North Carolina Arts Council
/OVERVIEW: The North Carolina Arts Council supports creative economy, art education, festivals, nonprofit capacity building, military and veterans healing and other arts and culture programming in North Carolina.
IP TAKE: There are lots of different opportunities for both art nonprofits and individual artists with NCAC, so take some time to review the website and reach out to the most relevant staff contact for more details.
PROFILE: Established in 1964 in Raleigh, North Carolina, the North Carolina Arts Council (NCAC) is a grantmaking arm of the state’s Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. The organization’s arts funding reaches all counties in the state and is one of the most developed and effective arts councils in the U.S. This funder aims to "create an enviable arts infrastructure that reaches every corner of our state.” NCAC funds local efforts for arts and culture, creative economy, art education, festivals, nonprofit capacity building, military and veterans healing and other artistic endeavors.
The North Carolina Arts Council awards grants to nonprofit organizations that have been producing programs for at least two years and have operating expenses of at least $20,000. Organizational grants go towards program support, art education, military and veteran healing through art, grassroots arts efforts, state art resources, organizational development and statewide service organizations. NCAC also awards grants to individual artists for artist fellowships, artist residency grants, a folklife internship, and folklife apprenticeships. There are opportunities at NCAC for regional artist project grants that involve creating new work, purchasing equipment and materials, professional development workshops associated travel expenses, or developing promotional materials. NCAC launched the North Carolina Arts Council Foundation in 2013 to “foster and promote the growth, progress and general welfare of the North Carolina Arts Council.”
Grants range between about $5,000 and $30,000 depending upon the program. Learn more about this funder’s local giving on the manage your awards page of the NCAC website. Grantmaking focuses on the entire state of North Carolina. Past local grantees include the Hiddenite Center, Clarkton School of Discovery, Black Mountain College Museum and Arts Center, and the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area.
This foundation accepts unsolicited grant applications from nonprofits for many opportunities at different times of the year. Different deadlines may also apply based upon the North Carolina county involved. Direct general questions to the staff at ncarts@ncdcr.gov or 919-814-6500.
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