UPDATED 20 November 2024

Artists and arts organizations affected by Hurricane Helene are encouraged to use the resources below to support your recovery efforts during this difficult time. As always, the South Carolina Arts Alliance is here to support however we can.

You can also contact the South Carolina Emergency Management Division for assistance at 1-866-246-0133.

Special thanks to the swift work of Arts AVL and Arts NC who helped put many of these together — we’re keeping our friends north of the State line in our thoughts, as parts of Western North Carolina saw some of the most devastating impacts from the storm.

NCAPER Disaster Resources for Individuals and Arts and Cultural Organizations

Recent changes to FEMA and HENTF have made it easier to deliver aid to communities and individuals and may make aid more accessible to artists, entrepreneurs, self-employed individuals, as well as cultural institutions and arts organizations.

NCAPER Rapid Damage Assessment Forms: If you were impacted or know artists and cultural institutions impacted for a disaster, please fill out one of the following rapid damage assessment forms.

With support from the Heritage Emergency National Task Force (HENTF) and in collaboration with the Foundation for Advancement in Conservation (FAIC), these new online assessment forms will help identify where assistance is sought, provide assistance where needed, understand critical needs, and inform recovery efforts moving forward. Learn more about these changes.

  • NCAPER hosts weekly calls to help connect and inform those affected by the storm. Please contact jeff@scartsalliance.net for more information about how to participate.

More NCAPER Tools and Resources >>

FEMA’s Individual Assistance Program

This program includes disaster relief to artists and self-employed individuals.

Individual Assistance is available to individuals and households in a location with a major disaster declaration. For disasters declared on or after March 22, 2024, FEMA’s Individual Assistance program was expanded to include quicker access to needed funds including simplifying assistance for self-employed individuals such as self-employed artists and entrepreneurs. 

  • Search the most recent disaster declarations at fema.org/disaster to see if your county is listed.
    • In addition to the current counties, officials in Allendale, Abbeville, McCormick, and Richland counties are also working to be added to the list for aid.
  • Public Assistance Grants are available to listed counties.

FEMA Fact Sheet on Arts and Culture >>

More FEMA Resources >>

South Arts

South Arts has launched the Southern Arts Relief & Recovery Fund to provide immediate, unrestricted financial support toward regional artists affected by Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

  • Grants start at $500 for artists with the final funding amount in development.

  • After the initial response, the fund will transition to addressing medium to long-term challenges faced by the arts and culture sector in disaster recovery.

Artists residing in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, or Virginia are encouraged to apply.

  • Eligible disciplines include craft, literary arts, media/film, performing arts, traditional/folk arts, and visual arts.

  • Applicants must be 18 years or older and actively engaged in their practice. All applications will be reviewed for both eligibility and need.

  • The selection process will prioritize diversity across disciplines, ethnicity, gender, and disability to ensure broad, inclusive support.

Apply for funds here »

Learn about donating to the fund here »

National Heritage Responders

The National Heritage Responders, a team of trained conservators and collections care professionals administered by the Foundation for Advancement in Conservation, are available 24/7 to provide advice and guidance.

Cultural institutions, arts organizations, and artists and performing groups can call the National Heritage Responders hotline: (202) 661-8068.

Members of the public and individual artists who have questions about saving family heirlooms and personal collections can email the National Heritage Responders at NHRpublichelpline@culturalheritage.org.

HENTF’s Save Your Family Treasures guidance is available at fema.gov/assistance/save-family-treasures. Here you can find the downloadable FEMA fact sheets “After the Flood: Advice for Salvaging Damaged Family Treasures” and “Salvaging Water-Damaged Family Valuables and Heirlooms,” available in multiple languages.

SBA Disaster Assistance

SBA disaster assistance for homeowners, renters, nonprofits, and businesses of all sizes affected by Hurricane Helene.

  • Home Disaster Loans: Loans to homeowners or renters to repair or replace disaster-damaged real estate and personal property, including automobiles.
  • Business Physical Disaster Loans: Loans to businesses to repair or replace disaster-damaged property owned by the business, including real estate, inventories, supplies, machinery and equipment. Businesses of any size are eligible. Private, non-profit organizations such as charities, churches, private universities, etc., are also eligible.
  • Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL): Working capital loans to help small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture, and most private, non-profit organizations of all sizes meet their ordinary and necessary financial obligations that cannot be met as a direct result of the disaster. These loans are intended to assist through the disaster recovery period.

Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA)

Following a federal disaster declaration because of Hurricane Helene, Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) benefits are now available in 23 counties as well as the Catawba Indian Nation. The deadline to apply varies based on when your county was added to the disaster declaration. See the deadlines here.

Housing and Urban Development Disaster Resources (HUD)

HUD is now offering federal disaster assistance for disaster victims in the states of North Carolina, South Carolina, and Florida.

HUD will be providing a 90-day moratorium on foreclosures of mortgages issued by the Federal Housing Administration; making mortgage insurance available to disaster victims; offering financing for mortgage and home rehabilitation; increasing spending flexibility for Community Planning and Development Grantees; and ensuring HUD-approved housing counseling agencies are available to assist those impacted by natural disasters.

Tax Relief

The Internal Revenue Service has announced tax relief for individuals and businesses in the entire state of South Carolina that were affected by Hurricane Helene. These taxpayers now have until May 1, 2025, to file various federal individual and business tax returns and make tax payments.

Following the disaster declaration issued by FEMA individuals and households that reside or have a business in the entire state qualify for tax relief.

Affected taxpayers with returns and payments with due dates postponed until Feb. 3, 2025 due to Hurricane Debby in South Carolina will also now have until May 1, 2025 to file and/or pay.

Craft Artists Emergency Relief Grant

CERF+ offers $3,000 Emergency Relief Grants to craft artists who experienced a recent and substantially disruptive emergency or disaster.

To qualify for an Emergency Relief Grant, applicants need to be craft artists who are 18 years of age or older. They must have been living and working in the U.S. or U.S. Territories for the past two years. Additionally, they should not have received an Emergency Relief Grant in the previous year or exceeded the maximum lifetime limit of 4 grants.

To apply, visit our website and complete the online application with supporting documentation. Incomplete applications will not be considered. For questions, contact programs@cerfplus.org or (802) 229-2306.

MusiCares Disaster Relief Grant

MusiCares offers an Emergency Financial Assistance Program providing financial grants for music people in crisis.

Other Emergency Grants

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