Carly Jones

Carly Jones
Program Director for Artists & Organizations, North Carolina Arts Council

Carly Jones is a performing artist and an arts administrator with experience in funding, community programming, arts advocacy, nonprofit development and cultural work. Jones attended Miami University of Ohio where she received a BM in vocal performance, a BA in Black music history, and a minor in arts management. She currently serves her home state of North Carolina as the Program Director for Artists & Organizations for the NC Arts Council. Jones started at the arts council as the Music Director, where she oversaw music grants/fellowships and spearheaded the statewide Come Hear NC campaign, celebrating NC's musicians. She also curated programming for the NC Executive Mansion, which showcased NC musicians from all cultures. Jones led the arts council's partnership with the African American Heritage Commission and National Trust for Historic Preservation on an awareness campaign to preserve the childhood home of civil rights musician, Nina Simone. As the Program Director, she now oversees grants for organizations and artist fellowships across disciplines and cultivates partnerships in communities across the field. Jones previously worked with a variety of arts organizations, including the multi-arts school Arts Together as the Director of Communications & Development, and as the Director of the African American Cultural Festival of Raleigh. Jones has led work around ways to make the arts sector more accessible across cultural and socio-economic boundaries for all artists and communities.