Southern Arts Fund
The Southern Arts Fund (SAF) encourages arts programming and education by distributing grants to artists and community organizations throughout Southern Illinois. Individual artists, nonprofits, governmental organizations, and educational institutions are invited to submit project proposals that demonstrate a strong public service or community outreach component.
The 2025 Southern Arts Fund is made possible by funding from the Illinois Arts Council, Funding Good Chaos, the City of Carbondale, and our generous donors.
THE MISSION
The Southern Arts Fund aims to address the following:
- Expand access to and availability of public art projects and arts funding in the region
- Encourage sustainable arts and cultural programming by community organizations and public outreach initiatives by artists throughout Southern Illinois
- Promote regional collaboration between artists, organizations, and communities
2025 SAF Applications are Open Now!
Artists and organizations wishing to provide thoughtful and accessible arts programming and outreach for their communities are encouraged to apply through our online application.
- Applicants must submit a project proposal, budget, and description of community impact.
- Organizations need to include documentation of their nonprofit status.
- Artists need to submit samples representing their body of work.
- Project proposals must demonstrate a significant community outreach component.
- All grant-funded events must be free and open to the public.
SAF grants typically range between $2000 – $3500. Budgets should demonstrate additional funds supporting the proposed project.
ELIGIBILITY
- Eligible applicants for SAF include individual artists, nonprofits, governmental organizations, and educational institutions in the Southern Illinois region.
- Projects already receiving funding from the Illinois Arts Council Agency (IACA) are not eligible for SAF funding.
Applications for SAF are evaluated by a panel appointed by Artspace Southern Illinois’ board of directors who will meet and review proposals to determine projects that would best serve our region and communities. Projects are evaluated on the following criteria: proposal quality, pursuit of excellence, community impact and need, dedication and follow-through, and community support.
2026 SAF Applications open late Fall 2025.
2024 SAF Grantees
2024 SAF RECIPIENTS
- ARTSCO
- Ashley Priddy
Community Crash Course in Ceramics - Alexander Pulaski Co NAACP Branch 3025
Our Stories Stage - Black Chamber of Commerce of Southern Illinois
2024 Juneteenth Block Party - Carbondale Mainstreet, Inc
Brown Bag Concert Series - Clay City CUSD #10
Art for the Heart - Innovations in STEM Education
Exploring the Complexities of the Natural World through Art - Lea Heller (MMS Art Club)
Murphysboro Middle School Mural - Levi Biedermann
CCHS Sculpture Program Growth - Little Egypt Arts Association, Inc
Connecting Through Art - Robert A Ketchens
Home Town Heroes
- Shawnee Hills Arts Council
Combined Two Free Drama Camp with the Artist Collective on Race, Equity and Unity exhibit - SI CABE (Southern Illinois Culture and Art in Bilingual Education)
Latin Summer Nights - Southern Illinois Music Festival
20th Annual Southern Illinois Music Festival - Shawnee Hills Arts Council
Youth Drama Camp - Stone Soup Shakespeare Theater Company
The Tragedy of Macbeth or Double Toil and Trouble, 2024 Tour - Veterans in the Arts, Inc
Music Review Performance of Original Musical, Standard Issue: One Each - Wander Community Art Studio
Art for ALL - Y’all Rock Community
Y’all Rock Fest
2023 SAF RECIPIENTS
- A Gift of Love Charity
Mindful Art for Children - Black Chamber of Commerce of Southern Illinois
Juneteenth Block Party - Bret Gowin
It Takes a Village – Tamms Mural - Cade Bursell
All Species Puppet Parade - Carbondale United
Exploring the History of Racial Justice - Henry Dieters
Standard Issue - Legacy Training, Inc.
Summer Dance Workshop Series
- Lisa Marie Malloy
Cairo Youth Media Arts Workshop - Megan Smith
Camp Create - Robert Ketchens
Black Female Leaders – A Painted History - Shawnee Hills Arts Council
Youth Drama Camp - SI CABE (Southern Illinois Culture and Art in Bilingual Education)
Latin Summer Nights - Southern Illinois Irish Festival
Irish Music Festival and Celtic Fair - Stone Soup Shakespeare Theater Company
Stone Soup Sharkespeare 13th Tour - Village of Alto Pass
Cinco De Mayo
2022 SAF RECIPIENTS
- African American Museum of Southern Illinois
Juneteenth Freedom Celebration - Art for All
Marion Summer Art Program - Cade Bursell
All Species Puppet Parade - Cairo Historical Preservation Project
Spirit of Ward Chapel at AME Church - Carbondale Main Street
Brown Bag Concerts - Carbondale Park District
Jazz in the Park - Carbondale United
Chicago Mass Choir Performance at the Cairo Heritage Gospel and Blues Festival - Cobden High School – ESL Club
Ballet Folclorico Dance Team - DeSande R
The Door of No Return & The Struggle Before Greatness - Douglass School Art Place
Hands in Bridgewood - Legacy Training, Inc.
Just a Vocalist: The Art of the Music Business
- Madeline Deiters
Kre8ive Fine Arts Ground and Wall Mural - Michael Faris
A History of Racism - Phillip Carrier
Sculptural Bridges at Touch of Nature Trails - Project Human X
Project Human X Art Festival - Robert Ketchens
A Painted History Mural - Sandra Pfeifer
39 Counties: Save Democracy Tour - Shawnee Hills Arts Council
Hansel & Gretel Revisited - Southern Illinois Artist Collective on Race, Equity, and Unity
A Response to the Legacy of Racial Terrorism in America: A Fine Art Show - Southern Illinois Culture and Art in Bilingual Education (SI CABE)
Latin Summer Nights - Stone Soup Shakespeare Theater Company
A Midsummer Night’s Dream Tour
SAF Partners
The Southern Arts Fund (SAF) is made possible through the Illinois Arts Council’s Regional Arts Partners program. The SAF is administered by Artspace 304, with significant funding support from the Illinois Arts Council, Funding Good Chaos, the City of Carbondale, and our generous donors.