The Artist SUpport deadline has passed:
Monday, August 28th at Noon/12pm
ASC will be providing additional individual artist support through the CREATIVE MECKLENBURG GRANT in the Spring ’24. Please, feel free to review guidelines and requirements prior to the open call.
Commitment to Cultural Equity
ASC’s Cultural Equity Statement makes the commitment to uphold, “cultural equity in all ASC investments, governance and administrative policies and practices.” With that commitment and an interest in building a stronger sense of belonging in our community, we welcome and encourage applications led by culturally specific organizations, and those celebrating and nurturing people who are Seniors, Disabled, Immigrants, Low-Income, Women and Girls, LGBTQIA, and those of African, Latin-a/o/x/e, Asian, Arab, and/or Native American descent.
Equity in our Grant Making Practice
ASC recognizes that increasing support to creative individuals is one of the most powerful ways to practice our commitment to cultural equity. With that in mind, ASC matches funding the North Carolina Arts Council with funding from our dedicated donors to ASC’s Annual Fund Drive, from Mecklenburg County, and the Infusion Fund and its generous donors to maximize the impact of this program across our region. ASC encourages applicants from every county in the consortium. We provide office hours and info sessions to ensure all potential applicants have the resources they need to submit a competitive application. Each application is reviewed by a panel of subject matter experts and arts workers. ASC intentionally recruits panelists who represent the diversity of our community, share our commitment to equitable grant making, and represent the different disciplines of our applicants. These panels are responsible for selecting which applications ASC funds. ASC Staff is available to provide feedback on all applications, and we especially encourage applicants who are not successful in these processes to seek feedback.
Guidelines and Information
Artist Support Grants fund professional development and artist 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.
ASC is accepting applications from creatives living in Mecklenburg, Cabarrus, Cleveland, Gaston, Lincoln and Rowan Counties. (If you live in another NC county, you can find your county partner here.)
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 artistic work. The Artist Support Grants will support projects occurring between January 1, 2024 and December 31, 2024 but all funds should be expended by June 30, 2024. Artists may request up to $3,000. Applications selected for funding will receive the full award for which they are eligible.
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 Mecklenburg, Cabarrus, Cleveland, Gaston, Lincoln or Rowan County for at least one year before August 28, 2023. An applicant must be at least 18 years old and either a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident alien. Artists who live in more than one region should apply only where they spend most of the year. 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. Resumes 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 FY2023–2024 from the N.C. Arts Council are ineligible to apply. Artist Support Grant Recipients with projects funded during the 2023 cycle are ineligible to apply in the 2024 cycle.
- 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.
- FY23 Artist Support Grant Recipients— Artists who received an award through this program in FY23 will not be considered for funding in FY24.
- 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.
Eligible Projects and Costs
Up to 50 percent of the grant amount may be used for artist fees. Projects can support the following expenses:
- 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 or professional conferences
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)
Application Components
How to apply
Applications are due Monday, August 28, 2023 at 12 p.m./noon. Late applications will not be accepted.
- Name (Last Name, First Name / Preferred Name)
- Upload a completed W9 form
- Applicant Tax ID
- Legal Name (If this is different than the name you have provided)
- Contact Information
- City/County Districts
- Artistic Resume/ CV
- Career Statement
- Demographic Profile
- Project Title
- Two-sentence summary of proposal.
- Project Narrative
- Describe your project and proposed use of funds.
- Explain what this project will enable you to do that you are unable to do now.
- Summarize how this project will advance your career or development as an artist.
- Download the budget template (link in header)to complete and upload
- Request amount
- What is the cash amount, if any, that you plan to contribute to this request? Enter 0 if the request is less than $3,000. If request is more than $3,000, enter the amount you will contribute in order to fulfill this request.
Please take special care to review the work sample guidelines. Applications that do not comply with these guidelines will not be considered for funding.
Applicants must provide high-quality, digital work samples (links – do not include mp3, mp4 type of files). Samples must be of artist’s work only. Hard copies will not be accepted. Work must be completed within the past three years. Applicants must attach an inventory list with the following descriptions for the applicable discipline:
- Dance and Performing Arts: Documentation of up to three recorded performances. Videos uploaded may not exceed a total time of ten minutes.
o Description: include date and location of performance, title of piece, names and roles of key people, including directors, choreographers, lead performers/actors, etc. A short summary may also be included. - Music: Documentation of up to three recorded performances, live or studio. Audio or video uploaded may not exceed a total time of ten minutes.
o Description: include date and location of performance, title of piece, names and roles of key people, including directors, choreographers, lead performers/actors, etc. A short summary may also be included.
o Composers and songwriters should also submit scores, lyrics, and/or lead sheets, as appropriate. - Writing: Fiction, creative nonfiction, and playwrights may submit no more than 12 pages each of one to two manuscripts. Poets may submit five to seven poems. Playwrights may also submit documentation of a recorded performance or staged reading of their plays (videos, clip not to exceed five minutes.)
- Visual Art and Craft: Up to 15 images of your work.
o Description: date of completion, medium, and dimensions.
o Time-based work can be documented with video, up to five minutes. - Film: Documentation of one or more completed films. (Video clips not to exceed five minutes.)
o Description: include date and location of performance, title of piece, names and roles of key people, including directors, choreographers, lead performers/actors, etc. A short summary may also be included.Please note the application cannot exceed 25mb of data. For video and audio work sample, YouTube and Vimeo links are preferred for video. Do not upload MP4s directly to the application. Please indicate if the work sample is professionally mastered. If you are providing links, please include them in the work sample list. Images will be viewed by the panel on their personal computer screens.
Include a word document or pdf detailing your work samples. This document should have a the following information for each work sample that you upload:
- Title of work sample
- Date of completion
- Dimension and medium (for visual artists)
- A brief statement or description of the work
- Link to download or view the work (if applicable)
- File name
Timeline
- Initial Application Deadline: Monday, August 28, 2023 at 12:00pm/Noon. All applicants must submit an initial application using our online application form by the published deadline. ASC does not accept late applications.
- Info sessions and Office hours: Assistance and draft reviews will be available throughout the month of August. Please reach out to Iván Garnica at Ivan.Garnica@artsandscience.org with any questions.
- Panel Reviews: A grant panel reviews each application. The panel will then deliberate on each proposal’s alignment with the goals of the Artist Support Grant and overall proposal narrative to select finalists.
- Award Notification: By October 9, 2023.
Evaluation Criteria
- Dedication of creative practice 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, arts educators, and administrators who will review and evaluate the applications and allocate funds for selected projects.
Information and Assistance
In an ongoing effort to assist applicants with the development of requests for funding, we encourage all applicants to attend a grant workshop or consult with ASC staff while crafting your Initial Application. We are glad to provide guidance and suggested revisions to the proposal to make the request as competitive as possible.
Please direct any questions about the Artist Support Grants to Iván Garnica at Ivan.Garnica@artsandscience.org.
INFO SESSIONS
ASC staff is hosting two virtual Info Sessions for creatives to learn about the Artist Support Grant opportunity. Info Sessions take place:
DRAFT REVIEW
If you would like ASC staff to review a draft of your application and provide feedback, please email a draft to Iván Garnica at Ivan.Garnica@artsandscience.org by August 25, at 5:00pm.
OFFICE HOURS
ASC staff is hosting virtual Office Hours for creatives with questions about Artist Support Grant application process. Office Hours are:
- Wednesday, Aug. 9 at 12 p.m.
- Thursday, August 24 at 10 a.m.
Reach out to Iván Garnica at Ivan.Garnica@artsandscience.org for Office Hours link.
Local Arts Council Contact Information
If you would like assistance with reviewing your draft materials, please use the “email a draft” option within the application to send your materials and questions to your county’s arts council representative.
Mecklenburg County
Iván Garnica
Grants Manager
ivan.garnica@artsandscience.org
Grant Recipient Resources
If you would like assistance with reviewing your draft materials, please use the “email a draft” option within the application to send your materials and questions to your county’s arts council representative.