Since 1980, the North Carolina Arts Council has provided fellowship awards to artists who have been selected through a rigorous panel screening process. The Council awards these direct grants to support artists in the development and creation of art because their work is essential to our cultural heritage and the creative vitality of the state.
Fellowships recognize the contribution artists make to the quality of life in North Carolina.
From the beginning of the program, the Council board recognized the importance of artists to the state's artistic and cultural growth. The program was conceived both to recognize outstanding artists for their accomplishments and to help them produce new work by giving them the time and resources to develop their ideas. The Council believes that artists are worth public investment, just like roads and buildings, universities and public schools, business and natural environments. In addition to fellowships, the Council also supports residency opportunities for writers and visual artists. We also provide funds to local arts councils to award project grants to artists in their regions.