North Carolina Arts Council Artist Support Grants

North Carolina Arts Council Artist Support Grants

Program Overview:
The N.C. Arts Council created this program to provide funding to regional consortia of local arts councils to award project grants to exceptional artists in the region. The grants support professional artists in any discipline and at any stage in their careers to pursue projects that further their artistic and professional development.

Geographic Scope:
New Hanover, Brunswick, Pender, Columbus, and Bladen counties

Award Amount: Up to $1,000 per project

Project Timeline: October 1, 2025 – December 2026

Eligible Project Types

• Creation of new work
• Purchase of equipment and materials
• Professional development workshops
• Travel support for expenses associated with professional opportunities (exhibitions, conferences)
• Development or upgrading of promotional materials (brochures, websites)
• 50% artist fees are allowable expenses

Eligibility Requirements

• Applicant Type: Individual artists and artist collectives (small, unincorporated groups of collaborating artists)
• Residency: Must have lived continuously in the region for at least one year before the application deadline
• Age: Must be at least 18 years old
• Citizenship: U.S. citizen or permanent resident alien
• Student Status: NOT available to full-time undergraduate or associate degree students
• Prior Awards: Artists who have received funding in or since FY2022–2023 are ineligible to apply

Evaluation Criteria

• Overall excellence of the applicant's artwork as demonstrated by work samples
• Feasibility of the proposed project
• Contribution of the proposed project to the artist's development

Review Process

Applications are judged by a multicounty panel of established artists, arts administrators, and arts educators.

Contact Information

Name: Rhonda Bellamy Email: grants@artswilmington.org Phone: 910-343-0998 Address: 221 N. Front St., Suite 101, Wilmington, NC 28401