What is Hello NC?

Hello NC spotlights the residents and customs and culture of rural communities in North Carolina, “jewels in the crown” of the state that may be unfamiliar to residents and visitors. We hope that this initiative will draw other North Carolinians to the places and people who will enrich their lives and enlighten them. It will highlight, support and celebrate North Carolina's rural counties. The initiative will focus on hometown heroes and histories, featuring rural heritage, including foods, crafts, festivals and traditions. The stories will be told through rich photography and video that represents the unique natural beauty and cherished culture from each community. Hello NC is a tool for rural communities to help tell their stories in their own voice.

N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources staff will engage with local partners in seeking local programming and events for sponsorship opportunities. These events will be supplemented with DNCR traveling exhibits and educational resources to highlight the state’s extraordinary rural vibrancy and cultural diversity. In addition, historical information from the State Archives will be collected and shared with local communities.

Hello NC initially will focus on four counties: Halifax, Madison, Columbus and Ashe. Our goal is to share and promote authentic and compelling stories about North Carolina’s rural counties starting with this mix from the eastern and western parts of the state.

Hello NC will launch in February 2020.

DNCR staff will engage local partners in rural counties to market state attractions to drive visitation and engagement. DNCR assets will be coordinated and activated in rural communities, packaged with the Hello NC campaign umbrella and promoted across North Carolina welcome centers, visitor centers, DNCR partner sites and local outlets. Hello NC is a tool for rural communities to help tell their stories in their own voice. With Hello NC, we want to highlight and uplift our rural communities, provide resources for education and outreach, and explore grant funding opportunities to help these counties thrive.

Anyone can participate. Hello NC is an "open source" initiative. Feel free to utilize our Hello NC toolkit, tag us on social, or reach out to learn more.