Grant Opportunity Available to Durham Artists

The Durham Arts Council Artist Support Grant is now open to artists who have lived in Durham, Orange, Person, or Alamance counties for at least one year before the application deadline of Aug. 30.

Eligible art forms include:

• Craft.
• Music.
• Dance.
• Painting/Drawing/Printmaking/Mixed Media.
• Film/Video.
• Photography.
• Literature.
• Sculpture/Installation.
• Multi-discipline (Performing).
• Theatre.

Grant applications and support materials are initially reviewed by local professional artists in each art form. These professionals provide comments on the applications, which are then forwarded to the Grant Review Committee. The committee considers these recommendations and makes the final decisions on the awards.

The grants are intended to support various eligible projects and costs. Up to 50% of the grant can be used for artist fees. Eligible projects include the completion or presentation of new work, covering costs such as purchasing art supplies, equipment, or space rental. Career promotion projects, which aim to advertise an artist’s work or demonstrate their skill level, are also eligible. This can include creating websites, portfolios, or audio-visual documentation. Additionally, training costs for attending classes or workshops, whether in-person or virtual, are covered if they enhance the artist’s skills or professional development. Travel expenses for training, professional conferences, or research are also eligible.

Certain projects are ineligible for funding. These include scholarships for undergraduate or graduate education, projects that support or oppose political candidates, projects exclusive to members of a specific religious faith, and projects that do not directly impact the applicant’s growth as an artist.

Applications are judged on several criteria: the overall excellence of the applicant’s artwork as shown by work samples, the feasibility of the proposed project, and the project’s contribution to the artist’s professional development and practice. The maximum grant award is $1,500.

The program is primarily funded by the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, along with contributions from the Durham Arts Council, Alamance Arts, the Orange County Arts Commission, and the Person County Arts Council. Grant recipients are required to submit both a financial and narrative report on their use of the grant. Future awards are contingent upon the submission of this final report.

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