2023 - 2024 project grants
The Snapdragon Fund is a partnership between VAE Raleigh and The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. To meet the continued needs of our creative community, the Snapdragon Fund has allocated $40,000 in this cycle to to project grants that directly support eight artist-organized projects by providing them $5,000 in grant funds.
The Snapdragon Fund is offering grants to artist-organized projects that serve artists and communities in twelve North Carolina counties: Cumberland, Durham, Edgecombe, Franklin, Harnett, Johnston, Lee, Nash, Orange, Wake, Wayne, and Wilson.
These grants will support the creation of significant creative projects and prioritize fair pay for artists’ time and talent. The cohort of funded applicants will receive ongoing support from the Snapdragon Fund team and panelists during and after the funded project, including resources for hosting a culminating exhibition or printed publication, the presentation of finished projects on the Snapdragon Fund website, and inclusion in creative, networking, and professional development opportunities through Snapdragon Fund partners.
WHAT WE WANT TO FUND
The Snapdragon Fund seeks to fund artist-organized projects of high artistic merit and community impact. Ideal candidates will use grant funds to further their artistic practice, create opportunities for other artists, engage the broader community, and contribute to racial, disability, and queer justice.
Examples of eligible projects:
> exhibitions
> workshops or public programs
> the creation of care, activity, or supply packages to be disbursed within the community
> platforms for artists and community members to share their stories, process the current moment, and generally be heard
> performance work that is rooted in the visual arts
> other activities that meet at the intersection of community and the visual arts
LEAD ORGANIZERS
Project proposals must name at least one Lead Organizer who is a self-identifying artist living in one of the twelve eligible counties. Priority will be given to projects with BIPOC Lead Organizers living and working within the eligible communities.
Proposals may be submitted by one Lead Organizer or two Co-Lead Organizers. While proposals may engage a network of artists and community members to execute the projects, Lead Organizers will serve as the main contacts for the Snapdragon Fund team, including receiving the funds, communicating with the Snapdragon team, and completing the final report.
ELIGIBILITY
Projects must take place during 2024.
Project activities should be publicly accessible with no fees or other barriers to participation. Lead Organizers are encouraged to pay themselves substantially for their time organizing ($1000-$1500 each) and must include fair pay for all other individuals involved in producing the project. We encourage you to use W.A.G.E. standards for examples of fair pay.
Eligible project activities must function primarily within, or have a strong connection to, the visual arts (painting, drawing, sculpture, social practice, performance, film/video, photography, textiles, ceramics, cross-disciplinary, public art, etc.).
Artists can only be listed as a Lead Organizer on one application.
Applicants do not need to be US Citizens, but at least one of the Co-Lead Organizers must have a social security number to receive payment.
If you are awarded a grant as the Lead Organizer who will accept the funds and complete a provided W9 form, you will be responsible for reporting the grant funds on your taxes. Note that if your project budget allocates the majority of funds to supplies, event production, and/or pay for others involved, you will only be responsible for taxes on the amount that you keep as your fair pay (up to $1,500). We encourage applicants to contact a tax professional with specific questions about filing their taxes as an artist. We will be offering a free tax consultation workshop for all awardees.
All funded projects must be hosted in ADA-compliant, physically accessible spaces. This checklist is helpful for determining the accessibility of a space's entrance, the path of travel, public areas, and restrooms. The Snapdragon Fund team is available to assist in assessing the accessibility of potential programming spaces.
All previous Snapdragon Fund grant recipients are eligible to apply.
501(c)(3) non-profits, commercial galleries, LLCs, and incorporated businesses are not eligible to apply.
Projects must ensure the health and safety of everyone involved. Priority will be given to projects that are not solely dependent on online/virtual engagement.
APPLICATION OUTLINE
Once you begin your application, you will not have the option to save and return to the form. So it is best to either gather your application materials and complete the application form at one time or keep the tab open on your computer as you work through the questions and attachments. Feel free to download/use this Google Doc to collect your thoughts.
Are there any accessibility accommodations that would allow you to better complete this application (including submitting in other formats), please contact Ava Procknow, ava@vaeraleigh.org or call 919.828.7834 and leave a voicemail.
1) Contact Info
Lead Organizers must live in Cumberland, Durham, Edgecombe, Franklin, Harnett, Johnston, Lee, Nash, Orange, Wake, Wayne, or Wilson county. Please provide the following information for each Lead Organizer: Name, Email, Phone Number, Address, County, Website/Social Media Handles, and Demographic Information.
2) Project Summary
Applicants will be asked to provide the following information:
> Title of Project
> Project Start Date
> Project Completion Date
> Total Project Budget
> Project Summary (100-word max)
3) Project Description
Describe your project (100-word max per question):
> What is your project?
> How does this project involve the work/practices of other individuals?
> How will you determine others involved?
> Where will the project ideally take place?
> What is the project timeline?
> What is the community your project will serve? What is your connection to this community?
> What component of your project will be accessible to the public?
> What community health precautions do you plan to implement?
> How do you foresee your project providing support and/or relief to artists and the broader community?
4) Bios
Please attach a document that includes a short bio for each of your lead organizers, as well as any key collaborators and artists (up to 5 bios, max 200 words each). Focus on experience relevant to this project.
5) Budget
Please attach a budget that lists all anticipated income and expenses for your project. This program supports fair pay for all artists involved with your project; Lead Organizers may budget up to $1,500 each for their time organizing the project.
You are not expected to have additional income for the project outside of the Snapdragon Fund grant, but please include any additional funding that has been secured and detail any additional fundraising that is planned. Your budget must show a zero balance between your Expenses and Income.
Expenses (Lead Organizer stipends, artist stipends, materials, facility rental, equipment rental, production costs, marketing, reception costs, other)
Income (this and other grants, crowdfunding, personal contributions, etc. Additional income sources to support your project are not required)
In-Kind donations (donated location, pro-bono design services, donated materials, etc. — not required)
6) Visual Support Materials
Visual support materials should help the review panel understand the project and your ability to realize it. For each of your support materials, please include a description and relevant explanatory notes (max 50 words per entry). Please provide between 5–10 visual examples, including:
Images (up to 10 total, max 2MB each - .jpeg, .jpg, .gif and .png are accepted)
Website URL (up to 2 total - must be relevant to the project and offer additional information on your ability to realize the proposed project)
Video (up to 2 total, max 2 min each - video files must be hosted on a video platform such as YouTube or Vimeo; include a password in the description section if your account is private)
APPLICATION REVIEW
All applications will be reviewed by a panel of five community members who represent the creative communities from the twelve eligible counties. The application, detailed above, is designed to give applicants the opportunity to fully explain complex and layered ideas. Panelists will review applications based on innovation, community engagement, artistic excellence, connection to the visual arts, community commitment, connection to VAE’s core values, and feasibility.
PANELISTS
Panelist announcement coming soon!
The 2023 - 2024 application has closed. 2024 - 2025 applications will become available in Fall of 2024.
HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? CONTACT US:
ava@vaeraleigh.org