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CA#O North Carolina ARTS Grants Online (AGO)- Grassroots Arts
<br /> 2013r14 - Designated County Partners - Full Application/Report
<br /> Z a Orange County Arts Commission
<br /> Application #DCP0004
<br /> Primary Contact: Ms. Martha Shannon
<br /> C0� Phone: (919)968-2011
<br /> Email: mshannon @orangecountync.gov
<br /> Document Generated:Wednesday,February 27th 2013,1:53 pm
<br /> Narrative
<br /> County in which you are located:
<br /> Orange
<br /> County Overview
<br /> 1. Briefly describe the county you serve, including population and demographics. Describe
<br /> any notable economic, social, and cultural changes in your county over the past three years.
<br /> (max. 3300 characters and spaces)
<br /> Orange County is centrally located between the Research Triangle&the Triad (Greensboro, Winston-
<br /> Salem& High Point).With more than 133,000 citizens(population of 133,801 in 2010), Orange
<br /> County includes historic Hillsborough, the county seat; Chapel Hill, home of the University of North
<br /> Carolina (the oldest state-supported university in the United States); &Carrboro&Mebane,former
<br /> railroad &mill towns.
<br /> Orange County was founded in 1752, &was named after William of Orange(King William II I of
<br /> England). Hillsborough was the center of NC politics in the colonial era & hosted the state's
<br /> Constitutional Convention in 1778, where NC delegates demanded that a Bill of Rights be added
<br /> before they would ratify the US Constitution.
<br /> Orange County is governed by a 7-member board of commissioners.They are elected to 4-year
<br /> terms by district&at-large in partisan elections, held in November of even-numbered years.
<br /> Per capita income in Orange County is$48,683& median family income is$75,056 (2011 US Dept.
<br /> of Commerce- Bureau of Economic Analysis).The 2010 Median Age was 33.1 years.The 2010
<br /> estimate by the US Census Bureau shows Orange County's population by race as 74.4%White,
<br /> 11.9% Black, 8.2% Hispanic, 6.7%Asian,4.0%Other Race, 0.4%American Indian/Alaska Native,
<br /> 0.0% Pacific Islander, &2.5% persons reporting 2 or more races.
<br /> Named a 2011 "Distinctive Dozen Destination"by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Chapel
<br /> Hill shares with Carrboro a vibrant music scene. Cat's Cradle (a nationally recognized live music
<br /> club), Local 506, the Cave&other venues host local, national &international acts. Squirrel Nut
<br /> Zippers, James Taylor, Red Clay Ramblers, Superchunk, Southern Culture on the Skids, & Ben Folds
<br /> Five are among notable musical acts whose careers began in Chapel Hill.
<br /> With small town charm&big town cultural &athletic events, Orange County is a great place to call
<br /> home. We have one of the best school systems in the country, world-class health care facilities, &
<br /> access to some of the most talented &well educated employees in the world.
<br /> Our public school system &a wide variety of local ®ional colleges&universities provide learning
<br /> opportunities for residents&educate the county's workforce to meet the job needs of the future.
<br /> 89.8%of our citizens have a high school education or higher; 53.9% have a Bachelor's Degree or
<br /> higher.The Chapel Hill Carrboro City School system has the highest average SAT score(1194) in the
<br /> state&its high schools have been sited in Newsweek magazine's list of top picks.
<br /> Even with the downturn in the national economy, Orange County has been fortunate. Our
<br /> unemployment rate is one of the lowest in the state, business closings have been minimal, &our two
<br /> strongest employment sectors-education and healthcare-remain stable &poised for future growth.
<br /> Major employers(1,000+employees) include the University of North Carolina, UNC Health Care
<br /> System, Chapel Hill Carrboro City Schools, Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC, &Orange County Schools.
<br /> Corporate headquarters include Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC,A Southern Season, Megawatt Solar,
<br /> & Eurosport.
<br /> We continue to see an influx of both retirees and families with children in Orange County as our
<br /> #DCP0004 Page 7
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