Region 3 Artist Support Grant Winners Announced

The Region 3 Artist Support Grant Consortium is proud to announce the recipients of the Artist Support Grant for Region 3 for 2026. This program funds professional and artistic development for emerging and established artists across the state, operated on a regional level, and administered in Region 3 by Craven Arts Council & Gallery. Funding is provided by the North Carolina Arts Council and donations. Region 3 consists of Carteret, Craven, Duplin, Jones, Lenior, Onslow, and Pamlico counties, with the Arts Council of Carteret, Craven Arts Council & Gallery, Jones County Arts Council, Kinston Community Council for the Arts, Council for the Arts Jacksonville Onslow, and Pamlico County Arts Council acting as program partners for their counties.

The artists, their project, and county are listed below:

Elizabeth Spencer (Craven)- Woodworking tools for Sculpture

Gerald Nesmith (Craven)- Chloe in Range to Kill, short film

Joanne McCobb (Lenior)- Projector and supplies for Installation art

Linda Werthwein (Carteret)- Nevis painting series

Mellanie Crouell (Craven)- A Woman’s Story script

Naida Koraly (Carteret)- Adam’s Animals textile sculptures

Rebecca Day (Onslow)- Faces of Freedom photography project

Sheena Powell Szuri (Craven)-Polyhymnia poetry collection

Craven Arts Council and Gallery will recognize winners at their next ArtWalk, December 12th, at 6pm, at Bank of the Arts. ArtWalk is a free self-guided tour of downtown businesses and galleries, and is open to public.

Applications for the program open in the summer, and are due in early September each year. Artists in all disciplines are encouraged to apply, and grants range from $500-$1000. Projects should seek to

enhance their skills and abilities to create work or to improve their business operations and capacity to bring their work to new audiences. This program is supported by the North Carolina Arts Council.