Arts & Culture

The City of Roanoke views art and culture as integral to the community because of their potential to enhance the quality of life for Roanoke’s citizens, increase tourism, support education, foster wellbeing, strengthen all of our voices, and stimulate the economy. Roanoke also sees public art as a tool to create a heightened sense of place and community identity, enliven the visual quality of public space, and enrich the spirit and pride of our citizens. Join with us as we explore all the arts can do in our corner of the world.

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Check out the work of your friends and neighbors, artists making the community a better place through the Year of the Artist!  40 Pages of community-driven, artist-led projects advancing a sense of belonging and wellness in our community.  

Learn more about the Year of the Artist online here.

Copy of RAC Portrait Call

 Visit the first floor South of the Noel C. Taylor Municipal Building during regular business hours.

Grab more info at  www.roanokearts.org/here

Collective arts & culture marketing kicks off with BUZZ!

The arts help us express our values and build bridges between cultures. A fundamental component of a healthy community, the arts strengthen social, educational, and economic outcomes, especially in difficult social and economic times.

The City of Roanoke granted $30,000 of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to the Roanoke Cultural Endowment  for a Collective Arts & Cultural Marketing project.

The project will result in collective storytelling tools around collaborative arts and cultural events, strategies, and challenges. “The goal is to benefit the entirety of the arts and cultural community in the City of Roanoke through a recovery and resiliency marketing project,” said Shaleen Powell, Executive Director of the Roanoke Cultural Endowment.

LEARN MORE HERE

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ART IN PLACE Program

In 2021, the City of Roanoke began a pilot public/private partnership strategy to encourage public facing art on private property.  Dubbed ART IN PLACE, the program requires a 2 to 1 match provided by the property owner and a neighborhood or business association.

Pictured above: Floating, Together (detail) by Josh Nolan at 210 4th St. SW. To date, three projects have received approval from the Roanoke Arts Commission: Learn more here.

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THE NEW BLOG

Visit and subscribe to the Roanoke Arts Blog for frequent updates on projects, resources and opportunities.





The Roanoke Arts Commission is responsible for overseeing the development of Arts and Culture in the City of Roanoke.

The mission of the Roanoke Arts Commission (RAC), as established in 1983, is to “advise and assist city council on matters relating to the advancement of the arts and humanities within the city” to establish Roanoke as a vibrant, prosperous community where arts and culture engage people in all aspects of life. The RAC increases the collective impact of the arts and cultural community by:

    • Advocating for arts cultural initiatives and investment
    • Managing and informing the City’s Public Art Plan.
    • Advancing the City’s Arts and Cultural Plan.
    • Guiding City investments in arts and culture.