2026-27 Artist Project Grant 

PURPOSE

The Orange County Arts Commission offers Artist Project Grants to encourage artist-led community projects and programs. Funds are approved and provided by the Orange County Board of County Commissioners. Click here to view a list of last year's funded projects. 

2026-27 AVAILABLE FUNDING

• FY26-27 NC Arts County Grassroots Arts Program Allocation: $48,448.50 
• FY26-27 Orange County Outside Agencies Allocation: $29,711 (pending FY27 budget approval)
• FY26-27 Orange County Local Arts Grants Allocation: $28,800
• TOTAL: $106,959.50

ELIGIBILITY FOR APPLICATION

• All applicants must reside in or carry out projects within Orange County. Priority is given to Orange County artist-residents.
• Applicant must be an individual artist or an unincorporated group of artists. Projects affiliated with, or artists representing, an incorporated organization must apply as an organization through the Grassroots Arts Program.
• Applications and support materials must be submitted electronically by the due date.

TIMELINE

• Monday, June 1, 2026: Application Period opens
• Tuesday, June 30, 2026: Applications due by 11:59PM
• August, 2026: Applicants will be notified
• September or October, 2026: Presentation at Board of County Commissioners meeting (date TBD)
• All projects must take place between July 1, 2026, and June 30, 2027 (this means you can apply for a project that may have already happened before you are notified).

FUNDING GUIDELINES

• Artist Project Grant funds may be used for expenditures to conduct quality arts programs for the benefit of the greater community. Typical uses of money include artist payments, space rental, advertising, marketing and publicity, website and electronic media, scripts, costumes, sets, props, supplies, equipment rental or purchase.
• The maximum request amount for Artist Project Grants is $3,000.
• Artist grantees are not required to match their grant amounts dollar for dollar, but priority will be given to applicants that have other funding sources, or their own funds, invested in the project.

Artist Project Grants must not request funding for:

• Food or beverage costs
• School supplies
• Art Therapy (Art, music and dance therapists conducting a therapeutic program cannot be funded. However, qualified artists conducting an arts program in a health care setting may be supported.) 
• Rent at Eno Arts Mill Studios

APPLICANT EVALUATION

Applications are reviewed by panels of experts in the visual, performing, and literary arts, comprised of members of the OCAC Advisory Board and members of the artist community. Panelists discuss and score the grant using an established rating system. The highest scoring applications are funded and the dollar amount granted to each applicant is determined by the OCAC Advisory Board. The panel evaluates applications based on the following criteria: 

1. Artistic quality of proposed project and artist’s work
2. Community impact of project or program 
3. Likelihood that applicant will complete grant project as proposed 
4. Proof of community support and responsiveness to community needs, such as letters of support from partnering organizations

Panelists discuss and score the grant using an established rating system. The highest scoring applications are funded and the dollar amount granted to each applicant is determined.  

GRANTEE REQUIREMENTS

• OCAC Recognition Grantees must acknowledge the Orange County Arts Commission’s support of their event or projects by including their logo in all print and promotional materials related to the grant. Click here for grantee information and downloadable logos. 
• Reporting Requirements Each grantee is required to submit a final report providing a detailed description of the funded project, participation statistics and demographics, and sample marketing and program materials using the OCAC logo. The report forms will be sent to you by OCAC director Katie Murray and will be due by Monday, July 12, 2027. Artists who have not submitted reports for prior grants are not eligible to apply for future requests.

QUESTIONS & ASSISTANCE

Please read our FAQ's! Due to time limitations, we ask that you attend or watch the training session taking place on Tuesday, June 9, 6-7pm, before reaching out. Click here to access the meeting through Microsoft Teams. If you still have unanswered questions, please contact Katie Murray at 919-245-2335 or kmurray@orangecountync.gov.