Durham Arts Council is piloting the Creative Space Grants as a new method for making the Durham Arts Council building available to arts nonprofits and individual artists based in Durham County NC. Guidelines or application questions may be adjusted as we learn from the experience of administering these grants.  Creative Space Grants include Creative Hours Grants, Creative Showcase Grants and Creative Residency Grants.

Who May Apply? 

• Arts and cultural nonprofits incorporated as a 501(c)(3) and based in Durham County, NC
• individual artists residing in Durham County, NC
• Arts Administrators organizing an event on behalf of an arts nonprofit 501c(3) based in Durham County, NC.
•  If a project is bring produced by an unincorporated group of artists, one artist may apply on behalf of the group.  
• All applicants must be at least 18 years old.   

What Can I Request?   

• This grant supports short term public facing arts and cultural activities—such as performances, showings and presentations. Short term is definied as 40 hours or less of room use.  The request may include rehearsals and production meetings related to the public performance or event.  Applicant can receive one Creative Showcase grant per year.

What Can I Not Request?

• This grant does not support fund raising events.
• This grant does not support commercial enterprises, except for ticketed performances or events.
• Gallery exhibition in DAC gallery spaces.  
•  For closed events—such as rehearsals and meetings—please apply through the DAC Creative Hours Grant.  
•  For year round use or events requiring more than 40 hours of space within a 12-month period, including office space, use the DAC Creative Residency Grant.

 What Does the Creative Sharing Grant Cover?

• The grant covers rental costs.
• A cleaning/maintenance fee is charged for each use. 
• For activities taking place outside regular building hours, an hourly security fee will be added.   
• For activites taking place in the PSI Theatre, an hourly tech fee will be added. 

 Your grant will appear as a credit against the total cost of your request. When your grant is awarded, you will receive a contract and invoice that itemizes all fees and grant credits. 

 What Factors Are Considered When Evaluating a Grant Application?

•   Applicant eligibility.   
•  Quality of the arts or arts experience and evidence of sustained commitment to arts programming or artistic practice.  
•  Appropriateness of the activity for the DAC building.
• How the project activates the DAC building.

More details about the entire grant process are available on the Durham Arts Council webpage for Creative Space Grants.