South Arts Grants and Opportunities

Overview

South Arts offers Arts in Rural Places Grants to support community engagement projects in rural, isolated, and small communities across nine Southern states. The program provides expedited grants of up to $3,000 to support organizations in engaging Southern artists for public-facing programming.

Eligible Applicants

Applicants must be tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofits, official units of local/county/state government, or federally recognized tribal communities based in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, or Tennessee. Eligible organizations include community cultural organizations, community centers, churches, schools, libraries, artist ensembles, presenting organizations, museums, and arts centers.

Service Area Requirements

• Communities that are geographically isolated
• Communities isolated due to socioeconomic factors, outmigration, education gaps, or lack of infrastructure
• Small cities with populations of 50,000 or less
• Professional artist or ensemble must reside within the nine-state region

Project Requirements

Projects must feature a Southern artist and include at least two in-person or live virtual public activities: a public presentation (film screening, performance, reading, or exhibition) and an educational/community engagement activity (workshop, demonstration, lecture, facilitated discussion, or master class). Projects must take place between July 1, 2026 and June 30, 2027.

Eligible Art Forms

• Film (documentary, fiction, experimental, animation)
• Traditional arts (music, dance, storytelling, visual arts/crafts)
• Visual arts (crafts, drawing, experimental, painting, photography, sculpture, mixed media)
• Performing arts (theater, music, opera, musical theater, dance)
• Literary arts (fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry)

Award & Match Requirement

Grants of up to $3,000 are awarded for artist fees. Applicants must provide a dollar-for-dollar cash match (example: a $3,000 request requires a $3,000 cash match for a $6,000 total project budget).

Key Dates & Deadlines

• Applications open April 15, 2026 and are accepted on a rolling basis
• Applications must be submitted at least 60 days prior to the project start date
• Applicants notified by email within four weeks of submission
• Projects must occur between July 1, 2026 and June 30, 2027

How to Apply

Applicants must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) to apply; obtaining a UEI can take a minimum of 30 days. New applicants are encouraged to contact Program Director Nikki Estes at 404-874-7244 x816 before applying. All funding is contingent on program availability.