

Erin Kirby​, Board Member

Andrea Darsey​, Board Member

"I’m just a local mom with kids who go to school in the county, one of which has been truly inspired by the children’s theater and it has become one of her great loves in life.  I’m passionate about being involved in our community and what MACA stands for and promotes in our county." 

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Our Classic Logo

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.

Source: McDowell Quilt Trail 2008

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Our 50th Anniversary Logo | 2025

Our McDowell Quilt Trail Quilt Block #8

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

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