Founded in 1964, the Arts Council of Fairfax County, Inc. is a 501(c)3 non-profit membership organization designated as Fairfax County's local arts agency. Through partnerships with schools, individual artists, and other cultural and community organizations, the Arts Council creates and supports programs, activities, and policies that integrate the arts into the lives of all Fairfax County residents.

Programs and initiatives that support our mission include our Grants, the annual Video Fairfax Competition for area youth, the Art in the Workplace Program, the Creative Arts Programs (CAPs), the Uphoff Scholarship Fund, and the International Children's Festival held at the Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts.

The Arts Council also acts as an advocate for our community's artists and cultural facilities and serves as the County’s re-granting agency for funds designated for local arts organizations. Our members include visual and performing artists, as well as civic groups, businesses, arts presenting organizations, arts ensembles, galleries, parents, families, and arts patrons throughout Fairfax County and the metropolitan Washington, D.C. area. Arts Council funding is provided by Fairfax County, the Virginia Commission for the Arts, corporations, organizations, and individuals.

Vision Statement

Fairfax County is a creative center where artists and the arts thrive and are valued as essential to the County’s character, sense of community and economy.

Mission Statement

The Arts Council is the recognized voice of the arts in Fairfax County, dedicated to fostering a dynamic and diverse local arts presence and participation.  We ensure that artists and the arts thrive by providing vision, leadership, advocacy, funding, education and capacity building.

You can download our board approved strategic plan here.