Regional Artist Project Grant and Workshops

The Regional Artist Project Grant is an annual grant program that provides financial support to developing arts professionals by funding a project pivotal to the advancement of their careers as artists. The program is conducted by the Asheville Area Arts Council, the Toe River Arts Council, the Madison County Arts Council, and the Avery County Arts Council. Artists working in all disciplines are encouraged to apply to the program. Applicants must be at least 18 years old and have been a resident of Avery, Buncombe, Madison, Mitchell or Yancey County as of July 1, 2010. The Regional Artist Project Grant Program is supported by a grant from the North Carolina Arts Council, an organization funded by the NEA.

Awards may be used for a variety of projects, such as attendance at workshops or master classes; production of audio or video demonstration tapes or visual arts portfolios; purchase of supplies or materials needed to complete or produce a new work; or the purchase of equipment. Grant applications must outline a specific project, clearly showing its relationship to the artist’s career development. Proposals must be for projects that will be completed by December 2012.

Artists are highly encouraged to attend the Grant Writing workshops in their respective county. The workshops will offer step-by-step instruction for completing the application, as well as some advice on presenting a positive proposal.

Grant writing workshops for applicants will be scheduled in a variety of locations (See the application for the workshop dates and locations).

Selection criteria include excellence of work, demonstration of exceptional talent, serious professional commitment, the potential of the project to contribute to the artist’s professional growth, and the feasibility of the project itself. Individual grant requests may range from $400 - $1,200. Funds may not be used as scholarships or for projects that have already been completed. Recipients within the last two years are ineligible to apply. Deadline for applications is September 30, 2011 at 5 pm.

Applications are available through the Asheville Area Arts Council (828) 258-0710; the Avery County Arts Council (828) 898-4292; the Madison County Arts Council (828) 649-1301 or the Toe River Arts Council (828) 765-0520 or 682-7215.

Download the Application and Guidelines

Arts Scholarship

The Toe River Arts Council announces the availability of art scholarships each spring. Awards are given to a graduating high school senior or an adult continuing their education and are from Yancey or Mitchell County and pursuing a higher education degree majoring in any of the arts or arts education. The application deadline is April 1 of each year.

The scholarship is also open to all residents of Yancey or Mitchell Counties. Each scholarship will be in an amount between $250 and $1,000 and will be paid directly to the degree-based institution of the applicant's attendance. The Toe River Arts Council (TRAC) Scholarships for the Arts is made possible by funding by an Endowment Fund held by the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina (CFWNC).

An application form is available at here and must be submitted by the deadline, April 1. In addition to the application form required for submittal, applicants will be asked to present work that best exemplifies the extent and quality of their past accomplishments. Examples of acceptable entries include: ceramics, drawing, graphic design, jewelry, painting, print making, sculpture, textile and fabric design, drama, music, and creative writing, as well as other media and form. Please contact TRAC for questions about eligible entries and requirements for appropriate submission (e.g., slides, photos, writing samples, recitals, etc.). Portfolios of work are accepted as long as the total number of objects is limited to ten.

Submissions do not have to be related to the category of degree program to be eligible. For example, the applicant may submit a sculpture even if they are accepted to a photography program. There is no application fee for submittal. No late applications will be accepted.

The evaluation of submissions will be based upon a submittal which demonstrates original thinking, an artistic commitment and a willingness to take creative risks.

The Toe River Arts Council (TRAC) Scholarships for the Arts, made possible by funding from the OMC Foundation to an Endowment Fund held by the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina, are awarded to individuals from Yancey and Mitchell County, North Carolina.

Download the application and guidelines.