Charlottesville SOUP is a public dinner series that creates crowdfunded grants for artists living in the city of Charlottesville and the counties of Albemarle, Fluvanna, Nelson, Orange, Greene, Louisa, and Buckingham. Artists, writers, dancers, filmmakers, musicians, performance artists, and makers of all mediums with a creative project in need of funding are encouraged to apply.

A community selection panel will choose three artists to pitch at the upcoming SOUP event. One project will be funded with a $3,500+ crowdfunded grant. Each of the other presenting artists are guaranteed a $500 honorarium.

The March 2026 SOUP dinner will be held on Monday, March 16 at the Jefferson School African American Heritage Center. Tickets to the event will go on sale in February.

Grant Applications Details

Who can apply and for what kind of project?

Artists living in Charlottesville or the surrounding area* with a project can apply for a SOUP grant to support any expenses required to help them complete a creative project. Anyone can apply for a SOUP grant—formal training or experience as an artist is not required. You just need to have a creative project in the arts for which you need funding. For example, artists could:

• apply for financial help to record an album;

• pay the tuition for a class you want to take;

• offset the costs you’ll incur while taking time off work to do an artist residency;

• pay for framing your work for an exhibit;

• or receive financial support for many other components of a creative project (visit the Charlottesville SOUP page to meet past grantees and see how they have used the SOUP grant).

*The Charlottesville area includes the city of Charlottesville and Albemarle, Greene, Louisa, Fluvanna, Nelson, Orange, and Buckingham counties.

How are artist finalists selected?

Applications are reviewed by a community panel and preference is given to applications that can use the SOUP grant in 2026. The selection committee members for the March 2026 SOUP event will be announced later this month.

What makes an application competitive?

We’ve intentionally kept the application process simple and ask that applicants keep their answers short and concise. You are welcome to reach out to staff with any questions.

Competitive applications:

• demonstrate the artist’s ability to carry out the project they are proposing (i.e. do they have the artistic skills needed? Is the project achievable in the way they are proposing?);

• show that the artist has some knowledge of budgeting for a project, and that they can use the SOUP grant in a specific way to further or complete their project;

• communicates the importance of the project for both the artist personally and the community more broadly.

Please note: New City Arts strives to create a welcoming, inclusive space of mutual care and respect that centers artist and audience consent. We know artists make purposeful choices, and it is not our desire to censor an artist’s work. Because Charlottesville SOUP is a public event, and the projects typically have a public outcome, there may be some instances in which staff and artists will need to work together to honor freedom of expression alongside the importance of audience consent.

Any project proposal that seeks to discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, sexual orientation, disability, or any other reason will not be considered.

What happens if I’m selected as an artist finalist?

Three projects will be chosen for consideration at SOUP. All artists selected to pitch are guaranteed a $500 honorarium for their time.*

If we pick your proposal, you will have the opportunity to give a short presentation at SOUP (4 minutes). Following your presentation, we will take questions from attendees. At the end of the meal, everyone votes and the winning project receives the proceeds raised from that night’s SOUP. You must be able to attend SOUP on March 16 at the Jefferson School African American Heritage Center to deliver your pitch in person.

To meet past SOUP presenters and grantees, and to learn more about the event, visit the Charlottesville SOUP page.

*Note that a $3,500+ grant will be awarded to one winning project and a $500 honorarium will be distributed to each of the other presenting projects.

Apply to Present at SOUP

Applications are due on March 16, 2026 at 11:59PM. Questions? Email Lindsey@newcityarts.org.