Artpreneur Launch Grants

UNCSA celebrates the creative work of its alumni, whether alongside or outside of the art form studied at UNCSA. Creativity knows no bounds, and our alumni demonstrate that. In the ever-changing artistic landscape of the 21^st century, we are proud to be able to offer support for creative start-ups and creative projects that our emerging alumni are developing with the recently established Artpreneur Launch Grants. Seven Artpreneur Launch Grants are available annually for $5,000 each.

UNCSA defines an Artpreneur as an artist who reaches beyond existing disciplines, technologies, constructs and processes to effect change they wish to see in the world, through their creative practice.

Application Period Begins: Monday, January 31, 2022, 9 a.m. (ET)
Application Deadline: Wednesday, March 28, 2022, 12 p.m. (ET)

Requirements

• Applicants must be UNCSA alumni who are 1-5 years post-graduation or departure from the school. UNCSA alumni who are 6+ years post-graduation or departure from the school, or who have already established a creative enterprise or publicly produced creative project are ineligible.
• Completed online application (see link to application below)
• A basic budget with projected expenses and revenue (contributed/earned/in-kind)
• Two letters of recommendation from individuals familiar with the applicant’s artistic work.
• Demonstrated examples of work in any medium
  • Can show ideation or could be from another work, but needs to be relevant to application. Videos should be no more than two minutes in length
  • Should demonstrate what applicant is capable of
  • Can be from time when applicant was a student at UNCSA

Grant Awards

Artpreneur grant funding may be spent on expenses directly attributable to the development of a creative enterprise or project.

Examples of eligible expenses:

• Artist fees
• Venue costs
• Discipline-specific equipment or software 
• Professional services

Examples of ineligible expenses:

• General expenses of transitioning from college to career
• Personal living expenses (rent, transportation, food)
• Career development expenses (headshots, classes, etc.)
• Student loan repayments

For more information, email Erin Edge at artpreneur@uncsa.edu.