South Arts Express Grants

Overview

_NOTE: Applications for this program are now closed._

Detailed Program Description

South Arts believes that rural communities deserve great art, and can require specialized support to make that vision viable. Distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis, Express Grants support rural organizations and communities with expedited grants of up to $3,000. To be eligible for funding, applicants must program arts experiences featuring a Southern artist.

Express Grants are an opportunity for organizations in South Arts' nine-state region to receive fee support to present Southern guest film directors, visual and performing artists, or writers from inside or outside of the presenter's state. Artist fee support is awarded for:

* film (documentary, fiction, experimental, and animation),
* performing arts (theater, music, opera, musical theater, and dance),
* literary arts (fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry),
* traditional arts, and
* visual arts (crafts, drawing, experimental, painting, photography, sculpture, and mixed media).

Guidelines

Projects must include both a public presentation (film screening, performance, reading, or exhibition) and an educational/community engagement component. Based on the artist fee, the maximum request is $3,000. The grant requires a dollar-for-dollar cash match (for example, an applicant that requests $3,000 must provide a $3,000 cash match for a project with a $6,000 artist fee).

Policies

* The educational/community engagement component is integral to the project and should be carefully planned. A meaningful educational/community engagement component should involve concentrated preparation by the artist/company and presenter, including a learning event that has a lasting impact on the audience (e.g., workshops, lectures, and master classes). The artist(s)/company must conduct the educational/community engagement activity. Please be aware that failure to include an educational/community engagement component will result in ineligibility.
* Grants are NOT transferable to other events. All changes in an event must be submitted in writing to South Arts before the event. Awards may be revised or revoked in light of such changes.
* Grant awards require a dollar-for-dollar cash match. Applicants can request a grant up to 50% of the artist fee as listed in the artist contract or letter of agreement, up to $3,000 (subject to funding availability). For example, a project with an artist fee of $6,000 means the applicant can request $3,000 and must provide a cash match of $3,000. This grant does not support indirect and additional project costs.
* The minimum grant request is $500. The minimum artist fee for this grant program is $1,000.
* The maximum grant request is $3,000.

Eligibility

_You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website._

* Only nonprofit and governmental presenters/presenting organizations in South Arts’ nine-state region are eligible to apply. South Arts’ nine-state region includes Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. 
* Presenters/presenting organizations are defined as organizations that present or host artists for engagements in their communities. Presenters can include but are not limited to community cultural organizations, community centers, churches, schools/colleges/universities, libraries, museums, film festivals/series, and performing arts centers. Typically, producing organizations or performing arts groups are not considered presenters, and are strongly encouraged to contact South Arts to discuss eligibility.
* Only organizations in rural communities are eligible for this grant program. For the purposes of these guidelines, a standard definition of rural is a population of 50,000 or below.
* Applicants must have not-for-profit, tax-exempt status; be an official unit of local, county, or state government; or be a federally recognized tribal community. Applications are accepted from any tribal community with not-for-profit, tax-exempt status. For nonprofit applicants, tax-exempt status will be verified by a third-party entity. Governmental applicants must provide proof of government status. South Arts does not accept applications from fiscal agents for this grant program.
* All applicants must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). Applications will not be accepted from organizations that do not have a UEI. Read more about how to obtain a UEI. 
* Eligible projects must take place in South Arts' nine-state region. Unless there are special circumstances, projects should occur in the applicant's state (please contact South Arts to discuss special conditions).
* Eligible projects must include the engagement of a guest artist or company (i.e., a film director, visual artist, performing artist/ensemble, or writer) that resides in South Arts' region. The engagement must include a guest artist that resides inside or outside of the applicant's state. 
* Supported disciplines include film (documentary, fiction, experimental, and animation), performing arts (theater, music, opera, musical theater, and dance), literary arts (fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry), traditional arts, and visual arts (crafts, drawing, experimental, painting, photography, sculpture, and mixed media).
* Need help finding a Southern artist? View artists who have been supported by South Arts in the past or look through our State Arts Agency partners' rosters.
* Screening partners currently receiving funding through South Arts' Southern Circuit program are not eligible to receive additional funding for Southern Circuit film screenings.
* Applicants currently receiving funding through South Arts’ Presentation Grants or Traditional Arts Touring program are not eligible for this grant program.
* Applicants are limited to one Express Grant application per South Arts fiscal year.
* Applicants who have failed to submit final reports for any previous South Arts grant by the application deadline for this program will not be considered for funding from this grant program until they have completed a conversation with program director Nikki Estes.
* Applicants who did not properly acknowledge South Arts' AND the National Endowment for the Arts' support in programs and press materials for any previous South Arts grant may not be considered for funding from this grant program.

Ineligibility

* Applications will not be accepted from organizations that do not have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). 
* Screening partners currently receiving funding through South Arts' Southern Circuit program are not eligible to receive additional funding for the Southern Circuit film screenings.
* Applicants currently receiving funding through South Arts’ Presentation Grants or Traditional Arts Touring program are not eligible for this grant program.
* Applicants who have failed to submit final reports for any previous South Arts grant by the application deadline for this program will not be considered for funding in this grant cycle.
* Applicants who fail to properly acknowledge South Arts’ AND the National Endowment for the Arts’ support in programs and press materials may not be considered for future funding.
* South Arts does not fund benefits or fundraisers.
* Grants are NOT transferable to other events.