Emerging Artist Alumni Grants

South Carolina Arts Commission
For more than 50 years, the agency has worked to build a thriving arts environment that benefits all South Carolinians, regardless of their circumstances or where they live.
We help artists and arts providers offer unique arts experiences to residents and visitors. From free poetry readings and gallery crawls to sweetgrass basketry workshops and ticketed dance, music, or theatre performances, they create an environment that contributes to quality of life from three “corner” counties of Oconee, Horry, and Beaufort to the 43 arranged inside.
Since 1967, the SCAC has awarded more than $132 million in grants to artists, arts organizations, school districts, schools, and teachers!
Purpose
This grant is designed to assist Emerging Artist grant alumni with an ambitious project through funding and professional learning opportunities to further career growth and sustainability. Grantees must participate in the following during their grant period:
Quarterly one-hour, one-on-one virtual meetings with the Artist Development and Arts Industry Coordinator. The meetings will occur on a mutually agreed-upon date and time as determined by coordinator and artist.
Quarterly interim progress reports via SCAC’s grants portal.
At least four (4) virtual professional development/learning activities completed via CreativeStudy.com.
At least one (1) virtual Artist Entrepreneur Incubator (AEI) session provided by SCAC.
Funding Type: Reimbursement.
Use of Funds
The Emerging Artist Alumni grant is a project-based grant.
Projects may be multidisciplinary, but the artist will need to apply in alignment with their original Emerging Artist grant’s artistic discipline.
Grant funds must be used for actual project costs, defined as consumable and non-consumable items needed to complete the proposed project (including, but not limited to):
Supplies and materials (e.g., sheet music, art supplies, scripts, costumes).Equipment (e.g., kilns, lighting or sound equipment, musical instruments, storage).Furniture (e.g., easels, music stands).Professional services (e.g., performance space rental, web designer).
Indirect Cost Limitation
No more than 10% of the total grant funds may be used for indirect costs (general overhead expenses not directly tied to the project). The remaining 90% must go toward direct costs, which are necessary to carry out the funded project.
Examples of direct costs: Artist fees, program supplies, travel for project activities, and venue rental.Examples of indirect costs: Administrative salaries not directly working on the project, office rent, utilities, and general office supplies.
This ensures that most of the funding directly benefits the project while allowing some flexibility for necessary overhead costs.

Eligibility

The applicant must meet all of the following eligibility requirements:Be a practicing individual artist in one of the following disciplines:Dance (choreography or performance).Music (composition, production, songwriting, or performance).Opera/musical theatre (performance, libretto/playwriting, directing).Theatre (performance, playwriting, directing).Visual arts (painting, drawing, mixed media, sculpture, or printmaking).Crafts (ceramics, fiber, glass, leather, metal, paper, plastic, or wood).Photography.Design arts (architecture, fashion, graphic, industrial, or interior).Media arts (screenwriting, film, animation, performance).Literature (poetry, prose).Spoken word/slam poetry.Interdisciplinary (installation, sound, video art, computer-generated art, performance art).Public art (permanent or ephemeral).Folklife and Traditional Arts (visual arts, performance, or oral literature).Folk and traditional artists create works that are expressions of a shared identity learned as a part of the cultural life of a particular group. This shared identity may be rooted in family, geographic, tribal, occupational, religious, or ethnic connections, among others. Folk and traditional art is handed down/taught from one generation to the next and reflects the shared experience, aesthetics, and values of a group.Be an Emerging Artist grant recipient who successfully completed the program during the previous five grant periods from FY21-FY25 (Jan. 1, 2021-June 30, 2025).Be a legal resident of the U.S. and S.C., with a permanent residence in the state for at least one year prior to the application and throughout the grant period.Not be a degree-seeking student during the grant period.Be applying as an individual, not as an ensemble or group.Not be a previous recipient of this grant.

Ineligibility

Commissioners and staff of the S.C. Arts Commission and members of their immediate families are not eligible to apply for any individual SCAC programs, grants, fellowships, or services that provide financial support or career recognition.These funds cannot be used for:Operating support (for an individual artistic business or establishment of an organization by an individual).Professional development (e.g., art instruction, attending a conference or non-grant training).Living expenses incurred during the project.Salary, honorarium, or stipend for grantee.Food, beverages, alcohol, or catering services.If, based on this information, you are uncertain if a purchase meets the qualifications for Emerging Artist alumni grant funding, please contact us before applying.