Literary Arts Project Grants
Submit a proposal for a literary arts project (creative work creation/publishing or community engagement) with required attachments including organization mission statement and representative work samples.
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Get matched →- Deadline
- 40 days left
- Entry fee
- Not listed - check the source
- Award
- $5,000
- Location
- South Arts' nine-state region (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee)
- Applicants notified
- Nov 1, 2026
About
Overview
South Arts announces Literary Arts Project Grants supporting literary arts organizations and small presses that focus on contemporary literary arts. These grants advance South Arts' commitment to amplifying the literary traditions and artistic practices of the American South by directly supporting the development, production, and public engagement of high-quality literary projects.
Key Dates
- Applications Open: August 12, 2026
- Application Deadline: October 7, 2026
- Award Notifications: November 2026
- Final Report Due: June 30, 2027
Eligibility
Applicants must be an independent nonprofit literary arts organization, independent publisher, or small press, including literary journals with a literary arts mission, and be headquartered in South Arts' nine-state region (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee).
Ineligible Applicants
- Units of government
- Colleges and universities
- Organizations funded in the previous Literary Arts Project Grant cycle
- Applicants proposing the same project to another South Arts grant program
Supported Project Types
Grants support projects in two categories: Creative Literary Work Creation and Publishing (literary journal or magazine issues, book publishing projects, anthologies or curated literary collections) and Community Engagement (reading series, literary festivals, podcasts or digital public programming).
Awards
South Arts will award up to $5,000 per project to eligible literary arts organizations and small presses. All expenses must occur between July 1, 2026, and June 30, 2027.
Required Application Materials
Organizations must submit an organization mission statement addressing organizational goals, leadership qualifications, artistic history, and governance structure, plus representative work samples directly related to the proposed project.
Selection Criteria
Panelists will make recommendations based on: Artistic Excellence (50%) - quality of published or proposed literary work, originality, innovation, and editorial strength; Artistic Merit (50%) - feasibility of the project and timeline, realistic budget and matched resources, track record of the organization, equity in compensation and working conditions, and alignment with mission and community impact.
Contact
For technical assistance with Salesforce or application issues, contact [email protected]. For all other inquiries, contact Lisa Smalls, Director, Arts Access and Learning at [email protected].
- Award
- up to $5,000 per project
- Theme
- Grants support literary arts projects in poetry, fiction, creative or literary nonfiction, young readers' literature, and drama (scriptwriting) that demonstrate artistic excellence, editorial rigor, and meaningful public or community impact.
- Eligibility
- Independent nonprofit literary arts organizations, independent publishers, or small presses headquartered in South Arts' nine-state region (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee) with a literary arts mission.
- Contact
- [email protected]
Every listing links to the organizer's official page. Always confirm deadlines, fees, and entry rules there before you apply.