Photo of Aimée Allen (vocals, songwriter) and members of her trio Francois Moutin (bass) and Tony Romano (guitar) on tour at Merrimans' Playhouse in South Bend, Indiana. Aimée Allen’s tour was supported by a Jazz Road Tours grant. Photo by Mary Merriman, Merrimans' Playhouse.
Photo of Aimée Allen (vocals, songwriter) and members of her trio Francois Moutin (bass) and Tony Romano (guitar) on tour at Merrimans’ Playhouse in South Bend, Indiana. Aimée Allen’s tour was supported by a Jazz Road Tours grant. Photo by Mary Merriman, courtesy of South Arts

South Arts

Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.

Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, South Arts is a nonprofit regional arts organization empowering artists, organizations, and communities, and increasing access to arts and culture. Our mission: advancing Southern vitality through the arts. We believe that the arts elevate the region, increasing connectedness and inspiring meaningful change in the process.

Our region birthed jazz, cultivated the traditional arts of Appalachia, and is home to some of today’s most innovative, boundary-pushing artists. Past, present, and future, the arts of our region drive the country forward. South Arts supports and celebrates the artistry of our region with grants and fellowships for artists, communities, and organizations. With grants and fellowships available directly to artists, we support the creative forces to continue their lifelong learning, develop new work, and thrive while calling our region “home.” Additionally, with annual summits that explore topics such as creative placemaking to comprehensive multi-year initiatives that develop the field of modern dance, our portfolio of programs reflects the needs and opportunities of the region. We provide professional development for community leaders, arts administrators, and artists so they can have the tools to succeed.

BOOM Charlotte, recent Cross-Sector Impact Grant recipient. Photo by Juan Ossa courtesy of South Arts.
A man stand on a scaffold painting the head of an elaborate mural on a vibrant blue background.
MidTown Inc. in partnership with Columbus State University collaborated on a public art project LightUp Midtown. Artist Jeremy McCrarey is pictured working on a mural as part of LightUp Midtown. This project revitalized the 13th Street corridor in Columbus, bringing new retail stores and additional public/private investment to their community. MidTown Inc. led this project with support from a Cross-Sector Impact Grant. Photo courtesy of MidTown Inc and South Arts.
Photos of Hub City Press writers’ workshops and bookshop in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Hub City Press received a grant from the South Arts Resilience Fund. Photos courtesy of Hub City Press and South Arts.

Selected South Arts Opportunities

A bus covered in a vibrant multicolored wrap that reads Latinx Pride

Creative Placemaking Leadership Summit

Opportunity (For Individuals, Organizations)

An annual gathering of Southern & Appalachian artists, community leaders, educators, and other professionals exploring how arts and cultural activities help make communities more inclusive, connected, and resilient.

South Arts
South Arts
A logo that reads DPlan Arts Ready 2.0

dPlan|ArtsReady

Resource (For Organizations)

South Arts believes that arts and cultural organizations of any size should be prepared for disaster. With proper planning, your organization can be ready to face the unexpected. The new dPlan|ArtsReady tool is a service that guides you through the creation of a readiness plan for your organization.

South Arts
South Arts
Photo of Aimée Allen (vocals, songwriter) and members of her trio Francois Moutin (bass) and Tony Romano (guitar) on tour at Merrimans' Playhouse in South Bend, Indiana. Aimée Allen’s tour was supported by a Jazz Road Tours grant. Photo by Mary Merriman, Merrimans' Playhouse.

Jazz Road Tours

Grant (For Individuals) – Up to $15,000

Emerging and mid-career jazz artists, take your music to places it’s never been. Jazz Road Tours offer grants to develop tours into communities across the country.

South Arts
South Arts