South Arts Awards Over $530k Through Recent Grant Programs
South Arts is pleased to announce the newest recipients of three grantmaking programs: Presentation Grants, Traditional Arts Touring Grants, and Jazz Road Tours. These programs support the presenting and touring of artists, either assisting organizations with artists’ fees or directly supporting the artists themselves. Among the newest cohort of recipients, a total of $533,505 has been awarded to 102 organizations and artists, which include local Miami-Dade and Broward county organizations and artists.
“We are delighted to announce the latest recipients of our grant programs,” said Susie Surkamer, South Arts President and CEO. “From traditional arts to jazz and visual artists, South Arts is steadfast in its commitment to supporting artists and communities throughout the Southern region and beyond. With support from these funds, audiences will have expanded access to a wide array of projects, including educational workshops, public performances, and cultural celebrations. We are excited to witness the profound impact of these programs as the projects and performances unfold over the coming year, enriching the cultural landscape and celebrating the vibrant heritage of our region.”
Since 1975, South Arts has offered various programs to support and showcase the talents of Southern artists. While each program has a unique focus, they collectively aim to enhance the cultural landscape of the region.
Traditional Arts Touring Grants increase public awareness and appreciation of traditional arts in the South. These grants, ranging from $1,000 to $5,000, support in-person or live virtual multi-day residencies by Southern traditional artists in Southern communities.
Presentation Grants provide organizations within South Arts’ nine-state region awards of up to $9,500 with fee-support for presenting Southern artists in a public performance and educational/community engagement component. These grants allow presenting organizations to choose and collaborate with artists, covering various projects from film to visual and performing arts.
Jazz Road Tours directly support jazz artists’ touring across the nation. This artist-centric grant program, supported by the Doris Duke Foundation and the Mellon Foundation, offers grants from $5,000 to $15,000 to cover eligible expenses and salaries, including support for non-musician personnel such as tour managers and childcare.
These programs work together to support Southern artistry both within the region and across the nation. Nationwide initiatives like Jazz Road directly support artists by covering travel-related expenses and payments to the performers, while Traditional Arts Touring Grants and Presentation Grants provide funds to organizations that present regional artists. These diverse programs highlight the extensive work of South Arts within the cultural ecosystem, responding to the immediate needs of artists today.
“Our role as a regional funder is critical to infusing much needed funding into the arts ecosystem,” said Joy Young, PhD, South Arts Vice President of Programs. “Of the over half-million dollars in grants recently awarded, more than $400,000 of matching funds are generated at the local level. Our work creates positive economic impacts, benefits artists, arts organizations, communities, and ensures people across the south have access to the diversity of southern artistry.”
FY2025 Traditional Arts Touring Grant Recipients:
University of Alabama at Huntsville (Huntsville, AL)
Supporting Yeli Ensemble (Nashville, TN)
Savannah Music Festival (Savannah, GA)
Supporting Lucky 7 Brass Band (Memphis, TN)
LexArts (Lexington, KY)
Supporting Lost Bayou Ramblers (Lafayette, LA)
Louisville Folk School (Louisville, KY)
Supporting Larry & Joe (Winston Salem, NC)
Appalachian State University (Boone, NC)
Supporting Cedric Watson & Joel Savoy (Eunice, LA)
Hispanic League (Winston Salem, NC)
Supporting Marlow Rosado (Miami, FL)
Spring 2024 Jazz Road Artists:
Ghost-Note (New York, NY)
Touring through CA, OR, and WA
Jake Chapman & The Confluence (Ft. Tony Barba) (Troutdale, OR)
Touring through OR and WA
Derrick Hodge and the Color of Noize (New Orleans, LA)
Touring through FL, NC, TN, LA, and TX
Leza Mi (Alhambra, CA)
Touring through CA
Aubrey Johnson Group (Brooklyn, NY)
Touring through CA and WA
Broken Reed Saxophone Quartet (Sherman, CT)
Touring through ME
¡Tumbao! Psychedelic Latin Jazz Fusion (Raleigh, NC)
Touring through NC, VA, and TN
Del & The Rad Cats (St. Louis, MO)
Touring through MO and NY
Sweet Magnolia (New Orleans, LA)
Touring through AR, MO, and IA
Monika Herzig’s Sheroes (Bloomington, IN)
Touring through IN, OH, DC, VA, and SC
FY2025 Presentation Grant Recipients:
Alabama Dance Council, Inc.
presenting Collage Dance Collective
Birmingham, AL
Arts Revive CDC
presenting Yellowhammer
Theatre Group
Selma, AL
Huntsville Hospital Foundation
presenting Bear Stapely
Huntsville, AL
Tri-State Expo Juneteenth Affairs, Inc.
presenting Kishia Carey-Saffold
Cowarts, AL
AIRIE
presenting Chris Friday
Homestead, FL
City of Pompano Beach
presenting Jean Caze
Pompano Beach, FL
Crealde Arts Inc., d.b.a. Crealde School of Art
presenting Raheleh and Reza Filsoofi Ensemble
Winter Park, FL
Dennis C. Moss Cultural Arts Center
presenting Zest Collective Dance Theater
Cutler Bay, FL
Diaspora Vibe Cultural Arts Incubator, Inc.
presenting Rosa Naday Garmendia
Miami, FL
EMIT
presenting José Valentino Ruiz St.
Petersburg, FL
Mennello Museum of American Art
presenting Mark Messersmith
Orlando, FL
Miami Light Project, Inc.
presenting Pioneer Winter Collective
Miami Shores, FL
Museum of Art, DeLand, Florida, Inc.
presenting Carlie Trosclair
DeLand, FL
Open Scene Inc.
presenting Arca Images
Winter Park, FL
Performing Arts Center Authority
presenting Black Violin
Fort Lauderdale, FL
Sacred Music Traditions
presenting The Campbell Brothers
Kissimmee, FL
The Artist Series of Tallahassee
presenting Vega Quartet
Tallahassee, FL
The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art Foundation
presenting Mondo Bizarro
Sarasota, FL
Aurora Theatre
presenting John Doyle
Lawrenceville, GA
City of Toccoa
presenting Blanchard Music Group
Toccoa, GA
Georgia Mountain Storytelling Festival, Inc.
presenting Ray Christian
Blairsville, GA
Georgia Writers Museum Inc.
presenting Wanda Morris
Eatonton, GA
Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia
presenting Namwon Choi
Atlanta, GA
National Black Arts Festival
presenting Adán Bean
Atlanta, GA
Out Front Theatre Company Inc.
presenting Ginger Minj
Atlanta, GA
Seven Stages, Inc.
presenting Zintkala Zi PowWow
Atlanta, GA
The Hammonds House Museum
presenting Wycliff Gordon and Eric Reed
Atlanta, GA
Wesleyan College
presenting Marielle Plaisir
Macon, GA
Woodstock Arts
presenting Alexander Starr
Woodstock, GA
Centre College of Kentucky
presenting The Heroes Journey
Danville, KY
City of Wilmore
presenting Tim Lowry
Wilmore, KY
Kentucky Community and Technical College System
presenting Sons of Mystro
Madisonville, KY
KMAC Museum
presenting Licia Priest
Louisville, KY
Luther F. Carson Four Rivers Center
presenting Terrance Simien
Paducah, KY
BODYART Connects DBA BODYART Dance
presenting Clare Cook Dance Ensemble
New Orleans, LA
Festival of Words Cultural Arts Collective, Inc.
presenting Asiah Mae
Grand Coteau, LA
Friends of the LSU Museum of Art
presenting Jamey Grimes
Baton Rouge, LA
Musicians for Music
presenting Siempre Flamenco, featuring Celia and Paco Fonta
New Orleans, LA
North Shore Chapter American Harp Society
presenting Angel Tolosa & Ensamble Contratiempo
Slidell, LA
PERFORMING ARTS SERVING ACADIANA INC.
presenting Opera Creole
Lafayette, LA
Red River Revel
presenting Lady Chops
Shreveport, LA
Harrisburg Cultural and Social Services Center Inc. DBA Link Centre
presenting Glenn Payn
Tupelo, MS
Hattiesburg Civic Chorus and Concert Association
presenting Shaheed and DJ Supreme from Knowledge, Rhythm and Understanding (K.R.U.)
Hattiesburg, MS
Walter Anderson Museum of Art, Inc.
presenting Luther Dickinson
Ocean Springs, MS
American Dance Festival, Inc.
presenting ShaLeigh Dance Works
Durham, NC
Arts Council of Wilson, Inc.
presenting Ranky Tank
Wilson, NC
Arts Council of WinstonSalem & Forsyth County
presenting Larry & Joe
Winston-Salem, NC
ARTSPACE INC
presenting Renzo Ortega
Raleigh, NC
Blowing Rock Art & History Museum
presenting Donna Ray Norton
Blowing Rock, NC
Carolina Mountains Literary Festival
presenting Cornbread & Tortillas
Burnsville, NC
Chamber Music Raleigh, Inc.
presenting The Vega String Quartet
Raleigh, NC
Charlotte Center for Literary Arts, Inc.
presenting Tyree Daye
Charlotte, NC
Children’s Theatre of Charlotte, Inc.
presenting Mike Wiley Productions
Charlotte, NC
Cucalorus Film Foundation
presenting Roxana Barba
Wilmington, NC
DURHAM CENTRAL PARK INC
presenting Sierra Green and the Giants
Durham, NC
Boyle County Schools
presenting Lightwire Theater
Danville, KY
Louise Wells Cameron Art Museum
presenting The Jazz Legacy Project
Wilmington, NC
North Carolina State University
presenting Dasan Ahanu
Raleigh, NC
Pack Place Performing Arts
presenting Gaspard&Dancers
Asheville, NC
Thalian Hall Center for the Performing Arts, Inc.
presenting Gaspard&Dancers
Wilmington, NC
The ArtsCenter
presenting Carlota Santana Flamenco Vivo
Carrboro, NC
The Beautiful Project Inc.
presenting Kennedi Carter
Durham, NC
Town of Garner
presenting Riders in the Sky
Garner, NC
Traditional Voices Group Inc
presenting Joy Clark
Burnsville, NC
Arts Center of Coastal Carolina
presenting Ranky Tanky
Hilton Head Island, SC
City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs
presenting Collage Dance Collective
Charleston, SC
Clemson University
presenting Collage Dance Collective
Clemson, SC
Coker University
presenting KM Dance Project
Hartsville, SC
College of Charleston
presenting Demond Melancon
Charleston, SC
Greenville Center for Creative Arts
presenting Brittany Watkins
Greenville, SC
Luminal Theater Corp
presenting Shaolin Jazz
Columbia, SC
The Charleston Gaillard Management Corporation
presenting Black Violin
Charleston, SC
The Daniel O Morris South Carolina Low Country Heritage Trust
presenting Colin Quashie
Ridgeland, SC
The Original Gullah Festival
presenting Gullah Traveling Theater, Inc.
Beaufort, SC
University of South Carolina Koger Center for the Arts
presenting Justin Varnes
Columbia, SC
Chattanooga State Community College
presenting Lorrie Moore
Chattanooga, TN
Global Education Center
presenting Danzas Genéricas de Colombia
Nashville, TN
Kindling Arts, Inc.
presenting Asia Pyron /PYDANCE
Nashville, TN
Mid-South Sculpture Alliance
presenting Jiha Moon
Murfreesboro, TN
Paint Memphis
presenting Jamond Bullock
Memphis, TN
St. Mary’s School dba Buckman Arts Center
presenting Fisk Jubilee Singers
Memphis, TN
Tennessee Performing Arts Center Management Corporation
presenting New Dialect
Nashville, TN
The Big Ears Festival
presenting The Dedicated Men of Zion
Knoxville, TN
The Porch Writers’ Collective
presenting Sheree L. Greer
Nashville, TN
University of Tennessee Knoxville
presenting William Downs
Knoxville, TN
For more information about South Arts’ programs, application eligibility, and additional opportunities, please visit southarts.org.
About South Arts
South Arts advances Southern vitality through the arts. The nonprofit regional arts organization was founded in 1975 to build on the South’s unique heritage and enhance the public value of the arts. South Arts’ work responds to the arts environment and cultural trends with a regional perspective. South Arts offers an annual portfolio of activities designed to support the success of artists and arts providers in the South, address the needs of Southern communities through impactful arts-based programs, and celebrate the excellence, innovation, value and power of the arts of the South. For more information, visit www.southarts.org.
Photo Credit: South Arts
Date Posted: June 11, 2024
