NCAC: LEAD Scholarship Grant

NCAC: LEAD Scholarship Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: North Carolina Arts Council
Amount: US $3,500
Last Updated: December 13, 2025

Summary

The NCAC: LEAD Scholarship Grant supports arts administrators new to accessibility, enabling them to develop inclusive programs for artists and audiences with disabilities. Recipients receive funding to attend the Performing Arts’ Leadership Exchange in Arts and Disability Conference, fostering collaboration and learning best practices. Eligible applicants must be nonprofit organizations in North Carolina with a history of quality arts programming. Priority is given to organizations in Tier 1 and Tier 2 counties and those without previous LEAD grants.

Overview

LEAD Scholarship Grant The North Carolina Arts Council’s LEAD Scholarship Grant provides professional development for arts administrators who are new to the field of arts accessibility and who are proactively developing inclusive arts programs and experiences for artists and audiences with disabilities in their communities. Scholarship funds support recipients to attend the Performing Arts’ Leadership Exchange in Arts and Disability Conference (LEAD) where they will engage in conversations with colleagues and experts from around the world; learn practical methods for designing inclusive arts experiences and environments; and develop best practices and resources. Program Provides Funding For: A $3,500 Technical Assistance grant to support conference registration fees and per diem travel and accommodations to attend the Performing Arts’ Leadership Exchange in Arts and Disabilities Conference (LEAD).Participation in a statewide arts accessibility learning cohort hosted by the North Carolina Arts Council in collaboration with Arts Access.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. To be eligible for a LEAD Scholarship Grant, applicants must meet the N.C. Arts Council’s general eligibility criteria:Must be a nonprofit organization in good standing with the state of North Carolina (or an organization that has applied for non-profit status using a fiscal agent); Must have been producing quality arts programs for at least two consecutive years: Must have prior-year organizational cash operating expenses of at least $20,000.Each funded organization will select one arts administrator to participate in the program. This participant will represent the host organization for the entirety of the program.