“As you’re probably aware, Georgia ranks dead last in the country for arts funding, and artists have been in this perpetual struggle to find funding for their projects,” Spruill Center for the Arts CEO Alan Mothner said.
No stranger to the plight of nonprofits and artists, Mothner is proud to present the new $50,000 Larch Creative Fund grant opportunity open to creatives across the state.
“Funding is imperative for artists to grow, find success, and continue to do their work,” he said.
The Spruill Center for the Arts announced the grant during their 50th anniversary party and 39th Artistic Affair event on March 29, 2025.
This grant opportunity seeks to support artists, collaborations, and nonprofit organizations as they complete innovative projects in a variety of media and forms. The call seeks projects that inspire creativity and community connections through accessible engagement with the arts.
The Larch Creative Fund was born out of love and loss. When one of Spruill’s long-term instructors lost her brother and became executor of his estate, the question of what to do with his resources came into focus. As a way to honor his memory, she divided the allotment up into grants offered in various disciplines that he loved in life, including the arts.
There is no pre-determined limit to the number of grantees who can win, or the amounts that they request. This keeps the call more flexible and could suit a larger organization, for example, tat might need a more funding in order to produce a bigger project. Meanwhile, an individual artist might need a smaller grant to fulfill a personal project.
By not determining the restrictions of the grant in advance, Mothner hopes that applicants won’t be afraid to submit a proposal that might otherwise be perceived as too big or too small.
“We wanted to be able to fund a variety of programs and projects based on size and scope,” he said.
This grant is offered to artists and organizations across the entire state of Georgia. Expanding Spruill’s reach beyond the borders of Metro Atlanta lands squarely within their overarching vision.
“Our mission is to foster creativity and social connection through the arts, and so we have never really seen ourselves as just a Dunwoody, or only Metro Atlanta arts organization,” Mothner said.
“The idea of going out to the whole state of Georgia was a very deliberate decision… to try to reach communities that we haven’t reached before.”
Mothner told me that Spruill’s long-term strategic plan seeks to broaden their reach geographically into underserved communities across the state.
One idea he floated was a so-called Spruill Road Show, in which the organization could package up their signature classes and enlist instructors to offer workshops in underserved communities across the state. While still only in the idea stage, the concept highlights Spruill’s intention to be part of a more inclusive support system for artists in Atlanta and beyond.
Spruill Center for the Arts is currently accepting project proposals for the Larch Creative Fund through June 1. A jury will then make determinations about grant allotment and notify grantees by June 20. Submissions call for project summaries, project proposals, 3-5 images, a video, organization or artist bio, and projected timeline, milestones, and budget.
Learn more and apply by June 1 on the Spruill Center for the Arts website.
