Durham, NC – January 14, 2025 – Southern Documentary Fund (SDF) is pleased to announce it has been approved by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) for a Grants for Arts Projects award of $45,000. This grant will support Southern documentary makers through SDF’s Mentorship Program, film screenings, and Annual Artists Convening. The NEA will award 1,127 Grants for Arts Projects awards nationwide totaling more than $31.8 million as part of the recent announcement of fiscal year 2025 grants. 

“The NEA is proud to continue our nearly 60 years of supporting the efforts of organizations and artists that help to shape our country’s vibrant arts sector and communities of all types across our nation,” said NEA Chair Maria Rosario Jackson, PhD. “It is inspiring to see the wide range of creative projects taking place, including Southern Documentary Fund’s programs that support Southern makers and stories.”

“SDF’s Mentorship Program, film screenings, and Annual Artists Convening provide critical resources and community for Southern documentarians,” said Clint Jukkala, Executive Director of SDF. “This award from the NEA will help SDF further its mission to champion underrepresented makers and share the rich and varied stories of the American South.”

For more information on other projects included in the NEA’s grant announcement, visit arts.gov/news.