Advancing Southern vitality through the arts.
South Arts Inc’s largest recent awards are the $157,500 Southern Cultural Treasures Grants, a clear signal that the foundation backs Southern cultural institutions, artists, and traditions at meaningful scale. In 2024, that grant tier reached groups such as Colour of Music Inc in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina; True Colors Theatre Company in Atlanta; and Jazzarts Charlotte in Charlotte, North Carolina. The pattern points to a funder centered on arts infrastructure and cultural continuity across the South rather than isolated one-off support. Their portfolio includes performing arts, jazz touring and residencies, traditional and folk arts, film, artist fellowships, and professional development for arts administrators and presenters. The foundation also supports community engagement and creative placemaking, with grants tied to public presentation and educational components. Recent awards show activity across both established cultural organizations and programs serving artists and regional audiences, including the Black Appalachian storytelling tradition, Central Appalachian folk arts, and Southern dance and jazz initiatives. South Arts Inc’s grantmaking is regional, with a nine-state service area that shapes much of its program design and audience reach.
A major thread in South Arts Inc’s work is cultural preservation. In 2024, it gave $157,500 to the Catawba Indian Nation in Rock Hill, South Carolina, through Southern Cultural Treasures Grants, alongside awards to organizations such as Mississippi Center for Cultural Production in Utica, Mississippi and Junebug Productions Inc in New Orleans. Another focus is Appalachian folk and traditional culture. The foundation awarded $30,000 to Hindman Settlement School Inc in Hindman, Kentucky through In These Mountains: Project Grants and $25,000 to Junior Appalachian Musicians Inc in Independence, Virginia through the same program line. It also supports jazz artist development and touring. Jazz Road Creative Residencies provide grants from $5,000 to $40,000, while Jazz Road Tours fund three- to six-site tours, often in rural and underserved communities. Professional capacity building appears as well: South Arts Inc awarded $44,200 to Appalachian State University2 in Boone, North Carolina for In These Mountains work tied to the Cargill grant cycle.
$9.3M
$18.3M
$15.3M
$16.7M
Most grants fall between $7K and $11K, with a median of $8K.
25th Percentile
$7K
Median
$8K
75th Percentile
$11K
About 8% of grants go to recipients in NC.
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Typical awards are modest and project-specific: the grant-size distribution sits at p25 $6,694, median $8,075, and p75 $10,800. The portfolio includes both very small awards, such as Express Grants up to $3,000, and larger program grants, including In These Mountains: Infrastructure Grants at $30,000 and Jazz Road Creative Residencies up to $40,000. Recent grants show repeated support to some organizations across years, including North Carolina Arts Council Foundation, Appalachian State University2, and Junior Appalachian Musicians Inc. The foundation is not a fund for individuals, but several programs are artist-centered in structure. Many active programs accept unsolicited applications, including Arts Admin Essentials, Black Appalachian Storytellers Fellowships, In These Mountains: Project Grants, and Jazz Road Tours.
South Arts Inc gives regionally, with 229 grants recorded to U.S. recipients. Georgia is the top state by grant count, though only 8% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state. Recent awards reached cities across the South, including Atlanta, Savannah, Macon, Charlotte, Memphis, Miami, Birmingham, and Raleigh. The foundation’s program geography also extends beyond its core nine-state service area in some programs, such as Jazz Road, which can reach the United States and U.S. territories.
Its active programs cover visual and performing arts, jazz touring and residencies, traditional and folk arts, artist fellowships, creative placemaking, and professional development for arts administrators and presenters. Recent grants also show support for film, Southern dance, and community-engaged presentations.
Typical awards are in the low five figures: p25 is $6,694, the median is $8,075, and p75 is $10,800. Some programs go smaller, such as Express Grants up to $3,000, while others reach $30,000 or $40,000.
Yes, for several active programs. Arts Admin Essentials, Black Appalachian Storytellers Fellowships, In These Mountains: Project Grants, In These Mountains: Infrastructure Grants, Professional Development and Artistic Planning Grants, Presentation Grants, Jazz Road Tours, Jazz Road Creative Residencies, and Express Grants all accept unsolicited applications.
Grantmaking is regional, with 229 grants to U.S. recipients in the data. Georgia is the top state by grant count, and cities such as Atlanta, Savannah, Macon, Charlotte, Memphis, Miami, Birmingham, and Raleigh appear among recent recipients.
Yes. Artist Creative Practice Grants support individual artists’ professional development and career milestones, and Jazz Road Creative Residencies provide grants directly to professional jazz artists for self-defined residency activities.
SUZETTE SURKAMER
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wyandotte Nation of Kansas Inc | McLouth, KS | $130,000 | 2026 | FY25 NEA ArtsHERE |
| South Sudanese Foundation | Fargo, ND | $130,000 | 2026 | FY25 NEA ArtsHERE |
| Ballet After Dark Inc | Baltimore, MD | $130,000 | 2026 | FY25 NEA ArtsHERE |
| Border Youth Tennis Exchange | Nogales, AZ | $126,972 | 2026 | FY25 NEA ArtsHERE |
| The Indy Convergence INC | Indianapolis, IN | $122,000 | 2026 | FY25 NEA ArtsHERE |
| The Laundromat Project | Brooklyn, NY | $117,000 | 2026 | FY25 NEA ArtsHERE |
| North Carolina Arts Council | Raleigh, NC | $99,019 | 2026 | S Arts Relief & Recovery |
| The Beautiful Project Inc | Durham, NC | $98,750 | 2026 | FY25 NEA ArtsHERE |
| Phamaly Theatre Company | Denver, CO | $97,500 | 2026 | FY25 NEA ArtsHERE |
| Ko-Thi Inc | Milwaukee, WI | $97,500 | 2026 | FY25 NEA ArtsHERE |
| Indigenous Performance Productions | Olympia, WA | $97,500 | 2026 | FY25 NEA ArtsHERE |
| Working Classroom | Albuquerque, NM | $96,706 | 2026 | FY25 NEA ArtsHERE |
| PRISMID Inc | Greenville, SC | $96,359 | 2026 | FY25 NEA ArtsHERE |
| NorthStar Church of the Arts Inc | Durham, NC | $94,889 | 2026 | FY25 NEA ArtsHERE |
| Dancing Grounds | New Orleans, LA | $93,169 | 2026 | FY25 NEA ArtsHERE |
| Alaska Native Heritage Center | Anchorage, AK | $89,118 | 2026 | FY25 NEA ArtsHERE |
| Montgomery County Council for the Arts Inc | Mt Sterling, KY | $88,981 | 2026 | FY25 NEA ArtsHERE |
| Koreatown Youth and Community Center Inc | Los Angeles, CA | $87,752 | 2026 | FY25 NEA ArtsHERE |
| Indigo Arts Alliance | Portland, ME | $87,263 | 2026 | FY25 NEA ArtsHERE |
| Deep Center Incorporated | Savannah, GA | $86,266 | 2026 | FY25 NEA ArtsHERE |
| Catawba Indian Nation | Rock Hill, NC | $86,118 | 2026 | Southern Cultural Treasures grants |
| Positive People Association | Huntington, WV | $84,359 | 2026 | FY25 NEA ArtsHERE |
| Fourth Arts Block Inc | New York, NY | $84,232 | 2026 | FY25 NEA ArtsHERE |
| Arts Connect Houston | Houston, TX | $83,620 | 2026 | FY25 NEA ArtsHERE |
| Tidewater Arts Outreach | Norfolk, VA | $82,597 | 2026 | FY25 NEA ArtsHERE |
| The Bottom | Knoxville, TN | $81,212 | 2026 | FY25 NEA ArtsHERE |
| drawchange Inc | Atlanta, GA | $79,565 | 2026 | FY25 NEA ArtsHERE |
| Diaspora Vibe Cultural Arts Incubator | Miami, FL | $79,055 | 2026 | Southern Cultural Treasures grants |
| Community Building Art Works | Rockville, MD | $76,065 | 2026 | FY25 NEA ArtsHERE |
| The Mundi Project | Salt Lake City, UT | $71,295 | 2026 | FY25 NEA ArtsHERE |
| RSA of Dance & Performing Arts | Houston, TX | $70,991 | 2026 | FY25 NEA ArtsHERE |
| Florida Cultural Education Alliance Inc | Tallahassee, FL | $70,000 | 2026 | FY25 Advocacy |
| Oakwood Arts Inc | Richmond, VA | $67,432 | 2026 | FY25 NEA ArtsHERE |
| Community Partners in Action | Hartford, CT | $65,000 | 2026 | FY25 NEA ArtsHERE |
| Southern Fried Queer Pride | Atlanta, GA | $65,000 | 2026 | FY25 NEA ArtsHERE |
| Visionaries of the Creative Arts (VOCA) | Washington, DC | $65,000 | 2026 | FY25 NEA ArtsHERE |
| Afro Caribbean Cultural Center | Waterbury, CT | $65,000 | 2026 | FY25 NEA ArtsHERE |
| Laramie Public Art Coalition | Laramie, WY | $65,000 | 2026 | FY25 NEA ArtsHERE |
| Iowa Arts in Education | Des Moines, IA | $65,000 | 2026 | FY25 NEA ArtsHERE |
| Indigenous Roots | Saint Paul, MN | $65,000 | 2026 | FY25 NEA ArtsHERE |
| Creative Reaction Lab | Saint Louis, MD | $65,000 | 2026 | FY25 NEA ArtsHERE |
| Clemmons Family Farm Inc | Charlotte, VT | $65,000 | 2026 | FY25 NEA ArtsHERE |
| Griot Arts Inc | Clarksdale, MS | $65,000 | 2026 | FY25 NEA ArtsHERE |
| Race Dance Company | Oklahoma City, OK | $65,000 | 2026 | FY25 NEA ArtsHERE |
| Latino Center of Art & Culture | Sacramento, CA | $65,000 | 2026 | FY25 NEA ArtsHERE |
| Company One Inc | Boston, MA | $65,000 | 2026 | FY25 NEA ArtsHERE |
| Mattie Rhodes Memorial Society | Kansas City, MO | $65,000 | 2026 | FY25 NEA ArtsHERE |
| BABES FEST Inc | Austin, TX | $65,000 | 2026 | FY25 NEA ArtsHERE |
| Global Lounge Incorporated | Boise, ID | $65,000 | 2026 | FY25 NEA ArtsHERE |
| Native American Indian Association of Tennessee Inc | Nashville, TN | $65,000 | 2026 | FY25 NEA ArtsHERE |
Wyandotte Nation of Kansas Inc
$130,000FY25 NEA ArtsHERE
Ballet After Dark Inc
$130,000FY25 NEA ArtsHERE
The Indy Convergence INC
$122,000FY25 NEA ArtsHERE
Current and upcoming funding from South Arts that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Organizations in rural, isolated, or small communities in South Arts' nine-state region; must present a Southern artist; have a UEI; provide 1:1 cash match. See guidelines for full eligibility.
Deadline: Rolling deadline through April 30, 2026 (as cited).
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Create a free accountDeadlines and eligibility are summarized from public sources and may change — always confirm the details on the funder's official application page before applying.
FY25 NEA ArtsHERE
The Beautiful Project Inc
$98,750FY25 NEA ArtsHERE
Ko-Thi Inc
$97,500FY25 NEA ArtsHERE
Indigenous Performance Productions
$97,500FY25 NEA ArtsHERE
Working Classroom
$96,706FY25 NEA ArtsHERE
PRISMID Inc
$96,359FY25 NEA ArtsHERE
Montgomery County Council for the Arts Inc
$88,981FY25 NEA ArtsHERE
Catawba Indian Nation
$86,118Southern Cultural Treasures grants
Positive People Association
$84,359FY25 NEA ArtsHERE
Fourth Arts Block Inc
$84,232FY25 NEA ArtsHERE
Tidewater Arts Outreach
$82,597FY25 NEA ArtsHERE
The Bottom
$81,212FY25 NEA ArtsHERE
drawchange Inc
$79,565FY25 NEA ArtsHERE
Diaspora Vibe Cultural Arts Incubator
$79,055Southern Cultural Treasures grants
Community Building Art Works
$76,065FY25 NEA ArtsHERE
The Mundi Project
$71,295FY25 NEA ArtsHERE
RSA of Dance & Performing Arts
$70,991FY25 NEA ArtsHERE
Florida Cultural Education Alliance Inc
$70,000FY25 Advocacy
Oakwood Arts Inc
$67,432FY25 NEA ArtsHERE
Southern Fried Queer Pride
$65,000FY25 NEA ArtsHERE
Visionaries of the Creative Arts (VOCA)
$65,000FY25 NEA ArtsHERE
Afro Caribbean Cultural Center
$65,000FY25 NEA ArtsHERE
Laramie Public Art Coalition
$65,000FY25 NEA ArtsHERE
Iowa Arts in Education
$65,000FY25 NEA ArtsHERE
Griot Arts Inc
$65,000FY25 NEA ArtsHERE
Race Dance Company
$65,000FY25 NEA ArtsHERE
Latino Center of Art & Culture
$65,000FY25 NEA ArtsHERE
Company One Inc
$65,000FY25 NEA ArtsHERE
BABES FEST Inc
$65,000FY25 NEA ArtsHERE
Global Lounge Incorporated
$65,000FY25 NEA ArtsHERE
Native American Indian Association of Tennessee Inc
$65,000FY25 NEA ArtsHERE
