The Artist Support Grant (ASG) supports a broad range of talented artists in multiple arts genres. The grant funds professional and artistic development for emerging and established artists to enhance their skills and abilities to create work or to improve their capacity to bring their work to new audiences. Eligible artists that reside in Region 12 (Anson, Montgomery, Moore, Richmond, Stanly, & Union Counties) must apply through the Arts Council of Moore County. (If you live in another NC county, you can find your county partner here.)
Next Deadline: 5:00 PM on Friday, October 13, 2023
Grant Decision: After November 17, 2023
See below for more grant details…
What is the Artist Support Grant?
The program is operated by the Arts Council of Moore County in partnership with Arts Richmond, Stanly County Arts Council, StarWorks NC, Union County Community Arts Council, and the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural & Cultural Resources.
The deadline for 23-24 applications in Region 12 is 5:00 PM on Friday, October 13, 2023.
Am I Eligible?
ASG is intended to support a broad range of talented artists in the genres of visual arts, performing arts, literary arts, music composition, choreography and interdisciplinary arts. Eligible candidates may be either emerging or established artists.
- Individuals & Artist Collectives — Both individual artists and small, unincorporated groups of collaborating artists are eligible to apply.
- Age — Artists must be at least 18 years old.
- Residency — Artists must have lived continuously in ASG’s Region 12 (Counties of Anson, Montgomery, Moore, Richmond, Stanly, & Union) for at least one year before the application deadline. An applicant must be either a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident alien; Proof of residence and status may be required. Artists who live in more than one region should apply only where they spend the majority 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 is required with the application.
- Prior Winners — Artists who received this grant must wait at least two (2) years after the award year before becoming eligible to reapply.
- Multiple Awards — Artists who are sole proprietors of organizations that have already received funding for from the NC Arts Council for 2022-23 or 2023-34 may not apply.
- Conflict of Interest — Current board & staff members of the regional partner organizations and their family members are not eligible to apply.
- Student Status — This grant is intended for adult, non-student artists. Artists enrolled full-time in undergraduate or associate degree programs may not apply. 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 criteria. Contact ACMC with other questions and special circumstances.
What projects are fundable?
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 artist’s work and/or demonstrating their skill level (e.g., websites, portfolios, audio-visual documentation, & 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 authority in the applicant artist’s medium)
- Travel — Costs of transportation and lodging for training, professional conferences, or research as allowed or possible while adhering to social distancing guidelines
- Services — Rental of equipment or facilities for presentation of a new work, recording studio space, etc.
- Supplies — Purchase of supplies and materials necessary for the completion or production of a new work deemed by the artist to be an essential work in his/her career.
- Artist Fee — Up to 50% may be used for costs of labor, which equals the time that one spends on a project. (Two ways to show a reasonable artist fee is by the hour and/or by the month)
Examples of ineligible projects and costs are::
- Scholarships and/or tuition for undergraduate or graduate level education
- Projects that support or oppose a candidate for public office
- Projects that are exclusive to members of a 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, teaching, curatorial work, etc.)
- Projects that have already taken place
- Nonprofit initiatives
How does the judging/panel process work?
All complete applications will be judged by a multi-county panel of established artists, arts professionals, arts educators, and administrators who will review and evaluate each application and allocate funds for selected projects. Grant recommendations from the panel must then be approved by ACMC’s Board of Trustees. Incomplete applications will not be presented to the panel.
The panel evaluates each application based on the following criteria:
Artistic Merit (50%) — Overall excellence of the applicant’s artwork as demonstrated by work samples and a clear commitment to a career as a practicing, professional artist Project Merit (25%) — Feasibility of the proposed project as communicated in the application narrative and budget Professional Development (25%) — Contribution of the proposed project to the advancement of the applicant’s professional artistic development and practice
Make sure your application shines!
What is the grant deadline?
This is NOT a postmark deadline. Your application and all required attachments must be in ACMC’s offices by the deadline in order to be considered for funding. Applications without all required attachments are incomplete and will not be presented to the panel.
ASG projects must take place between the dates of January 1 – December 31, 2024, with all grants funds fully spent by June 30, 2024.
Can I get some help?
We’re here to help ease the process! Grant workshops will be offered to assist artists in strengthening their applications. Attendance is not required but strongly encouraged, especially for first time applicants. All grant workshops are open to any artist in Region 12, no matter your county of residence.
The ASG workshops will take place on the following dates:
VIRTUAL WORKSHOP: Recorded on August 29, 2023 – 5:30 PM via Zoom
IN-PERSON WORKSHOP: September 12, 2023 – 5:30 PM – Arts Council Galleries at Campbell House, 482 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines, NC
Reservations for each grant workshop are required by contacting ACMC at 910-692-2787 or chris@mooreart.org. Please provide the following: Your name, county of residence, email address, phone number, your art discipline, and which workshop(s) you wish to attend. The workshop via Zoom will be recorded and the recording link will be available on this page the following day. You may attend both workshops.
In addition to the workshops, you may also contact the ASG representative in your county to help you develop your application and support material. Find your county representative at the bottom of this page. Please do not wait until the week of the deadline to reach out for help.
How do I apply?
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:
1. Application: Click Here to download the 2023-24 ASG Application Form
2. Narrative (required) – Your narrative should explain your proposed project and how it will positively impact your career as an artist. Your narrative should address the following questions (1,000 word limit):
- What is your project and how will the funds be used?
- What will this project enable you to do that you are unable to do now?
- How will this project advance your career or development as an artist?
3. Budget (required) – Fill out the application’s Project Budget (page 2) with your project’s expenses and income. For your Project Expenses, please be sure to list each expense as its own line item. Be as specific as possible. The minimum grant amount to request is $500 and the maximum amount is $3,000.
4. Artistic Resume (required) – Attach an artist resume that includes education, employment, public presentations of your work, publications, commissions, honors, grants/fellowships/awards, and other relevant experience. (Four pages maximum)
5. Artist Statement (optional) – Attach an artist statement that describes your work and the key ideas, goals, or cultural practices that drive you to create. (One page maximum)
6. Letters of Recommendation (optional) – Letters of Recommendation are not required. All Letters of Recommendation should be on letterhead and signed with contact information. Letters should be recent and from individuals familiar with your work and/or project. Letters should be professional recommendations and not personal recommendations. (Two letters maximum.)
7. WORK SAMPLES (required) – Applicant must provide high-quality, digital work samples (links or attachments), emailed to chris@mooreart.org. Hard copies will not be accepted. Samples must be of artist’s work only and created within the past three years. Applicant must attach an inventory list with the following descriptions for the applicable discipline:
- DANCE & PERFORMING ARTS: Please submit up to 3 recorded performances. Videos* may not exceed a total time of 10 minutes. A short description may also be submitted (Word or PDF only) to include title of piece(s), date & location of performance(s), names & roles of key people (director, choreographer, lead performers/actors, etc.).
- MUSIC: Please submit up to 3 recorded performances, live or studio. Audio or video* may not exceed a total time of 10 minutes. A short description may also be included (Word or PDF only) to include title of piece(s), date & location of performance(s), names & roles of key people (composer/songwriter, musicians, etc.). Composers & songwriters should also submit scores, lyrics, and/or lead sheets, as appropriate (Word or PDF only).
- WRITING: Fiction, creative nonfiction, and playwrights may submit up to 2 manuscripts (Word or PDF only) with a maximum of 12 pages each. Poets may submit 5 to 7 poems (Word or PDF only). Playwrights may also submit documentation of a recorded performance or staged reading of their plays, with clips not to exceed 5 minutes.
- VISUAL ART & CRAFT: Please submit 8 to 15 images of your art (Formats: PNG, JPG, JPEG,TIF; max. of 2 MB each), along with an inventory list (Word or PDF only) listing each piece with their date of completion, medium, & dimensions. Do not include photos of your art on the inventory list. Time-based work documented by video* not to exceed 5 minutes.
- FILM: Please submit up to 3 video clips* of completed films, with the total of all film clips not to exceed 10 minutes. A short description may also be submitted (Word or PDF only) to include title, date, location, names & roles of key people (director, choreographer, lead performers/actors, etc.).
*For ALL Video/Audio samples: Please submit all video and audio work samples as an online web link (YouTube, Vimeo, etc.) sent to chris@mooreart.org, along with your name and county of residence. And though not required, indicate if art sample is professionally mastered.
One copy of all printed material (application & all support materials) must be submitted to ACMC in ONE of the following ways.
- EMAIL: chris@mooreart.org
- MAIL: Arts Council of Moore County, P.O. Box 405, Southern Pines, NC 28388
- HAND DELIVERY: Arts Council at Campbell House, 482 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines, NC
An application without all required attachments is incomplete and will not be presented to the grants panel.
Reporting Requirements
Each artist who receives a grant is required to provide a final report within 30 days after the completion of the funded project, and no later than June 30, 2024. Failure to submit a report may result in denial of future awards.
23-24 Report Form can be downloaded here: 2023-24 ASG Final Report Form.
Additionally, each grant recipient is required to recognize NCAC’s investment in your talent by adhering to the following requirements about credit line and logo use. Failure to properly credit NCAC may jeopardize future awards.
CREDIT LINE
All funded events and in all digital and printed publicity materials for ASG funded projects must contain the following credit line:
This project is supported by the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural & Cultural Resources, with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts.
LOGO USE
Wherever possible to include along with the NCAC credit line, NCAC’s logo may be prominently displayed on-site and in all publicity and printed materials. You may use either the color or black & white version.
Download the North Carolina Arts Council logo HERE.
Should you have questions about the report form or credit line & logo use, please contact ACMC.
Still have questions?
Q: What can grant dollars be used for?
A: 50% of ASG funds may go to artist fees to support the individual artist with the remainder to fund a single purpose or project, such as a workshop, conference, or master class; purchase supplies or materials; website design costs; rent a piece of equipment; help edit or publish a book; or upgrade equipment or studio space. In some instances there may be shared or related expenses that are also legitimate. For instance, attendance at a conference AND travel costs to attend; or, a major piece of equipment AND a necessary additional component (a saw AND a blade). If you are unsure if you can use grant funds for a specific expense, please see the ineligible costs above or contact your local arts council. Applicants are required to attach support for the request and amount. For example, a write-up and pricing of conference fee, a draft invoice or an online price quote are acceptable proofs of costs.
Q: How much can I request?
A: For 2023-24, you may request any amount between $500 and $3,000.
Q: Am I required to match the grant?
A: No, matching funds are not required of ASG recipients. However, if the cost of the project exceeds the maximum grant amount ($3,000), you must show additional funding sources.
Q: When will the grant be announced?
A: We will start contacting the grant awardees on or after November 17, 2023.
Q: What types of projects have been funded in the past?
A: In the past, artists have been awarded grants for the following types of projects:
- Work with master artists in their field
- Purchase equipment (art supplies, pottery kiln, camera, computer, etc.)
- Pay for conference or workshop fees, including lodging and travel
- Renovate or update studio space
- Cost of publishing a book
- Rent studio time for the completion of a specific project
ASG Region 12 County Representatives
If you have additional questions about the Artists Support Grant, please contact your county’s ASG Region 12 arts organization listed below:
ANSON COUNTY
Contact the Arts Council of Moore County representative
MONTGOMERY COUNTY
STARworks NC
Mary Holmes, Special Projects Coordinator
Physical Address: 100 Russell Dr., Star, NC
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 156, Star, NC 27356
Phone: 910-428-9001 | Email: mary@starworksnc.org
Website: STARworksNC.org
MOORE COUNTY
Arts Council of Moore County
Chris Dunn, Executive Director
Physical Address: 482 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines, NC
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 405, Southern Pines, NC 28388
Phone: 910-692-2787 | Email: chris@mooreart.org
Website: MooreArt.org
RICHMOND COUNTY
Arts Richmond / RCAC
Physical Address: 123 E. Washington St., Rockingham, NC
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 1296, Rockingham, NC 28380
Phone: 910-997-6008 (Leave a message)
Email: ArtsRichmond@gmail.com
STANLY COUNTY
Stanly County Arts Council
Renee Van Horn, Executive Director
Address: 26032-G Newt Rd., Albemarle, NC 28001
Phone: 704-982-8118
Email: stanlycountyartscouncil1974@gmail.com
Website: StanlyCountyArtsCouncil.org
UNION COUNTY
Union County Community Arts Council
Melanie Miller, Executive Director
Physical Address: 120 N. Main St., Monroe, NC
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 576, Monroe, NC 28111
Phone: 704-283-2784 | Email: melanie@unionarts.org
Website: UnionArts.org
The Artist Support Grant is provided through a partnership with the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural & Cultural Resources, and other arts councils divided into 18 statewide regions. The Arts Council of Moore County is the Lead Partner for Region 12, which includes Anson, Montgomery, Moore, Richmond, Stanly, and Union counties.
