Artist Support Grants

For artists in Region 18 - Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Jackson, Macon and Swain Counties

Guidelines and Information

The Artist Support Grant was created to provide direct support to individual artists during and following the COVID-19 pandemic. The initiative will fund professional and artistic development for emerging and established artists to enhance their skills and abilities to create work or to improve their business operations and capacity to bring their work to new audiences.

Artists representing visual, craft, performing, traditional, and interdisciplinary art forms are encouraged to apply. Applicants should demonstrate a commitment to spending a significant portion of their time on their work as artists. The Artist Support Grants will support new or ongoing projects that take place before June 30, 2021. Awards may range from $500-$1000 . Applicants may receive full or partial funding.

Eligibility

Individuals and Artist Collectives — Both individual artists and small, unincorporated groups of collaborating artists are eligible to apply.

Residency — Artists should have lived continuously in the region where they are applying for at least one year before the consortium’s application deadline. An applicant must be at least 18 years old and either a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident alien. The consortium may require proof of residence and status. Artists who live in more than one region should apply only where they spend most of the All members of a collaborating team must be North Carolina residents, live in the region in which they are applying, and meet the other eligibility requirements. Résumés documenting residence for all team members should be included with the application.

Multiple Awards — Artists who are sole proprietors of organizations that have already received funding for FY2020–2021 from the N.C. Arts Council are ineligible to apply.

Conflict of Interest — Current board and staff members of the consortium partner organizations and their family members are not eligible to apply for the award.

Student Status — The Artist Support Grant is intended for adult, nonstudent artists. Artists enrolled full-time in undergraduate or associate degree-granting programs may not apply for the grant. Artists in certificate programs are generally eligible. Artists pursuing graduate degrees in subjects other than their art form may be eligible if they meet the other eligibility criteria. Other questions and special circumstances should be discussed with N.C. Arts Council

Eligible Projects and Costs

Up to 50 percent of the grant amount may be used for artist fees.

Completion/Presentation of a New Work — Cost of resources necessary to complete or present a significant new work (e.g., purchasing art supplies or equipment (digital may qualify) or space rental)
Career Promotion — Projects aimed at advertising artists’ work and/or demonstrating their skill level (e.g., websites, portfolios, audio-visual documentation, and online presentation)

Training — Costs to attend a class or workshop (in-person or virtual) aimed at either enhancing the artist’s skill level or professional development (e.g., a master class or workshop taught by acknowledged authorities in the applicant artist’s medium)

Travel — Costs of transportation, lodging, and food for training, professional conferences, or research as allowed or possible while adhering to social distancing guidelines

Ineligible Projects and Costs

Scholarships for undergraduate- or graduate-level education
Projects that support or oppose a particular candidate for public office
Projects that are exclusive to members of a particular religious faith group
Projects that do not have a direct effect on the applicant’s growth as an artist (e.g., the promotion of other artists’ work)

Deadline

Applications must be completed and submitted online to: maconheritagecenter@gmail.com

– OR –

Mailed to:

Cowee School Arts & Heritage Center

Attn: Artist Support Grant

51 Cowee School Drive

Franklin, NC 28734 (must be postmarked by September 30, 2020)

– OR –

Hand-delivered to: Cowee School Arts & Heritage Center (must be delivered by 5pm on September 30, 2020)

Evaluation Criteria

Overall excellence of the applicant’s artwork as demonstrated by work samples

Feasibility of the proposed project
Contribution of the proposed project to the advancement of the applicant’s professional artistic development and practice

Review Process

All completed Artist Support Grant applications will be judged by a multi-county panel of established artists, arts professionals, and arts educators and administrators who will review and evaluate the applications and allocate funds for selected projects.