RALEIGH, N.C. – During the annual State of the Arts and Culture presentations on January 13, the United Arts Council of Wake County recognized the John William Pope Foundation as the Individual/Foundation Winner of the 2016 Business Support of the Arts Award. Pope Foundation Chairman Art Pope was on hand to accept the award during the presentation at the North Carolina Museum of Art.
Lisa Grele Berrie, President and CEO at NC Theatre, nominated the foundation for the award. Additional recipients of the 2016 Business Support of the Arts Awards included Golden Corral (Large Business Winner), Jerry’s Artarama (Small Business Winner), and educator Marshall Butler (Sanderson High School Choral Director).
The Raleigh-based Pope Foundation works to improve the well being of citizens in North Carolina and the nation through the advancement of individual freedom and personal responsibility. The foundation’s past arts support has included grants to Carolina Ballet, NC Theatre, Raleigh Fine Arts Society, the Raleigh Little Theatre, North Carolina Museum of Art, North Carolina Symphony and the North Carolina Opera. From its first grant in 1986 to the present, the Foundation’s giving has totaled more than $100 million, and has been primarily directed to organizations in North Carolina.