MACA: THE ORGANIZATION
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Our Mission McDowell Arts Council Association (MACA) was established in 1972 with the mission to promote, preserve, and ensure cultural growth through the arts in McDowell County. What is an Arts Council?
The North Carolina Arts Council is an agency of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. 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 Vision
MACA centralizes local arts information, provides art study opportunities, and aids artists and craftspeople in selling and exhibiting their products. The continued desire of the MACA staff, board of directors, artists, and volunteers is to bring quality arts programming to the people of McDowell County through gallery exhibits, classes, performances, and arts education. MACA strives to engage and inspire our community to support the talented individuals whose work makes our lives interesting and our world beautiful. 
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Our Values
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Our Story
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. These individuals held their first meeting in the basement of the McDowell County Public Library and voted to form MACA (then called McDowell Arts And Crafts Association). We later became a designated county partner of the statewide network of arts councils to better serve our communities through the North Carolina Arts Council (ncarts.org) under the The North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.
54 years later we exist to promote and preserve cultural life in McDowell County, NC.
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. These individuals held their first meeting in the basement of the McDowell County Public Library and voted to form MACA (then called McDowell Arts And Crafts Association). We later became a designated county partner of the statewide network of arts councils to better serve our communities through the North Carolina Arts Council (ncarts.org) under the The North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.
54 years later we exist to promote and preserve cultural life in McDowell County, NC.
MACA: WHERE WE'VE BEEN
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McDowell County Library
February 28, 1972 - November30, 1975 MACA was founded through partnership. By utilizing the meeting room at the McDowell County Public Library and the auditorium at East McDowell Jr High, the arts council was a mobile organization. West Court Street
? - October 31, 1984 
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Eugene Cross School
November 30, 1975 - ? 
Brown Street
November 1, 1984 - August 15, 1990 
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Main Street
August 16, 1990 - present
August 16, 1990 - present
THE CATS
1995
Felinius 'Maca'dameious was our first 'official' maca cat who retired sometime in the late 1990s when she was adopted by a MACA Volunteer. 
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2018-2020 (retired) Sadie Blossom Branam-Baker-Pyatt Sadie retired to live out her retirement with Mama Jo Pyatt during our Summer 2020 closure, due to Covid 19. She enjoys playing with her dog-sister Mika and avoiding her cat-brother Bullycat. |
2020 - present
Biscuit (just Biscuit, like Cher) 
Biscuit, featured in OurState magazine
Original Biscuit fanart by Aaron Shirley
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board of directors
Our Board of Directors
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Omi Salavea, Boad President |
Megan Martin, Vice President Summer Perkins, Secretary
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. |
Silvia Martin del Campo Vargas, Treasurer |
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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 Our 50th Anniversary Logo | 2025
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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 |
Directions |
CONTACT INFORMATION
McDowell Arts Council Association (maca) Hours: Tuesday through Friday 12-5pm Saturdays 11-4pm All other times by appointment. Street Address: 50 S MAIN ST MARION NC Mailing Address: PO BOX 1387 Phone Number: 828-652-8610 Text Accessible (Google Number): 828-559-1404 Email Address: [email protected] |
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The arts are for everyone.
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COPYRIGHT © 2026 MCDOWELL COUNTY ARTS COUNCIL ASSOCIATION
McDowell Arts Council Association acknowledges that we live and work on occupied land. McDowell County is the native territory of the Catawba and Cherokee people.