North Carolina Arts Council Artist Support Grants
Application Deadline: September 12, 2025
Register to attend an Artist Project Grant Workshop Zoom
Tuesday, August 5, 2025 at 10:00 a.m.
Wednesday, August 6, 2025 at 6:00 p.m.
Artist_Support_Grant_Application_Form
Artist_Support_Grant_Budget_Form
What are Artist Support Grants?
The N.C. Arts Council created the program to provide funding to regional consortia of local arts councils to award project grants to exceptional artists in our 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.
Who May Apply?
Artists in New Hanover, Brunswick, Pender, Columbus, and Bladen counties are encouraged to apply for up to $1000 for projects which will take place from October 1, 2025 – December 2026.
Scope and Allowable Expenses
Types of fundable projects include:
- Creation of new work
- Purchase of equipment and materials
- Professional development workshops
- Travel support for expenses associated with a professional opportunity such as participating in an exhibition or conference,
- Development or upgrading of promotional materials such as brochures, websites,
- 50% artist fees are allowable expenses
Eligibility Requirements
Individuals and Artist Collectives — Both individual artists and small, unincorporated groups of collaborating artists are eligible to apply.
Residency — Artists should have lived continuously in the region for at least one year before the application deadline of September 12, 2025. An applicant must be at least 18 years old and either a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident alien.
Multiple Awards — Artists who have received funding in or since FY2022–2023 are ineligible to apply.
Student Status — The Artist Support Grant is intended for adult, nonstudent artists. Artists enrolled full-time in undergraduate or associate degree-granting programs may not apply for the grant.
Submissions
Complete applications must be submitted online to grants@artswilmington.org with the subject line ASG 2025-2026 or postmarked and mailed to 221 N. Front St., Suite 101, Wilmington, NC 28401 by Friday, September 12, 2025. Applications submitted to any other email address will not be considered.
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
All completed Artist Support Grant applications will be judged by a multicounty panel of established artists, arts administrators, and arts educators who review and evaluate the applications and allocate funds for selected projects.
Information and Assistance
The Arts Council of Wilmington/NHC administers the grant in Region 6. For more information, contact Rhonda Bellamy at grants@artswilmington.org or by calling 910-343-0998.
ARTS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT GRANTS
The Arts Council of Wilmington Awards $172,000 in Grants from The Endowment
to New Hanover County Arts Organizations
Wilmington, NC – March 11, 2025 – The Arts Council of Wilmington & NHC, in partnership with The Endowment, is pleased to announce the distribution of $172,000 in grants to 30+ nonprofit arts organizations in New Hanover County. These grants, ranging from $2,000 to $10,000, will provide crucial programming and operating support to strengthen the local arts community. A full list of the 2024-2025 grantees is attached.
This initiative marks a significant milestone, as the Arts Council has been selected as The Endowment’s first nonprofit sub-granting partner. This designation underscores the shared commitment to supporting artists, arts organizations, and audiences through strategic public-private partnerships that create jobs, drive economic growth, and elevate the region as a premier arts and cultural destination.
“We are honored to serve as The Endowment’s first sub-granting partner,” said Rhonda Bellamy, founding president and CEO of the Arts Council of Wilmington. “Arts and culture are more than just sources of inspiration and entertainment. They are powerful drivers of economic growth, social cohesion, and community well-being.”
About the Arts Council
The Arts Council of Wilmington & NHC celebrates its 13th year as the nucleus of Wilmington’s vibrant arts scene. The nonpartisan agency is the Designated County Partner to the NC Arts Council and is the art agency of record for the City of Wilmington and New Hanover County. In addition to grantmaking, the Arts Council provides professional development, public art initiatives, and strategic partnerships.
About The Endowment
The Endowment’s mission is to address the root challenges in community safety, community development, social and health equity, and education and to develop impactful solutions for every person in New Hanover County. The Endowment was established from the sale of the county-owned New Hanover Regional Medical Center to Novant Health in 2020. The initial fund was nearly $1.3 billion. Grants will be awarded each year in perpetuity. www.theendowment.org
2024-2025 Grantees
Brooklyn Arts Music Academy $10,000
Cape Fear Cultural Association of India $2,000
Cape Fear Jazz Appreciation Society $2,000
Cape Fear Swing Dance Society $2,000
Carolina Beach Mural Project $2,000
Chamber Music Wilmington $6,000
Cinema Sisters $2,000
Coastal Carolina Clay Guild $2,000
Cucalorus Film Foundation $10,000
DREAMS of Wilmington INC $10,000
Forward Motion Dance Company $2,000
Harrington Repertory $2,000
Island Arts Council $2,000
Louise Wells Cameron Art Museum $10,000
Mouth of Babes Theatre $10,000
Narrative Arts $10,000
Opera House Theatre Company $10,000
Opera Wilmington $8,000
Panache Theatre $8,000
Performance Club Theatre Company $8,000
Port City Playwrights Project $2,000
Thalian Association Community Theatre $10,000
Thalian Hall $10,000
The Dance Cooperative $2,000
Turning the Wheel Productions, Inc. $2,000
WHQR $6,000
Wildlife Artists of the Carolinas, Inc $2,000
Wilmington Performing Arts $6,000
Wilmington Symphonic Winds $2,000
Wilmington Symphony Orchestra $10,000
Wilmington Virtuosi Brass $2,000
Total $172,000
OTHER GRANT RESOURCES
Hello Arts! Applications Available Year-Round
The Wilson Center at Cape Fear Community College and The Arts Council of Wilmington and New Hanover County are pleased to announce that applications for Hello Arts! (formerly Broadway for a Better World) will be accepted throughout the year. The awards will be granted twice a year, once in January and again in July. Previous applicants are welcome to apply again.
Hello Arts! is funded through the tremendous generosity of private donors, with the mission of making the theater experience and all of its associated benefits available to underserved populations, particularly young people under the age of eighteen. The grant program is administered by the Arts Council of Wilmington and New Hanover County, and grant recipients are selected by an independent committee.
Nonprofit organizations in New Hanover and Pender counties may apply to receive tickets to Wilson Center performances.
Arts Council Announces $100,000 in Grants:
The Arts Council of Wilmington/New Hanover County is set to distribute a total of $100,000 in grants to local artists and arts organizations during its annual Jingle & Mingle reception. This event will take place on Wednesday, December 11, 2024, at 6:00 p.m. at the Dreams Center for Arts Education, located at 901 Fanning St.
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE LISTS OF FY 2024-2025 AWARD RECIPIENTS!
