Presentation Grants

Funding Agency:
South Arts

Presentation Grants are an opportunity for organizations in South Arts' nine-state region to receive fee support to present Southern guest film directors, visual and performing artists, or writers from outside of the presenter's state. Artist fee support is awarded for:

  • film (documentary, fiction, experimental, and animation),
  • performing arts (theater, music, opera, musical theater, and dance),
  • literary arts (fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry),
  • traditional arts, and
  • visual arts (crafts, drawing, experimental, painting, photography, sculpture, and mixed media).

Projects must include both a public presentation (film screening, performance, reading, or exhibition) and an educational/community engagement component. These grants are limited and very competitive. Based on the artist fee, the maximum request is $9,500 for modern dance and contemporary ballet or $7,500 for other artistic disciplines. The grant requires a dollar-for-dollar cash match (for example, an applicant that requests $7,500 must provide a $7,500 cash match for a project with a $15,000 artist fee).

South Arts is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. We have prioritized this commitment to ensure that Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) led organizations, LGBTQIA+ led organizations, and organizations representing persons with disabilities are represented as both applicants and grantees. In addition, we encourage applications for projects that engage BIPOC artists, LGBTQIA+ artists, and artists with disabilities.

Applicants are limited to one Presentation Grant application per South Arts fiscal year.

Interested applicants from within Duke should contact fundopps@duke.edu as early as possible.

Applications must be submitted on or before March 1, 2023.

Agency Website

Eligibility Requirements

  • Only nonprofit and governmental presenters/presenting organizations in South Arts’ nine-state region are eligible to apply. South Arts’ nine-state region includes Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. 
  • Presenters/presenting organizations are defined as organizations that present or host artists for engagements in their communities. Presenters can include but are not limited to community cultural organizations, community centers, churches, schools/colleges/universities, libraries, museums, film festivals/series, and performing arts centers. Typically, producing organizations or performing arts groups are not considered presenters, and are strongly encouraged to contact South Arts to discuss eligibility.
  • Applicants must have not-for-profit, tax-exempt status; be an official unit of local, county, or state government; or be a federally recognized tribal community. Applications are accepted from any tribal community with not-for-profit, tax-exempt status. For nonprofit applicants, tax-exempt status will be verified by a third-party entity. Governmental applicants must provide proof of government status. South Arts does not accept applications from fiscal agents for this grant program.
  • All applicants must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). Applications will not be accepted from organizations that do not have a UEI. Read more about How to Obtain a UEI.
  • All applicants must have a readiness plan (see "Readiness Plan" tab in the Narrative Instructions section below). Applications will not be accepted from organizations that do not provide the required description of the readiness plan.
  • Eligible projects must take place in South Arts' nine-state region. Unless there are special circumstances, projects should occur in the applicant's state (please contact South Arts to discuss special conditions).
  • Eligible projects must include the engagement of a guest artist or company (i.e., a film director, visual artist, performing artist/ensemble, or writer) that resides in South Arts' region but outside of the applicant's state. Please note the following exemption for touring within state boundaries: In-state touring is allowed for Southern artists residing at least 400 miles away from the applicant’s location.
  • Supported disciplines include film (documentary, fiction, experimental, and animation), performing arts (theater, music, opera, musical theater, and dance), literary arts (fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry), traditional arts, and visual arts (crafts, drawing, experimental, painting, photography, sculpture, and mixed media).

Amount Description

  • Grant awards require a dollar-for-dollar cash match. Applicants can receive up to 50% of the artist fee as listed in the artist contract or letter of agreement, up to $9,500 for modern dance and contemporary ballet or up to $7,500 for other artistic disciplines (subject to funding availability). For example, a project with an artist fee of $15,000 means the applicant can request $7,500 and must provide a cash match of $7,500. This grant does not support indirect and additional project costs.
  • The minimum grant request is $1,000. The minimum artist fee for this grant program is $2,000.
  • The maximum grant request is $9,500 for modern dance and contemporary ballet or $7,500 for film, performing arts, literary arts, traditional arts, and visual arts.

Funding Type

Grant

Eligibility

Faculty

Category

Arts & Humanities
Community Outreach and Engagement

External Deadline

March 1, 2023