Festivals Grants

Festivals Grants

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: South Carolina Arts Commission
Amount: Up to US $7,500
Last Updated: February 24, 2026

Summary

Overview

Note: If planning to apply through a nonprofit foundation, please contact the Grants Team before applying. South Carolina Arts Commission The mission of the South Carolina Arts Commission is to expand access to the arts and foster creativity for all South Carolinians. 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! Festivals Grants Purpose To provide support for a broad range of arts activities at festivals that take place in—and have an impact on—S.C. communities, increasing opportunities for public engagement and participation in arts and culture. A festival is a day or period of celebration or gathering of people that: Happens in a condensed period of time (i.e., an annual celebration or anniversary or an organized series of concerts, plays, movies, or performances held in the same place). Has an easily identifiable or unifying theme or specified focus. Restrictions The festival cannot span the duration of more than two (2) consecutive weekends (no more than 14 consecutive days). Seasonal series of presented works, as well as freestanding installations, productions or exhibitions, are ineligible activities for this program. Applicants may submit only one (1) application per deadline. Requirements The festival must be held in South Carolina. The festival must have identifiable arts activities (visual, media, performing, literary, and/or folk and traditional arts). The festival must compensate visual, media, performing, literary, and/or folk and traditional artists. The festival must be open to the public and include some aspect of free arts programming. Funding type: Reimbursement Matching Requirements 1:1 (grantee:SCAC) Up to 50% of the grantee’s match may be through an in-kind donation of materials and/or contracted services.An example of “in-kind” is a contracted fee that is waived or discounted as a donation to your project. Another SCAC grant and/or federal funds may not be used to match your award. 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. Compliance with State and Federal Laws All grant applicants must ensure their applications, proposed projects, and any related materials comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws. This includes SC Code § 16-15-305 (2024), which prohibits the dissemination of obscene materials. Obscene content is strictly prohibited in grant applications and any proposed project activities. Applications that include materials or activities determined to be obscene will not be reviewed or considered for funding. No component of an SCAC-funded project, including those funded with SCAC funds and those funded with matching funds, can fall into this category. Failure to comply with these regulations may result in the termination of funding and other legal consequences. We strongly encourage all applicants to carefully review the full legal text of SC Code § 16-15-305 (2024), to ensure their proposals are in full compliance.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. The applicant must be a unit of state or local government, OR a nonprofit organization currently registered as a charity with the S.C. Secretary of State’s Office Note: Applicants who are exempt from this registration must upload their registration exemption approval. reflecting S.C. as the primary address on all current official organizational documentswith federal tax-exempt status with the Internal Revenue Service OR applying through a tax-exempt fiscal agent/receiver organizationNote: Applicants who are applying through a fiscal agent/receiver must submit a letter outlining the working relationship and responsibilities of both parties. AND NOT receiving General Operating Support or Operating Support for Small Organizations grants from the S.C. Arts Commission within the same fiscal year. In accordance with federal government policy, all organizations – including (but not limited to) private schools, public school districts, government entities, and nonprofit organizations – must provide a valid UEI number to receive an SCAC grant award. Learn about the Unique Entity ID (UEI) Note: If an applicant organization is using a fiscal agent/receiver, separate UEI numbers must be provided for both the applicant organization and the fiscal agent/receiver. Exceptions to separate UEI numbers are organizations run by a local government or a school district. Eligible expenses These include, but are not limited to:Arts programming, temporary art installations/exhibitions, commissions, or licensing fees for original works.Artistic, administrative, technical, marketing salary support and/or contractual fees paid to artists, musicians, curators, programmers, and/or arts presenters/performers including travel and lodging.Event production costs for equipment/venue rentals and operation; sound, lighting, stage rigging, visual/digital components, and insurance for the arts programming only.Marketing including but not limited to graphic design services, advertising space, digital/print promotional materials, website, social media, printing, or publications.Items or services ensuring program accessibility as mandated by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which include captioning, translation, visual enhancements, interpreters, and listening guides.Festival activities can include juried processes (e.g., visual or performing arts competitions, exhibitions or juried shows).

Ineligibility

Individual artists and colleges and universities are ineligible to apply. 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. Ineligible expenses These include, but are not limited to:Non-arts activities.Food and beverages, including alcohol.Festivals organized for or by political parties.Trade fairs, events of a commercial nature, and consumer shows.Events that are produced solely as fundraisers, or that contribute to endowments.Organization’s season or a seasonal series of presented or produced programs.Competitions and award ceremonies.Cash prizes, purchases/awards, plaques.Re-granting.Sports and recreation activities and related events.Scholarship programs, pageants, conferences, symposiums, standalone award ceremonies, seminars, showcases or recitals for individual schools— including fairs, bazaars, fetes, or open house events.Events that are restricted to private or exclusive participation (by invitation and/or purchase requirements that exceed the cost of a typical, standard ticket to an event/performance).Organizations applying through a fiscal agent or fiscal receiver can not use grant funds to cover indirect, administrative, or overhead costs to the fiscal agent/receiver.