Brightwork Grants

The Brightwork Program at Anchorlight will begin offering grant opportunities to visual artists in 2026.

The application period for 2026 grants is July 7 - August 18, 2025.

This page will be updated with a link to apply on July 7.

Professional Development Grant: $2,000.00

One artist will be selected for the 2026 grant. Application materials will include a proposed budget, statement of intent, artist statement and bio, examples of recent work.

Grant funds may be used for activities that further the professional development of the applicant. Examples of appropriate uses of funds (not limited to):

  • Attending a workshop, class, conference or acquiring 1:1 technical instruction.

  • Professional documentation of portfolio.

  • Hiring of a designer to create a professional website.

  • Purchase of equipment, tools, or studio materials.

Special Project Grant: $3,000.00

One artist will be selected for the 2026 grant. Application materials will include a proposed budget, project description, artist statement and bio, examples of recent work.

Grant funds may be used for the production of studio based work including (not limited to):

  • Purchase of equipment, tools, or studio materials.

  • Expenses related to a future, confirmed solo exhibition in a public gallery.

  • Research related expenses specific to your project.

 FAQs

    • Practicing visual artists of all backgrounds and at any stage of their career are eligible to apply. Choreographers, dancers, theatrical performers, filmmakers, musicians, writers, and other artistic disciplines outside of contemporary visual art are not eligible to apply.

    • Visual artists 21+ years of age.

    • Eligible artists have lived in North Carolina full time for a minimum of one year (twelve consecutive months) at the time of their application and who will continue living in North Carolina for the duration of the grant period may apply.

    • Applicants may not be enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate degree program during the time of their Fellowship. Applicants may be enrolled in such programs during the application process. Doctoral candidates that have finished all coursework may apply.

    • Artists who have been awarded the Brightwork Fellowship in 2022 or later are not eligible for a Brightwork Grant. Artists who participated in the Brightwork program between 2017- 2021 may apply.

    • Applicants may only apply for one grant or fellowship per application cycle. If you are applying to the Brightwork Fellowship you will not be eligible to apply for a Brightwork Grant this year. Conversely, if you are applying for a Brightwork Grant you are not eligible to apply for the Brightwork Fellowship this year. Applicants must choose to apply for either the Professional Development Grant or the Special Project Grant, you may not apply for both in the same year. 

    • The use of Brightwork Grant funds are restricted to the specific terms of each grant. Please see the description of each grant for more details. A proposed budget is required as part of the application process, and if awarded, the grantee must provide receipts for each purchase made with grant funds. The grantee will be required to submit a Form W9 and is responsible for all tax implications of the award.

    • The funds from each grant must be used between January-December 2026.

    • There will be a small application fee charged by SlideRoom, Anchorlight does not charge an additional fee to apply.