THE JANE LONON LEGACY FUND GRANT

The Jane Lonon Legacy Fund was established in 2019, to recognize and honor the dedication and hard work of Jane Lonon, retired Executive Director of the Ashe County Arts Council with the mission of expanding on Lonon’s success in the development of the arts in Ashe County.

Supporting projects that feature fine arts, performing arts or heritage arts in Ashe County.

Applications for the Jane Lonon Legacy Fund Grant will reopen in January, 2027.

2026 Jane Lonon Legacy Fund Grant Recipients

The Ashe County Arts Council is pleased to announce the 2026 recipients of the Jane Lonon Legacy Fund (JLLF) grant. Established in 2019 to honor Jane Lonon’s dedication to the arts and community, the JLLF continues to support projects that celebrate Ashe County’s rich artistic heritage while fostering community connection and economic development.

This year, two grants of $2,000 each were awarded and recipients were celebrated during a reception at the Arts Center on April 14.  After a competitive selection process, with a record 11 applications, the 2026 grant recipients are the Todd Community Preservation Organization and the Ashe County Little Theater. Representatives of both groups presented their dynamic projects to the Ashe Arts Council Board and were enthusiastically received.

The Todd Community Preservation Organization (TCPO) project supports costume construction and refurbishment for the iconic Todd Liberty Parade which has been a much loved July 4th event for the past 25 years. The parade features giant puppets, costumes and props that depict the community’s relationship with the New River and its ecosystem – fish, birds, animals, sounds and colors – and is a unique celebration of America. Over the years, the Elkland Arts Center, TCPA, and volunteers added costumes and props to reflect each year’s unique theme. In addition to the one-of-a-kind costumes and props, another unique feature of the event is that everyone is invited to choose a costume and walk in the parade. 

To celebrate the 250th anniversary of America, this year’s parade will feature the American Eagle and the monarch butterfly. The Jane Lonon Legacy Fund will support a variety of workshops and materials to create new eagle and butterfly costumes and props, as well as repairing existing items. The goal is to  create 80 new costumes and props and refurbish approximately 15 puppets and costumes. Workshops are open to all and are being held in Todd, now through June. For information about the workshops, visit the TCPO Facebook page: ​​www.facebook.com/ToddNC28684, or contact Susan McBurney at susanmcb1@gmail.com or (336) 462.2169

The Ashe County Little Theater project supports a one-week theater residency, for 45 youth in grades 3rd-12th. Students will dive into acting, stage movement, creative expression, lighting, set design/building, makeup, sound, costume design and choreography and will be given an opportunity to help determine the curriculum based on their interests. The goal of the program is to provide a quality summer camp experience, enhance youth theater skills which can be used in community productions, and foster a lifetime appreciation of the arts. The camp experience and training will culminate in a Saturday production with a celebration of America’s 250 semiquincentennial during which the students will employ the lessons learned during the week. 

The camp will be held from July 6th – 11th. The camp will be led by a core team of four local professionals with an expanse of experience and expertise as well as ACLT volunteers. For information, or to sign up for the residency, visit: www.ashecountylittletheatre.org/news

The Jane Lonon Legacy Fund Grant committee, composed of Ashe County Arts Council board members, artists, and community members, is proud to support these projects that embody Jane Lonon’s vision of using the arts to enrich and uplift the community. During the reception, grant committee chair, Lynn Rees-Jones shared, “The selection committee was impressed with the Todd Liberty Parade project on many levels and particularly the impact the parade has on such a variety of people during the the costume workshops and parade. It touches the local community, visiting families and friends, businesses, tourists – young, old, and in-between.”  The Ashe Little Theater was commended as well. “A primary goal of the Ashe Arts Council board is to continue to expand the impact to our youth with exposure to the arts. The Children’s Theater Summer Residency is to be commended for so thoughtfully touching the lives of the youth in our community to develop theater skills and to nurture a lifetime appreciation of the arts.”

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PAST GRANT RECIPIENTS

2025 Jane Lonon Legacy Fund Grant Recipients:
LocalMotion Lansing and the Magic Portals and Doorways Project

Click here to read the full press release in the Ashe Post & Times

This year, two grants of $2,000 each were awarded to innovative projects that reflect the Fund’s commitment to the arts and community rebuilding following Hurricane Helene. After a competitive selection process, the 2025 grant recipients are LocalMotion Lansing and the Magic Portals and Doorways project.

LocalMotion Lansing, led by Caroline Renfro, will produce a pilot episode for a YouTube series exploring how the land we live on influences artistic expression. The series will feature Appalachian artists, artisans, and farmers, showcasing how local materials like wood, clay, and fibers shape creative work. The pilot episode will be directed and filmed by Todd-based filmmaker Haley Mellon, with plans to expand the series to connect rural Appalachian communities with audiences across the globe. The project aims to highlight the region’s artistic traditions while fostering a sense of shared experience and community pride.

Magic Portals and Doorways, spearheaded by Pat Kincheloe Morrison, will bring whimsical and healing art experiences to Ashe County children and adults. Through community workshops at Blue Ridge Elementary and Doe Ridge Pottery as well as the Springfest event, participants will create ceramic fairy doors to be installed at businesses and other locations around the county. Residents and visitors can follow a passport trail to discover these magical doorways, encouraging exploration and engagement. The project is rooted in expressive arts therapy principles, offering a playful and therapeutic way for the community to heal and connect after the challenges of Hurricane Helene.

Past Grant Recipient: Appalachian Tunes

Project: Traditional Music Lessons for Adults

Past Grant Recipient: Joe Shannon’s Mountain Home Music

Project: Tuesday Matinee Concert Series at the Ashe Civic Center, featuring local and regional Appalachian musicians through monthly afternoon concerts held June–October.

In 2022, a $2500 Jane Lonon Legacy Fund Grant was awarded to Makayla Church Rosenberger who facilitated a Summer Contemporary Dance Festival, July 5 – 16, 2022. She built creative work that reflected Appalachian culture and heritage through dance performance, movement workshops, and collaboration with local musicians and dance studios.

The festival brought current contemporary dance practices to Ashe County by offering interactive experiences and performance opportunities including two main components – movement workshops and a dance performance. Free community dance workshops were available to a variety of ages and skill levels. The classes offered were include Contemporary Technique (ages 7 – 12 and 12+), Tiny Dancer Creative Movement (ages 4-6), Adult Movement (all ages and abilities) and an Outdoor Community Class for movers of all ages.

The second component of the festival was a dance performance at the Ashe County Civic Center. The performance showcased local dance students from studios around the area, professional contemporary dancers and the repertoire learned by the selected festival participants.

In 2021, a $2500 Jane Lonon Legacy Fund Grant was awarded to the Greater Lansing Area Development (GLAD) organization for a community mural honoring Lansing, NC native and American folk singer and songwriter, Ola Belle Reed. The GLAD Mural project engaged local artists Whitney Landwehrmann and Joni Ray to create the community mural.

In 2020, a $2500 Jane Lonon Legacy Fund Grant was awarded to the Ashe County Connectivity Project for the creation of a mural located on the Park Office Building at the New River State Park, Wagoner Access. The project is the first of a series of murals that will connect the arts and nature with the goal of enhancing tourism, awareness of the county’s natural assets and the local economy

Are you interested in supporting this grant program? Contributions can be made at any time of the year and go directly to project support. Contact us to find out more.