Artist Support Grant for Organizations

This program funds regional consortia of local arts councils that award project grants to artists in their regions. These grants support professional artists in all disciplines and at any stage in their careers to pursue projects that further their artistic development. Types of fundable projects include:  

• Creation of a new work;
• Purchase of equipment;
• Professional development workshops;
• Travel support for expenses associated with a professional opportunity such as participating in an exhibition or a conference;
• Development or upgrading of promotional materials such as brochures, DVDs, CDs, and websites.

Grant awards to artists generally range from $500 to $3,000, depending on the amount of money each consortium raises, the number of applicants, the number of artists selected, and the types of projects funded. Participating consortia raise matching funds for their programs, set specific regional guidelines in accordance with N.C. Arts Council guidelines, appoint a selection committee consisting of arts professionals with expertise in disciplines under review, facilitate the selection process, and administer the awards process. An N.C. Arts Council staff member is assigned to advise regional consortia on process issues and attend selection panel meetings. Consortia are required to inform the N.C. Arts Council well in advance of application deadlines and selection panel meeting dates. 

Grant amounts to regional consortia are determined by weighing the history and breadth of artist demand in each region and the amount of the proposed artist match, among other factors.

Grant amounts generally range from $2,500 to $12,500 and must be matched dollar-for-dollar by the applicants. Up to $500 may be spent on administrative expenses. The remaining grant amount and at least a corresponding one-to-one cash match must be spent for awards to artists unless an exception is approved by N.C. Arts Council staff. Applicants are encouraged to request matching funds from partner county arts council and regional foundations and trusts. Applicants may also seek support from other private and public sources.

How to Apply

The 2020-21 deadline is Monday, March 2, 2020 The application will be available online on, January 7, 2020. Applicants will submit the form electronically through the GO Smart portal (https://ncarts.gosmart.org). The information must address the funding criteria. Applicants will be asked to provide the following information:       

• A list of partner arts councils and their pledged contributions for the upcoming grant year;
• A list of the applicants in the last two cycles (2018–19 and 2019–20), broken down by grant amount, discipline, county, and race;
• A brief description of the marketing plan and proposed selection process for the 2020-21 grant year, including how panels are composed and specific objectives for the cycle, based on prior-year evaluations. Include application deadlines and selection panel dates, if scheduled. 

Project Budget

The entire grant amount should be entered on the artist contracts line, unless a portion is designated for administrative expenses. The matching amount on the artist contracts line must equal or exceed the grant amount unless otherwise approved. Include other expenses incurred by the consortium. In Total Cash Income show an amount at least equal to Total Cash Expenses. Please upload an itemized budget.

The itemized budget should include:

• The amount and sources of matching funds
• Other relevant breakdowns of income and expenses