Arts in Rural Places
Arts in Rural Places supports organizations bringing Southern guest artists to rural and small communities, funding artist fees for public presentations and engagement that broaden access to the arts.
Funder: South Arts
Due Dates: Rolling (apply at least 60 days before project start) | April 15, 2026 (applications opened) | July 1, 2026–June 30, 2027 (project period)
Funding Amounts: $500–$3,000, covering up to 50% of artist fees with a dollar-for-dollar cash match
Summary: Supports Southern guest artists’ public presentations and community engagement activities in rural, isolated, and small communities.
Key Information: Organizational applicants must have their own qualifying nonprofit, government, or tribal status and a UEI; fiscal sponsorship is not accepted.
Description
South Arts administers Arts in Rural Places with support from the National Endowment for the Arts. The program offers expedited artist-fee grants to organizations bringing Southern guest artists into rural, isolated, and small communities. Supported disciplines include documentary, fiction, experimental and animated film; traditional music, dance, storytelling and crafts; visual arts; theater, music, opera, musical theater and dance; and fiction, creative nonfiction and poetry.
Projects pair a public presentation of the guest artist’s work with a separate artist-led educational or community engagement activity. Activities may be in person, live online, or both. The program emphasizes meaningful local participation, artistic excellence, and project merit, including access for communities facing geographic, economic, disability-related, or other systemic barriers. Awards are distributed first-come, first-served, subject to funding availability.
