This is our sixth year partnering with the fine folks at the NC Arts Council, United Arts Wake County, and other local arts councils to bring the Artist Support Grant to Chatham County artists. This Artist Support Grant is open to artists living in Chatham, Harnett, Johnston, Lee, Wake counties. We encourage diverse and nontraditional artists to apply for the grant.
Funding opportunities for individual artists are rare—particularly in the performing arts—so this is pretty special.
Eligibility
The Artist Support Grant is intended to support a broad range of talented artists in the genres of visual arts, performing arts, literary arts, music composition, choreography, and interdisciplinary arts. Eligible candidates may be either emerging or established artists.
Applicants should demonstrate a commitment to spending a significant portion of their time on their work as artists. Both individual artists and small, unincorporated groups of collaborating artists are eligible to apply for grants up to $1,500.
Artists – if you’ve mastered the basic techniques of your art form, and you’re undertaking a project that will further your professional artistic career, or you’ve been a working artist for a long time, and you’re undertaking a project that will move you to a new stage in your professional artistic career, this grant is open to you. Please check out the guidelines and application.
To be eligible for an Artist Support Grant, you must have lived in one of the five partner counties at least a year, must be 18 years of age, and cannot be a student enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program in your art form. Previous grantees must wait a minimum of two years before reapplying. Artists who received ASG awards in 2024 or 2025 are not eligible to apply for 2026 grants.
If you have questions, drop us a line at heather@chathamartscouncil.org.
Grant Info Session (Recommended!)
There will be an information session held this season on July 17 at 12 p.m., allowing artists to learn more about the grant process and get tips on strengthening their application. Click HERE to register. Although not required, it is strongly recommended that applicants attend this season’s session for the best possible outcome.
We’re also able to provide support with a review of your proposal and support materials, if you give us enough time!
Application and Deadline
2026 applications open on June 1 and will close on September 1, 2025.
You can find the application here.
Funding Decision
Awards will be granted based on:
- Overall excellence of the applicant’s artwork as demonstrated by work samples;
- Feasibility of the proposed project;
- Contribution of the proposed project to the advancement of the applicant’s professional artistic development and practice.