Grants & Scholarships
For logos and acknowledgement wording for grant awards, please click here
Featured Grants
Fall Grant Cycle
- Artist Support Grant - Due September 30
- Projects Pool (Round 2) - Due October 8
For Organizations
Fall Cycle
Grant Applications Open: September 9, 2024
Grant Applications Due: October 8, 2024 by 5:00 PM
Panel Presentation Date: October 14, 2024
Spring Cycle
Grant Applications Open: January 2, 2025
Grant Applications Due: March 20, 2025
Panel Presentation Date: April 7, 2025
Nonprofit organizations are awarded grants for projects that encourage innovative arts projects and will enhance and strengthen the cultural community and broaden the services offered to Catawba County citizens.
Projects Pool Grants, which are administered by Arts Culture Catawba, are made available by the North Carolina Arts Council through the North Carolina Grassroots Arts Program. Additional dollars are added by Catawba County government and five municipalities, including Maiden, Catawba, Conover, Hickory, and Newton.
Spring Cycle 2025-2026 Guidelines will be posted prior to the open application period in January.
Applications open year-round. Must apply at least 60 days prior to event date.
The Collaborative Arts Project (CAP) grant was established by Arts Culture Catawba to encourage collaborations among cultural and/or community nonprofit organizations for arts, science and history projects reaching underserved audiences.
Applications open year-round. Must apply at least 90 days prior to event date.
The Community Cultural Grant promotes cultural activities, throughout Catawba County enabling municipalities and non-profit organizations to provide cultural programs at community and heritage festivals and events for their respective communities. Special priority is given to the municipalities that fund Arts Culture Catawba, organizations representing diverse populations, events that feature artists of diversity, organizations that target special population groups and events that will potentially reach large segments of Catawba County residents.
Applications open year-round. Must apply at least 30 days prior to event date.
Staff and board members of Arts Culture Catawba member organizations, with the exception of public and private school teachers, qualify to receive this type of grant to attend workshops and conferences that will strengthen their professional skills and expand their capabilities.
For Individuals
Applications Open: September 1, 2024
Applications Due: September 30, 2024 by Midnight
Artists from Alexander, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Iredell and McDowell Counties are now eligible for Artist Support Grants. The grant, operated by local arts councils, will fund professional and artistic development for emerging or established artists to create work, improve business operations, or bring work to new audiences.
How to apply:
Email the contact for your county to set up an appointment to begin your process.
- Arts Culture Catawba: Chris Coffey, grants@artscatawba.org 828-324-4906
- Burke Arts Council: Deborah Jones, director@burkearts.org 828-433-7282
- Caldwell Arts Council: Ellen Ball, ellen@caldwellarts.com 828-754-2486
- Hiddenite Center (Alexander County): Donna Latham, donnahiddenitearts@gmail.org 828-632-6966
- Iredell Arts Council: John Koppelmeyer, jkoppelmeyer@gmail.com 704-880-2101
- McDowell Arts Council Association: Susan Pyatt-Baker, susanmcdowellarts@gmail.com 828-652-8610
- Rock School Arts Foundation (Valdese/Burke County): Sharon Bowman, rsaf1893@gmail.com 828-838-9806
Grant Applications Open: January 2, 2025
Grant Applications Due: March 20, 2025
Panel Presentation Date: April 9, 2025
Innovative Artist Grants are made possible by monies raised during a silent art auction held each year as part of our annual fundraising event, the Jingle Bell Bash. The grant awards are for innovative and creative projects, with collaborative efforts encouraged. Seeking to cultivate area artists, the purpose of these grants is to create exposure and a focus on Catawba County’s support of its artists.
Updated 2025-2026 Guidelines will be posted prior to the open application period in January.
For Students and Schools
Scholarship Applications Open: January 2, 2025
Scholarship Applications Due: Thursday, March 20, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Created by the family of Edna Bost Barringer in her memory, this scholarship is awarded annually by Arts Culture Catawba to area youth under the age of 21. The competition is alternated each year between visual/literary artists and performing artists. This year will be visual/literary art. Judges from the North Carolina School of the Arts select the winner(s). The total amount awarded each year is $1,000. This amount may be given to an individual or broken into two awards of $500 each. This award goes to students planning to pursue a career in the arts.
Updated guidelines and this year's application link will be posted prior to the open application period in January.
Applications open year-round.
The Board of Arts Culture Catawba has established a scholarship in honor of Kathryn T. Greathouse, who served as the Executive Director of the United Arts Council for many years and had a passion for helping young people achieve their artistic endeavors. The mission of this need and merit-based scholarship is to provide cultural education opportunities to students of the primary and secondary education level. Students seeking collegiate financial help are not eligible for this scholarship.
Applications open year-round. Must apply at least 60 days prior to event date.
The Theatre Arts Grant (TAG) is available to help defray costs for theatre productions at public high schools in Catawba County. Qualified applicants can apply for a maximum of $500.
These grants are available throughout the school year or until the funds are exhausted.
Recent Grant Award Winners
| 2023-24 Projects Pool Grant Recipients |
| Catawba County Schools - All County Elementary Honors Chorus |
| Catawba County Senior Nutrition Services |
| Catawba Science Center |
| Catawba Valley Community Chorus |
| City of Newton Public Art Commission |
| CVCC - Redhawk Publications |
| Downtown Newton Development Association |
| Footcandle Film Society |
| Hart Square Foundation, Inc. |
| Hickory Choral Society |
| Hickory Community Theatre |
| Hickory Museum of Art |
| Hickory Music Factory |
| Hickory Playground |
| Hmong Southeast Puavpheej |
| Lenoir-Rhyne University - Visiting Writers Series |
| Lenoir-Rhyne University - Summer Youth Music Camps |
| The Green Room Community Theatre |
| Western Piedmont Symphony |
| 2023-24 Arts Improvement Grant Recipients |
| Art N Learn |
| Catawba Science Center |
| Centro Latino |
| City of Hickory Public Art Commission |
| Hickory Choral Society |
| Hickory Community Theatre |
| Hickory Museum of Art |
| Hickory Music Factory |
| Hmong Southeast Puavpheej |
| Mt. Pisgah AME Church |
| Newton-Conover Community Band |
| The Green Room Community Theatre |
| Western Piedmont Symphony |
| 2023-24 Collaborative Arts Project Grant Recipients |
| Centro Latino, Hickory Community Theatre, & Hickory Downtown Development Association |
| Hickory Public Library, Patrick Beaver Learning Resource Center, & Western Piedmont Symphony |
| Hart Square Foundation & Hickory Music Factory |
| Western Piedmont Symphony & Catawba Science Center |
| 2023-24 Community Cultural Fund Grant Recipients |
| Christ Lutheran Church |
| Greater Hickory International Council |
| Hickory Music Factory |
| Hickory Parks and Rec |
| Newton Conover Community Band |
| Southwest Community Watch |
| Town of Maiden |
| Women's Resource Center |
| 2023-24 Artist Support Grant Recipients |
| Damien Overcash |
| Dana Pape |
| Felecia Chizuko Carlisle |
| Gavin Stewart |
| Joseph William Bigley III |
| Julie Cioffoletti |
| Lance Turner |
| Lark Bodnar |
| Maria Register |
| Paul Hunter Speagle |
| Samuel J. Fox |
| Sheridan See |
| Yolanda T. Prince |
| 2023-24 Innovative Artist Grant Recipients |
| Andrew Moose |
| E'Lon JD |
| Hunter Speagle |
| Kirstie-Ann Eaton |
| Phinthone (Ping) Senesombath |
| Rick Cline |
| Tevin Carr |
| 2023-24 Theatre Arts Grant Recipient |
| St. Stephens High School |
| 2023-24 Edna Bost Barringer Young Artist Award Recipient |
| Emma Frye |
| 2023-24 Kathryn T. Greathouse Legacy Scholarhip Recipient |
| Elena Noelle Walker |