SCAC debuts Festivals Program grants for FY24

Bring your community together

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Wednesday, November 15, 2023

Blurred photo of food exhibition fair montage with wood table top for background.


South Carolina communities love their festivals.

You can find festivals, in no particular order, for: peaches, watermelon, okra, cornbread, and other tantalizing treats. (And ribs, and BBQ of all varieties, and chili cook-offs, and… you get the point.)

You also know the arts festivals: ArtFields, Artisphere, Artista Vista, North Charleston Arts Fest, neighborhood art crawls, folk festivals, and on down the line.

To support the festivals that bring communities together through arts and culture, this morning the SCAC opened a new grant in its Arts Industry grants portfolio.

The Festivals Program Grant provides support for a broad range of arts activities at festivals that take place in—and have an impact on—S.C. communities, increasing opportunities for public engagement and participation in arts and culture.

Most S.C. nonprofit organizations (arts or non-arts!) are eligible, along with colleges and universities and units of government.


Successful applicants can get up to $7,500 of support for their:

  • arts programming, temporary art installations, commissions, or licensing fees for original works
  • artistic, administrative, technical, marketing salary support and/or contractual fees paid to artists, musicians, curators, programmers, and/or arts presenters/performers including travel and lodging.
  • event production costs for equipment/venue rentals and operation; sound, lighting, stage rigging, visual/digital components, and insurance for the arts programming only.
  • marketing including but not limited to graphic design services, advertising space, digital/print promotional materials, website, social media, printing, or publications
  • items or services ensuring program accessibility as mandated by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 which includes captioning, translation, visual enhancements, interpreters, and listening guides.

Special consideration will be given to festivals in underserved communities; those communities in which people lack arts programs, services, or resources due to geography, economic conditions, cultural background, socio-political circumstances, disability, age, or other demonstrable factors. (And please note that the term “community” can refer to a group of people with a common heritage or characteristics, whether they live in the same location or not.)

A 1:1 match is required for successful applicants. You can get all the details from the grant guidelines.

The application deadline is Thursday, Nov. 15, 2023 to fund projects from Jan. 1-May 31, 2024.