The mission of Pocosin Arts impacts educational, social, environmental, and economic development issues all at once. It’s this approach that set Pocosin apart and what caught the attention of organizations, such as The North Carolina Rural Center for Economic Development, to fund the project. When Feather Phillips was developing the concept behind Pocosin in the early 1990s, this idea of interdisciplinary planning was not the norm. But interdisciplinary studies and problem solving, such as encouraging studio art instructors to incorporate areas of social studies and history in their curriculum, continued to gain acceptance throughout the 1990s. When Pocosin set out with this interdisciplinary mission — "connecting culture to the environment through the arts" — they realized it could benefit the citizens of Columbia and also inform visitors about the people in the area. Socially, the pocosin region is a multicultural society. One of the core missions of the organization is to let all members of the community express who they are and what their values are. By providing a forum in which people could share their art and traditions with both visitors and members within the community, Pocosin allows people to better understand each other and helps to break down social and racial barriers. Environmentally, wetlands define the area’s environment. As previous attempts to stimulate the area’s economy have proven, the pocosin wetlands are not always valued as much as it should be. Pocosin Arts seeks to communicate to visitors that the wetlands are a powerful and special biological community, not just something to be drained, paved over, and driven through on the way to the Outer Banks. As Feather puts it “We want to celebrate the ancient cypress and juniper trees, the rivers and Sound, the abundant wildlife and the people living here who are holding traditions special to this place.” In terms of Economic Development, Pocosin Arts is a tourist attraction. The center has been a staple in downtown Columbia for the past 14 years, even when the rest of Main Street was boarded up and Pocosin’s was the only door open to visitors. Their exhibits, classes and workshops attract visitors from all over the state and bring money from outside of the area into the community. Pocosin Arts has helped turn the county and Columbia as a tourist attraction by taking advantage of the area’s history to educate people in the arts while building the local economy. Skill development is a another component of this economic development plan. Columbia, and many other eastern North Carolina towns, has chosen tourism as the economic engine, which calls for the availability of high quality, locally made arts and craft. Pocosin Arts is serving all of the eastern NC communities that are developing tourism by providing the art and craft skill development necessary to support that economy. In a way, Pocosin Arts is vocational education for the tourism industry. Visitors and tourist now come to Columbia, eager to study with local craftsman and artists at Pocosin Arts. The area has also become an attraction for boaters, wildlife photographers and other environmental advocates. “We want people to come here and leave saying, wow this place has its own power and enchantment, and it is worth saving,” Feather adds. Pocosin Arts has become a sparks that makes the county and Columbia a tourist attraction and provides a market for local arts and crafts.