Micro Accessibility Grants

South Arts, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, offers small Micro Accessibility Grants designed to supplement existing efforts by arts organizations to engage audiences and artists with disabilities. This initiative aligns with South Arts' core belief that "the arts are for everyone" and that "the arts enrich the lives of people of all abilities and backgrounds." By providing micro-funding, South Arts aims to amplify the success of the Southeast's arts ecology, ensuring broader access and participation. The target beneficiaries of this grant program are arts organizations located in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. Specifically, South Arts seeks to support organizations with a primary mission focused on the arts, those serving as primary arts providers in their communities, or those committed to projects connecting the arts to persons with disabilities. A key impact goal is to encourage arts organizations to hire artistic personnel of all abilities, with a particular emphasis on working directly with artists who identify as disabled, thereby fostering a more inclusive and diverse artistic landscape. South Arts prioritizes applications from BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ identifying organizations, as well as organizations led by persons with disabilities or those providing significant programming to artists or audiences with disabilities. Furthermore, there is a strong commitment to funding arts organizations in rural communities with populations under 50,000. These strategic priorities underscore South Arts' theory of change, which posits that by supporting diverse leadership and inclusive programming, they can foster a more equitable and accessible arts environment across the Southeast. Applicants can request funding of $500-$2,500 for eligible projects, with a requirement for a 1:1 funding match, where 50% must be a cash match. Expected outcomes include increased participation of artists and audiences with disabilities in arts programming and a strengthening of arts organizations' capacity to serve these communities. While specific measurable results are not detailed, the focus on direct engagement with disabled artists and audiences suggests that success will be gauged by the reach and inclusivity of funded projects within the South Arts service region.