The Johnston County Arts Council recognizes the importance of nurturing the creative spirit and supporting opportunities for young artists to pursue careers in the arts. In partnership with Johnston Community College, JCAC awards scholarships annually to assist local students preparing for a career in the arts field.

The applicant must have at least a 2.5 GPA, reside in Johnston County, and enter into either the Associate in Fine Arts or the Graphic Arts program.

A recent study conducted by the North Carolina Department of Commerce, found that creative individuals and businesses produce and sustain $41.4 billion of market value in the goods and services of more than 100 creative industries which account for 5.86 percent of North Carolina’s total production. The Johnston County Arts Council awards scholarships to students that will continue to add to the value, both directly and indirectly, to the Arts Economy in North Carolina.

For 2010 the Johnston County Arts Council has awarded Stephanie Morales of Four Oaks and Stephanie Russell of Clayton each $400 toward their pursuit of higher education within the arts field.