The Fultondale Arts Council is spreading the word about themselves through a new website and social media sites like Facebook and Twitter.

“We have to have that presence. When you hear about a new business or organization, what’s the first thing you do? You visit the website,” said Kara Kennedy, chairman of the Fultondale Arts Council. Kennedy created the website and also maintains the social media accounts.

“I think the website will help us reach our goals, and that will help the economic growth of the area, too,” she said.

Kennedy said the website is not in its final form, and that the arts council had many plans for it. For instance, she said the website could have online galleries for local artists as well as videos of performing arts.

“We want to be a center for visual and performing arts,” said Kennedy.

Kennedy said the online presence was the arts council’s biggest marketing tool.

The arts council also collaborates with Cultural Alliance, an online community that exhibits the arts.

Kennedy said people will soon be able to make donations through the website via Google Donate. She said she would also like to see a part of the website dedicated to helping artistic organizations find grants. The website is located at www

.fultondaleartscouncil.org.