CHARLOTTE, N.C.—April 11, 2019—The inaugural Celebrate Charlotte Arts, an initiative of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, will open for applications on April 27, offering a share of up to $200,000 for ideas by and for residents of Charlotte that showcase artistic excellence and capture the spirit of the city. The deadline for submissions is 11:59 p.m. ET on June 7.

Knight Foundation funds great art because it builds community, connecting people to each other and to the places where they live. Celebrate Charlotte Arts welcomes ideas from across diverse communities and in every genre that showcase the talent and creativity of Charlotte’s arts community. Winners will receive up to $25,000 each in support of their project. The initiative will culminate in a Knight-sponsored showcase of the funded projects at BOOM Festival in Spring 2020, sharing the resulting artworks with the Charlotte community.

“Charlotte has a fascinating community of long-standing and emerging artists and arts organizations creating and presenting high-quality work. Through Celebrate Charlotte Arts we hope to bring more of their ideas to life, showcasing the rich diversity and talent of Charlotte’s art scene.” said Victoria Rogers, Knight Foundation vice president for arts.

Applicants can get more detailed information on the open call, and tips for applying, by attending informational events with Knight staff. Sessions will be held April 27-28 and May 21-23. Applicants can register online now kf.org/charlotteartsinfo. Check kf.org/charlottearts for more upcoming events. Knight Arts Director Priya Sircar and Officer Jayne Butler will also be attending Charlotte’s BOOM Festival on April 27.

While Knight is not prescriptive in its approach, we do expect that the selected projects together will reflect the breadth and diversity of the Charlotte arts community and shine a light on high-quality, local creative work. 

Anyone can apply, whether you’re an individual artist, artist collective, nonprofit organization or for-profit business. Applications must meet the following criteria: 

• Projects must be for the arts, take place in Charlotte and be created or presented by Charlotte-based artists or organizations. 
• Projects may be new ideas or works-in-progress. 
• Proposed projects must be completed by spring 2020 and prior to the Knight-sponsored showcase.
• Artists and organizations with active Knight Foundation grants are not eligible for funding through Celebrate Charlotte Arts.

“Our local artists and arts organizations play an important role in telling our shared stories and adding to the city’s vibrancy. They are an essential part of creating a more inclusive, engaged Charlotte where people want to live, stay and thrive,” said Charles Thomas, Charlotte program director for Knight Foundation.

Celebrate Charlotte Arts winners will be announced in late summer.

Since December 2016, Knight Foundation has committed more than $1 million to Charlotte arts projects big and small; you can view our funding announcements here and here. Celebrate Charlotte Arts expands on this work.

For updates, follow #knightarts and @knightfdn on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. 

About the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation

Knight Foundation is a national foundation with strong local roots. We invest in journalism, in the arts, and in the success of cities where brothers John S. and James L. Knight once published newspapers. Our goal is to foster informed and engaged communities, which we believe are essential for a healthy democracy. For more, visit kf.org.

Contact:

Anusha Alikhan, communications director, Knight Foundation, 305-908-2646, [email protected]