Washington’s City Council recognizes a good thing when it sees one, especially if that thing is the Beaufort County Arts Council.

When the City Council, during its meeting Monday night, voted unanimously to endorse the art council’s effort to obtain up to a $200,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, there is no doubt it knew the arts council would put the grant money to good use, if it is awarded the grant. The arts council has a long history of making a difference in Washington, Beaufort County and eastern North Carolina. Throughout the state, the arts council enjoys a fine reputation of supporting the arts and helping provide a nurturing atmosphere for artists and art lovers.

Its annual Fine Arts Show is one of the best in the state. Its HeART of the City concerts expose all types of folks to all types of music.

Lately, the arts council has taken on the task of reviving a restored and historic Turnage Theater.

Joey Toler, the arts council’s executive director, did an excellent nob when he explained the reasoning for seeking the grant funding to the City Council.

Toler told the City Council the arts council is leaning toward seeking a grant to help it perform cultural planning. Such projects support the development of artistically excellent local support systems necessary for creative placemaking to succeed. Such projects include creative asset mapping, development of a master plan or community-wide strategies for public art, support for creative entrepreneurship, creative industry cluster/hub support and cultural district mapping.

“It is a planning grant that will involve calling in consultants to work with us as we go forward with our efforts at the Turnage Theater and also include our various partners in our community just so we can work in a very thoughtful way and try to ensure our success as much as possible by talking to folks who have done this kind of thing before,” Toler told the City Council.

The city faces no financial obligation related to the grant by endorsing the arts council’s proposed project, Toler said.

With its past successes with other projects, programs and activities through the community, there should be little, if any, doubt the arts council would put this grant funding, if obtained, to good use and enhance the arts in eastern North Carolina even more.

National Endowment for the Arts, are you listening?