Raleigh Wants to Increase Funding for the Arts

"Frankly, the value of what we are giving now is worse than what we gave 10 years ago," Meeker said.

Mary Poole, executive director of the nonprofit ArtSpace, argued that the arts increase the attractiveness of life in large cities.

The city's arts commission manages the money and doles it out to local artists and arts organizations that apply for funding. Nonprofit groups, such as ArtSpace, depend on the grant money to keep their programs running.

ArtSpace provides space for artists to create and sell their works. Painter Eric McRay says those art programs helped keep him off the streets when he was younger.

"It changed my whole life, from the age of 16 until now," McRay said.