During the 1980s, as the cultural community in the Roanoke Valley began to expand and flourish, the Council also grew and extended its focus. New initiatives included programming for children, performances showcasing new works, and more services for individual artists including an annual juried City Art Show and an artists’ registry. The Council also assumed prime responsibility for directing public art projects. In the late 1980s The Arts Council was recognized as the official arts and cultural advisory body for Roanoke City, Salem City and the Counties of Roanoke and Botetourt.

In the early 1990s, the executive directors of the major cultural organizations in Roanoke produced a joint statement calling for The Arts Council to coordinate a community-wide planning process to determine the needs and priorities for the cultural community. This process, begun in 1991, culminated in the publication of Blueprint 2000, the first comprehensive cultural plan for the region, in the spring of 1994. The major focus of the work of The Council in the late nineties was the implementation of Blueprint 2000. Significant progress was made in 1996-97 with the assistance of a stabilization grant from the National Endowment for the Arts geared toward cultural plan implementation.

In order to remain responsive to the needs of the community, in 1996 The Arts Council expanded arts education programming with the hiring of a Director of Programs and Educational Services. The Council has helped fill the arts education void created by budget cuts through programs such as the Laban Johnson Arts Scholarships, the High School Art Exhibition and the PACE (Partners in Arts & Cultural Education) program which included in-school arts residency programs, after school arts programs and teacher workshops on integrating the arts into the curriculum.

In April 2000, in partnership with the Roanoke Valley Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Roanoke Valley Economic Development Partnership and Hollins University, The Arts Council held Cultural Summit 2000. This daylong event focused on ways in which the business, government and educational communities can work with arts and culture to promote the region and improve the quality of life. In afternoon work sessions, participants brainstormed on methods to accomplish this goal. The Arts Council meshed the ideas from these sessions into its work plan and has implemented many of them.

As a follow up to the Cultural Summit, The Council worked with 18 cultural organizations, 5 economic development organizations and three local governments to coordinate the development of a Master Plan for arts and culture in the Roanoke Valley. Released in fall 2001 and entitled “Arts, History, Science, Zoo: A Shared Cultural View,” the document sets action steps for the enhancement and preservation of the Valley’s cultural assets. Implementation of this second cultural plan is a high priority for The Arts Council.

In May 2005 The Arts Council held Cultural Summit 2005: Evolving for Survival where alternative methods of funding for arts and cultural organizations were examined. The planning committee will be studying these options further and will involve the community in whatever programs seem feasible to pursue.

In addition, the Council maintains programs designed to fill gaps in the cultural offerings of the area; provides services for its 106 organizational members, the community and 300 + individual artist members; and takes the leadership role in developing new initiatives in arts and cultural development throughout the region.

As the only organization which speaks with a unified voice for all the cultural groups and individual artists in the region, Arts Council staff and board members have worked diligently on many community boards and organizations to assure that arts and culture are included in every facet of the community. The Arts Council is also active in arts and cultural advocacy issues on the state level. A legislative forum is held each fall and the Executive Director served on the board of the statewide arts advocacy organization, Virginians for the Arts. In 1998, The Arts Council director served as a chair of the Arts Advocacy Day for Virginia.

The Council is the only full service local arts agency west of Charlottesville and serves a geographically diverse region which includes cities, towns, and rural areas encompassing the Virginia counties of Roanoke, Botetourt, Bath, Patrick, Franklin, Bedford, Floyd, Henry, Rockbridge, Pulaski, and Montgomery and the cities of Roanoke and Salem.