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P.O. Box 30246 Charlotte, NC 28230

Creative Mecklenburg Grants

the deadline has passed:
due January 29, 2024 at 12:00pm/noon

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 would like to acknowledge the support from Mecklenburg County, the Infusion Fund and our generous donors that help maximize the impact of this program across Mecklenburg County. 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

Creative Mecklenburg 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 currently living in Mecklenburg County―if you live in Cabarrus, Cleveland, Gaston, Lincoln or Rowan counties, please consider applying for Artist Support Grants in Fall 2024.

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. 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 County for at least one year before December 18, 2024. An applicant must be at least 18 years old and either a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident. 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 do not qualify if they currently have an active ASC Artist Support Grant or Individual Artist Fellowship Grant.
  • 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 Creative Mecklenburg Grants are 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)
  • 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 or workshops

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

Monday, January 29, 2024 at 12pm/noon.

Application Guidelines and Requirements

Below are the Guidelines and Requirements of the Creative Mecklenburg Grant. Click each item to see a bullet point list of recommendations. It is highly recommended to follow these guidelines as you develop your grant proposal. Not following the guidelines can be a reason for not being selected. 

  • 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

This is the main section that is scored by our review panel of previous Creative Mecklenburg grantees. The answers you provided here will ultimately be the foundation of your proposal. Answer the numbered questions with as much information as you can provide and consider the italicized prompts as vital information to include.

  • Proposal Title
    • Two-sentence summary of proposal. Specially, what would you be doing with the grant funds?
  • Project Narrative
    1. Describe your project and proposed use of funds.
      • Describe your project with enough detail to walk a panelist through your plan.
      • Use bullet points to list out your expenses you wish to cover through this grant.
    2. Explain what this project will enable you to do that you are unable to do now.
      • Describe an obstacle that you are working to overcome through this grant.
      • What would change in your current creative practice through the use of this grant?
    3. Summarize how this project will advance your career or development as an artist.
      • How will this opportunity change where you are headed in your career.
      • Describe any impacts that would come from your proposal.

There is a link to a template budget located in the header within the application itself. Please, use this template to submit the budget to your proposal. You can also find a budget template for the Creative Mecklenburg Grant application below:

Within the Expenses section, list out what you are hoping to cover using the grant funds. In the Income section, list out how much you are requesting in your proposal. 

If you have cash that you will be using to cover anything over $3,000 (since that is the maximum amount you can request), then you can also enter that amount in the Income section.

Please take special care to review the work sample guidelines.

Do not include mp3 or mp4 files – for video or audio work samples, include links in your Work Sample List document.

  • Dance and Performing Arts: Links to three recorded performances – no more than 10 minutes of total video.
  • Music: Links to three recorded performances, live or studio – no more than 10 minutes total of video.
  • Writing: Fiction, creative nonfiction, and playwrights may upload 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.
  • Visual Art and Craft: Up to 15 images of your work – work can be anything that highlights your creative practice and do not have to be related to your proposal. Time-based work can be documented with link to video, up to 5 minutes.
  • Film: One or more completed films (links to video clips not to exceed five minutes.)

For video and audio work sample, YouTube and Vimeo links are preferred for video. Do not upload mp3 or mp4s directly to the application. If you are providing links, please include them in the Work Sample List document.

Please take special care to review the Work Sample List guidelines.

Include all video and audio link in your Work Sample List document. Use the list below to know what bullet point information you must include with all of your work samples.

  • Dance and Performing Arts:
    • Title of piece
    • Link to performance
    • Date and location of performance
    • Names and roles of key people, including directors, choreographers, lead performers/actors, etc.
    • Indicate who you are in the work sample provided
    • A short summary may also be included of the work sample
  • Music:
    • Title of piece
    • Link to music
    • Include date and location of performance,
    • Names and roles of key people
    • A short summary may also be included
  • Writing:
    • Title of piece
    • Date of completion
    • A short summary may also be included
  • Visual Art and Craft:
    • Title of piece
    • Date of completion
    • Medium and dimensions
    • A short summary may also be included
  • Film:
    • Title of piece
    • Date and location of performance
    • Names and roles of key people
    • A short summary may also be included

For video and audio work samples, YouTube and Vimeo links are preferred for video. For music samples, please do not link entire album – list specific pieces you would like the panelists to listen.

Review Process

All eligible Creative Mecklenburg Grant applications will be reviewed and scored by a panel of previous ASC grant recipients. Panelists will score applications based on the evaluation criteria (listed below). Feedback will be provided to those who are declined in order to help improve their proposals for future grant opportunities.

  • Artist demonstrates a vibrant, vocational creative practice. 
  • Feasibility of the proposed project
  • Contribution of the proposed project to the advancement of the applicant’s creative practice

Information and Assistance

For more information, please email Iván Garnica at Ivan.Garnica@artsandscience.org.

Info Sessions

Info sessions are a great way to learn about this particular grant as ASC Grants & Services staff walk through the requirements and guidelines. If you have any questions, please reach out to Grants@artsandscience.org.

Office Hour

Wednesday, January 17 at 12pm/noon via Zoom: Click here for Zoom link

Grant Recipient Resources

Log-in to the
online system
Guidelines and Logos
to acknowledge asc support
Polices Reference in
grant contract