RELIEF GRANTS
ARTS BUSINESS RELIEF GRANT
Apply by March 14, 2025
Western North Carolina arts businesses (for profit and nonprofit) focused in the hardest hit areas of craft, visual, and performing arts (including music) impacted by Hurricane Helene are invited to apply for ArtsAVL Arts Business Relief Grant. Business must have been producing quality arts programming or products for at least two consecutive years, have an operating budget of at least $20,000, and be physically located in one of the following counties: Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Clay, Cleveland, Gaston, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Swain, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes, and Yancey.
Grants of up to $5,000 will be awarded based on the budget size of the business and the revenue losses caused by Hurricane Helene. Recipients may use this grant to fund salaries, artists’ fees, production, promotion, programming expenses, supplies and equipment, office expenses, and facility operation. These funds are not for subgranting. The deadline to apply is March 14, 2025 at 11:59 pm.
Grant Guidelines
Eligibility
- This grant is intended to support arts businesses in the most impacted areas of craft, visual, and performing arts (including music). To qualify, at least 75% of business expenses must be focused on the presentation or production of local arts programming and/or products. Arts nonprofits, galleries (primarily supporting local artists), craft producers, and music venues are all eligible to apply. Arts organizations that are part of another entity such as a municipality, church, school system, or college/ university are not eligible to apply.
- Sole-proprietorships (including single member LLCs that are not electing S-Corp taxation) are NOT eligible. A sole proprietor is someone who owns an unincorporated business by themselves. Essentially, you are not eligible if you file a Schedule C. If your business files its own taxes (1065, 1120, or 990) you ARE eligible. We encourage individual artists to apply for the South Arts Southern Arts Recovery Fund opening March 19. NC artists will be eligible for this new grant.
- Businesses must have been producing quality arts programming or products for at least two consecutive years.
- Businesses must have prior-year operating expenses of at least $20,000.
- Businesses must currently be physically located in one of the 26 impacted counties.
- Businesses must have been substantially impacted by Hurricane Helene.
- Recipients may use them to fund salaries, artists’ fees, production, promotion, programming expenses, supplies and equipment, office expenses, and facility operation.
Selection Criteria & Process
The ArtsAVL Arts Business Relief Grant is a competitive grant and all applications will be reviewed and ranked by a selection panel. We do not guarantee any applicant a grant. Applications will be reviewed based on the following criteria:
- Is an arts business in one of the following eligible categories: arts nonprofit, gallery (primarily supporting local artists), craft producer, or music venue;
- Physically located in one of the 26 WNC counties impacted by Hurricane Helene;
- Producing quality arts programming or products for at least two consecutive years;
- Substantially impacted by Hurricane Helene physically and/or economically;
- Has a budget of at least $20,000;
- Funding request is for eligible expenses; and
- Has a feasible plan for recovery
Those that are selected for funding will be asked to sign a short grant agreement (via DocuSign) that includes their payment details and the completion of a w-9 form.
Arts business grants may be used towards business operations with a focus on job retention. Receipts will not be required at this time, but grant recipients will be required to complete a short impact survey at the six-month and one-year mark. We recommend that grant recipients consult with an accountant to ensure you are compliant in reporting taxable income.
Support Resources
Deadline to apply is March 14, 2025 at 11:59 p.m.
Grant Guidelines & Questions PDF
Questions: Email us at grants@artsavl.org. No phone calls or drop-ins please.
EMERGENCY RELIEF GRANT FOR ARTISTS
Western North Carolina artists of all disciplines substantially impacted by Hurricane Helene were invited to apply for ArtsAVL Emergency Relief Grant. The grant provided $500 relief stipends to arts professionals working in craft, literary, media, performing, visual, and interdisciplinary arts. This application was open from October 14- November 30. 2,391 applications were received and 1,500 grants were awarded. See grant guidelines here.
Want to help?
Make a donation!
If you are interested in making a large contribution via an alternate giving method such as a donor advised fund or gift of stock, please contact our Development Director Rebecca Lynch at rebecca@artsavl.org. We encourage all gifts of $1,000 or below to be made via our online donation link below. ArtsAVL is a nonprofit 501(c)3; EIN 58-137-1546 – Asheville Area Arts Council (dba ArtsAVL).
BIG Thanks to our Supporters!
Carol Maulhardt & Joseph Piscotty, Eunice & Bob Koch, Reilly Family Fund, Anderson-Rogers Foundation, Inc, Steven Dennis, Blackwing/California Cedar Products Company, Kaye & Todd Phillips, Coastal Barrier Island Foundation, Joan Kerrigan, Blackwing LLC, Owen Murphy – One Drop Design Studio, Carla & Judah dal Cais, Gary Davis & Gerri Barraco, Rod & Bess Baird, Laura Smith, Peter Hollis, Thomas Frank, Anne Goodwin, Susan & Jim Knorr, Jane Doughty, Lauren Steiner, Myra Lynch, Lynn & Jim Karegeannes, Diane Miller, Theresa Jurgensen & Christopher Jackson, Bob & Phyliss Ward, Julie Modaff, River Whyless, Joan Signorille and Dennis Greeno, Kenneth Nelson & Julie Hettiger, Motorco with Parts & Labor, Jack Weiss, Johnathan Wesley Design, Rachel King, Jack Anderson, Asheville Chamber Music Series Benefit, Elizabeth Mehaffy, Winslow Tuttle, Karen Gottlieb, Todd Johnson & Megan Lynch, Meet the Needs Charleston, Gordon & Kim Wissinger, David Adoff & Hildy Teegan, Family 140 Fund, Kim Kelley Events, Timothy & Anne Wissler, The Ramkat, PayPal Giving Fund, Women’s Caucus for Art – New Hampshire, James Badonsky, Andrew Herbst, Sunlight Tax LLC, Robert & Karen Milnes, Patricia McCauley, Rotary Club of Asheville Foundation, Johnson Family Charitable Fund, Suburban Tetris, Lauren Bechtol, Susan and Erick Laine, Railgarten, Brook Reynolds, Aubrey Entertainment, Lee Ellison, Chateau Seaview Charitable Fund, Sherry Heacock, Elizabeth Hosier, Gary Sirak, Four Seasons Chamber Orchestra, Altura Architects, Patricia Van Voorhis, Brad & Roberta Allen, d&b audiotechnik Corporation, Lipscomb Family Foundation, Louise Cort, White Horse Community Fund, Grand Bohemian Greenville, Nancy Miller-Green, Mary Stanley, COHAB.SPACE/Blue Spiral 1/Shoppe Object, Alicia Lein, Melvin Scholl, Ed Remsen, Wicked Weed Brewing, Sterling Coffee Roasters, Margrit Goldstein, Devil’s Foot Distillery/The Mule
With additional support provided by gifts from hundreds of donors from across the country and around the world.