The North Carolina Arts Council (NCAC) is currently accepting applications for its Spark the Arts Grants to support arts providers as they reengage with the public through a combination of programming, marketing, rebuilding staff capacity, and facilitating safety protocols.
Donor Name: North Carolina Arts Council (NCAC)
State: North Carolina
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 03/01/2023
Size of the Grant: $3,000 to $30,000
Grant Duration: 1 year
Details:
This broad project category replaces Program Support for now and includes two application tracks: audience re-engagement and audience inclusion. Projects of the kind previously supported by the Arts Equity Project Grant and the Military and Veterans Healing Arts Grant categories are welcome within this category.
Funding Information
Range: $3,000 to $30,000
Project Period
The project period for funding is July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2024.
Scope and allowable expenses
The creation and curation of arts activities is fundamental to all arts programs; however, the Spark the Arts category places a special emphasis on strategies to engage audiences and participants in the work. Grant applications will be considered in two tracks based on the applicant’s audience goals: reengagement (bringing audiences back/reimagining engagement with audiences); and inclusion (seeking new audiences/investing in new voices).
Examples of reengagement projects may include:
- Artistic programming selected to encourage audiences to reengage
- Enhanced marketing campaign for the upcoming season
- Enhanced safety protocols and/or staffing related to audience engagement
Examples of inclusion work projects may include:
- Projects designed to reach previously under-engaged communities, such as communities of color, disability communities, rural communities, economically disadvantaged communities, and other underserved communities, that include collaborative planning with the community served.
- Artistic programming that uplifts the work of artists from underserved communities described above.
- Programs that focus on creative aging, military and veterans, and arts in healthcare environments.
Who may apply
To be eligible for Spark the Arts funding, applicants:
- Must be a North Carolina-based nonprofit organization
- Must have a track record of producing quality programs for at least two years
- Must have prior-year organizational cash operating expenses of at least $20,000
OR
- Must apply with a fiscal agent that meets the above eligibility criteria
Municipalities and universities are also eligible to apply for Spark the Arts grants.
Designated and provisional county partners who receive the Grassroots Arts Program allocation for their county are not eligible to apply for Spark the Arts project grants. However, these organizations are allowed to serve as a fiscal agent for an applicant who requires that service.
Organizations that received a direct American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) line item in the state budget for general operations are not eligible to apply for Spark the Arts project grants.
Organizations that were granted a two-year Spark the Arts Grant for FY2022-23 through FY2023-24 are not eligible to apply for another Spark the Arts Grant this cycle.
For more information, visit Spark the Arts Grants.
