FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – Cumberland County Public Library received a $13,500 Grassroots Art Project Grant from the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County on May 20, 2026, for the 18th annual Storytelling Festival, set for March 1 - 31, 2027.
During this free, month-long festival, participants of all ages will be invited to “visit” an imaginative island where stories come to life through performance, visual arts, music, movement and hands-on learning.
The theme Imagination Island is expected to encourage creativity, literacy development, cultural appreciation and community connection while providing free access to high-quality arts programming.
“Every great adventure begins with imagination, and that's exactly what families will find at our 2027 Storytelling Festival,” said Public Library Director Heather Hall. “Imagination Island will bring stories to life through talented performers, interactive activities and hands-on experiences that show children and families the many ways stories and reading are part of our everyday lives. Whether through books, music, art or performance, we hope every visitor leaves inspired to keep exploring, keep imagining and discover a lifelong love of reading.”
Grassroots Art Project Grants increase opportunities for access to arts, cultural and historical programming in Cumberland County. The grants are awarded to nonprofit agencies, institutions of higher education and municipal entities in Cumberland County that demonstrate financial and administrative stability.
For additional information about Cumberland County Public Library, visit cumberlandcountync.gov/library, call 910-483-7727 or follow CCPL on social media @CCPLNC.
About the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County
The Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization based in Fayetteville, NC that connects our communities, embraces diversity, promotes individual creativity, advances tourism and economic development, and fosters lifelong learning through the arts. As a primary steward of public and private funding for arts, cultural and historical activities in the Cape Fear Region, all affiliated programs of the Arts Council exemplify our five core values: Excellence, Accountability, Transparency, Collaboration and Innovation.theartscouncil.com
In the 2025-2026 year, the Arts Council distributed more than $1 million in funding through grants and special allocations to Cumberland County artists, nonprofit organizations, institutions of higher education and municipal offices producing arts and cultural activities.
Grants, programs and services of the Arts Council are funded in part by contributions from community partners, and through grants from the City of Fayetteville, Cumberland County and the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.