By Jessica Coates

jessica.coates@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — A new tourism initiative will celebrate Rowan County arts and agriculture beginning next year.

The Salisbury Rowan County Convention and Visitors Bureau unveiled its “Arts and Ag” promotion at a bureau meeting Wednesday.

Tara Furr, public relations and communications director for the bureau, said Arts and Ag emerged from brand research that was done in 2015 and 2016.

“Everyone probably remembers from the branding, the theme that came out: ‘Kind of Country, Kind of Cool.’ So when we were kind of going through Arts and Ag, we realized that this is kind of country, kind of cool,” Furr said.

Furr said the goal of Arts and Ag is a “new form of experiential tourism.”

Programs for both tourists and local residents will vary from month to month, beginning in April 2018 and ending in November 2018.

Furr presented ideas for each month, but plans are not set in stone. Some of the monthly themes she cited were North Carolina Beer Month, farm-to-table and fall harvest.

The final plans for each month will be announced in the fall.

“Since this initiative has first come up, it’s been a very exciting time (and) our staff is really, really happy about focusing on arts and agriculture in 2018,” Furr said.

The Visitors Bureau will not meet in July. Its next meeting is scheduled Aug. 9.

Contact reporter Jessica Coates at 704-797-4222.