Contact Rebecca Cruse

Deputy Director, SDAC

605.773.3301

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Feb. 12, 2021

PIERRE, S.D. – The South Dakota Arts Council is currently accepting grant applications in major grant categories and is also offering two special funding opportunities focused on pandemic relief and recovery.

Nonprofit arts and cultural organizations incorporated and located in the state of South Dakota and certain government or municipal agencies with a focus on arts programming may be eligible to receive support.

Organizations which are not receiving support in other major grant categories may now apply for General Operating Relief Grants. This special grant category is supported with federal funds from the Coronavirus Aid Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, and funds are restricted to the following use: salary support for one or more staff members; payment of contractual services to artists or other personnel; and facility costs such as rent and utilities. Organizations that would generally apply in the Project Grant category but are uncertain about meeting grant parameters due to the pandemic should consider this option. The application deadline is March 1, 2021.

General Operating Relief Grant applications must be submitted through the GoSmart online grants system at https://sdac.gosmart.org/. New users to the online grants system will need to build an account and create a profile. 

The Arts Council is also opening applications for another round of Residencies for Recovery. Residencies for Recovery funds payment to artists who work intensively with community service organizations and local government entities to engage with the local community, research and produce artworks and programs that will assist with recovery, present the work publicly, and build networks within the community with a focus on preparedness and resiliency. The application deadline is April 1, 2021. Instructions to apply are provided in the program guidelines. Residencies for Recovery applications do not need to be submitted through the online grants system.

Full guidelines and instructions for all grant programs are available at https://artscouncil.sd.gov/. March 1 is the deadline for all major grant programs. Questions and requests for grant consultation may be emailed to sdac@state.sd.us.

An office of the South Dakota Department of Tourism, the South Dakota Arts Council’s mission is to provide grants and services to artists, arts organizations and schools across the state, with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts and the South Dakota Legislature. The South Dakota Department of Tourism is comprised of Tourism and the South Dakota Arts Council. The Department is led by Secretary James D. Hagen.

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