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Discover grants for performing arts organizations supporting theater, music, dance, outreach, and cultural enrichment.
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Our Mission
Empower donors to fulfill their passions and dreams by establishing charitable vehicles designed to create a positive and enduring impact on Jewish Buffalo, Western New York and the World.
Geoff Richter Performing Arts Award
The Geoff Richter Performing Arts Award Committee announces the availability of an Award up to $2,000! The GRPAA was founded in memory of Geoff Richter, Western New York Musician and Educator of the Arts.
About Geoff Richter
A native of Eden, New York, Geoff received his Bachelor of Music degree with a Performer’s Certificate in trumpet and a Master’s with a Performers Fellowship, from the Eastman School of Music.
Geoff played trumpet professionally with the Rochester, San Antonio, and Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestras and Niagara Falls, Binghamton, Chautauqua, Orchard Park, Clarence, Cheektowaga, and Amherst Symphony Orchestras. He co-founded the Buffalo Brass Quintet, the Buffalo Niagara Concert Band, and The Frankfurters, an internationally known Bavarian show band. He also acted as the summer/pops conductor of the Erie County Wind Ensemble and the Amherst Symphony Orchestra.
After retiring from a long career at Williamsville North High School, Geoff started working part time as director of the orchestra for musicals at St. Joseph Collegiate Institute. He also worked with the Mount Saint Mary Academy band and recruited and directed the orchestra for the annual school musical.
Community Foundation for Northeast Florida
The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida connects people who care with causes that matter. Since 1964, we have served the citizens of Duval, St. Johns, Nassau, Baker, Clay, and Putnam counties through a range of charitable and civic activities, while helping individual donors achieve their philanthropic goals. We believe in Giving Back. Forever Forward.
Scholarships
Thanks to generous donors, The Community Foundation offers several scholarships each year that benefit students in Northeast Florida who are seeking post-secondary degrees.
Bernie G. Yvon Memorial Fund Scholarship
For High School Seniors & College Students in The Theatre/Performing Arts
The purpose of the fund is to perpetuate the legacy of Bernie G. Yvon by supporting students pursuing study in the Theatre/Performing Arts with need-based scholarships. In this tenth year (2026), amounts up to $2000 each will be available from contributions to the fund via The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida. In selecting the successful candidate(s), the review committee will consider the following:
Carroll Swanson Memorial Scholarship for the Performing Arts
This fund was established to provide a scholarship for a student at the following schools: Allegany-Limestone, Olean and Portville who has participated in a school music program (band or choral).
Loene Pooler Guthrie Scholarship Fund
The Loene P. Guthrie Scholarship fund benefits music students in Benton, Linn, and Lincoln counties who plan to engage in the teaching of piano, voice, and orchestral music.
This scholarship fund promotes the teaching of piano, voice and orchestral music by aiding music students in Benton, Linn, and Lincoln Counties who plan to engage in the teaching of piano, voice, and orchestral music. Students who will graduate from Linn, Benton, or Lincoln County high schools or graduates of those high schools currently studying music at an institution of higher learning may apply. The Linn-Benton Chapter of the Oregon Music Teachers Association reviews the applications and selects individuals to perform at an audition open to the public.
Background & Purpose
The California Arts Council (CAC) is a statewide agency committed to serving California artists, arts organizations, and communities of all sizes and needs. Guided by racial equity principles, the CAC continuously evaluates its grantmaking practices to ensure fair and inclusive funding opportunities that sustain a vibrant, safe, and resilient creative ecosystem across the state.
Through regionally based Administering Organizations (AOs), the Individual Artists Fellowship (IAF) program uplifts and celebrates California artists across all disciplines and traditions, highlights their excellence and acknowledges their leadership in shaping traditional and contemporary cultures. The program includes three fellowship tiers with a different award amount:
CAC Emerging Artist Fellows – $5,000
Emerging artists are those in the beginning stages of making their work public and engaging the larger community in their practice.
CAC Established Artist Fellows – $10,000
Artists in the Established tier regularly make their work public and engage the larger community in their practice.
CAC Legacy Artist Fellows – $50,000
Artists in the Legacy tier can point to a significant body of work, produced over a substantial period of time, that has engaged their communities and that has made significant social impact.
The CAC approved eight regional AOs for the fellowship in September 2025. Each of the AOs has information and details regarding their Individual Artists Fellowship programs, including application deadlines. If you are an individual artist, apply to the statewide fellowship program through the Regional AO listed below that serves your county. Please note: Individual artists must live in the region they are applying to and may submit an application to only one region.
Region 4: Central Valley & Eastern Sierra Administered by Kern Dance Alliance (KDA)
California Arts Council (CAC) Individual Artists Fellowship is a statewide initiative; however, the KDA guidelines are specifically designed for artists living and working in the Central Valley and Eastern Sierra Region
KDA is the only Administering Organization awarding fellowship grants to Region 4: Central Valley & Eastern Sierra
KDA IAF Region: Amador, Calaveras, Fresno, Inyo, Kern, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Mono, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Tulare and Tuolumne counties
Background & Purpose
The California Arts Council (CAC) is a statewide agency committed to serving California artists, arts organizations, and communities of all sizes and needs. Guided by racial equity principles, the CAC continuously evaluates its grantmaking practices to ensure fair and inclusive funding opportunities that sustain a vibrant, safe, and resilient creative ecosystem across the state.
Through regionally based Administering Organizations (AOs), the Individual Artists Fellowship (IAF) program uplifts and celebrates California artists across all disciplines and traditions, highlights their excellence and acknowledges their leadership in shaping traditional and contemporary cultures. The program includes three fellowship tiers with a different award amount:
CAC Emerging Artist Fellows – $5,000
Emerging artists are those in the beginning stages of making their work public and engaging the larger community in their practice.
CAC Established Artist Fellows – $10,000
Artists in the Established tier regularly make their work public and engage the larger community in their practice.
CAC Legacy Artist Fellows – $50,000
Artists in the Legacy tier can point to a significant body of work, produced over a substantial period of time, that has engaged their communities and that has made significant social impact.
The CAC approved eight regional AOs for the fellowship in September 2025. Each of the AOs has information and details regarding their Individual Artists Fellowship programs, including application deadlines. If you are an individual artist, apply to the statewide fellowship program through the Regional AO listed below that serves your county. Please note: Individual artists must live in the region they are applying to and may submit an application to only one region.
Region 7: Inland Empire & South Coast Administered by Arts Orange County (ArtsOC)
Arts Orange County has been engaged by the California Arts Council to administer the application and jurying process for the Region 7 Individual Artist Fellowship, which includes Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties.
Marion Community Foundation
Since 1998, area residents have been turning to Marion Community Foundation to make their philanthropic giving as effective as possible. We are a public charity serving thousands of people who share a common concern … improving the quality of life in Marion County. We use distributions from the more than 500 charitable funds — created by generous, local donors — to award more than $2.5 million in grants and scholarships each year to many of the humanitarian, educational and cultural organizations in this remarkable community we call home.
Marion Community Foundation is the area’s leading philanthropic organization, providing charitable donors the opportunity to easily create endowment funds to benefit and support our community through grants and scholarships. We serve communities throughout Marion County through philanthropy, leadership, and civic engagement.
Clare Cooke Performing Arts Scholarship
Clare Cooke, the namesake of this fund, has worked as a performer, choreographer, and director for the Marion Palace Theatre since 1977, directing Christmas at the Palace and numerous community theater productions and junior musicals for many years, including The Wizard of Oz, The Will Rogers Follies, Annie, Oliver!, The Music Man, Guys and Dolls, Hairspray, and Oklahoma!
The Clare Cooke Performing Arts Scholarship Fund, created in 2012 through gifts from nearly 100 friends and family members, recognizes her outstanding contributions to the performing arts community and quality of life in Marion.
The Cooke Fund awards scholarships to Marion County high school seniors and graduates pursuing an education in the performing arts. Recipients are high school seniors who rank in the top 50th percentile of their graduating class or graduates with a college GPA of at least 2.5.
Theresa Alessandra Russo Foundation Inc
The Theresa Foundation honors the memory of Theresa Alessandra Russo by touching the lives of children with special needs and their families. The Foundation fosters each child’s unique abilities by supporting programs focusing on art, music, dance, drama, and recreation.
The Theresa Foundation has a vision of the world where artistic expression and physical recreation are just as important to adults as they are to children. We believe in a world where every child, regardless of ability or challenging conditions, is free to communicate through and participate in every art or recreational activity. A society without art is a society without soul. Art enables us to express our inner thoughts, fears, joys, and sadness.
The Theresa Foundation Grant Program
The Theresa Foundation Grant Program is committed to providing financial support for programs in art, music, dance, drama, or recreation that are designed specifically for children with special needs in order to ensure that no one is excluded from these activities.
We believe that every individual should have the opportunity to participate in art, music, dance, drama or recreation if they so choose. Our grant program works to provide direct funding for the success of these activities, while also promoting an environment of acceptance and inclusiveness where all can take part without judgment or fear.
As of 2026, the Theresa Foundation has provided over $3,300,000 in grant funding for over 200 programs in 29 states throughout the country and 4 international grants. With your help we can continue to make a difference in the lives of those with special needs by providing them access to enriching experiences that would otherwise be out of reach.
Mid-America Arts Alliance
Mid-America Arts Alliance (M-AAA) believes art can be a catalyst for expression, connection, collaboration, and community. This philosophy is reflected in our mission and values.
M-AAA is a nonprofit, regional arts organization representing Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, and beyond. We focus on strengthening communities and improving lives by supporting artists, elevating arts organizations, and connecting people to extraordinary cultural experiences.
Artistic Innovations Grants for Individual Artists
Program Objectives
The Artistic Innovations program supports the development of new or original works of art across all disciplines, created exclusively by in-region individual artists and art-based organizations in M-AAA’s six-state region (Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, and the Native Nations in this geography). Eligible applicants include individual artists and nonprofit 501(c)(3) arts organizations in the region.
Individual Artist Grant Considerations
The Artistic Innovations grant program supports direct project expenses incurred in the art-making process and production of public-facing engagements to individuals through private funds. These grants are funded through private support and, unlike Artistic Innovations grants to organizations, are not supported by the National Endowment for the Arts.
Charlotte Street
What We Do
Generative Performing Artist Awards
The Charlotte Street Generative Performing Artist Awards seek to recognize, encourage, and significantly support Kansas City-based artists creating original, exceptional new work in all genres of performance. Providing artists with financial support, critical recognition, and public exposure, these Awards aim to reward artistic accomplishment to date and to support the continued development of artists' work and careers. Artists must be generative artists—that is, the creators of original new work.
Awarded artists will be those who:
Through recognizing and supporting exceptional artists living and working in Kansas City, Charlotte Street seeks to empower and propel individual artists, enhance the artistic culture of our region, and increase Kansas City’s desirability as a place for artists to live and work.
Two recipients of the Charlotte Street Generative Performing Artist Fellow will receive:
Criteria for selection:
The Foundation
The Daniel & Pamella DeVos Foundation’s purpose is to build strong, healthy communities by investing in the arts, education, and community well-being.
Our purpose is to build strong, healthy communities by investing in organizations that positively impact our culture.
Apply
The Daniel & Pamella DeVos Foundation receives hundreds of requests each year from worthy organizations.
Due to the high volume of requests, the foundation primarily focuses its support on partners closely aligned with our three areas of focus and largely serves the greater Grand Rapids community. Requests can be submitted at any time. They are reviewed on a rolling basis, and the process generally takes three to four months from application submission to notification.
Lynne and Bob Wells Fund for Performing Artists '26-27
The Lynne & Bob Wells Fund for Performing Artists has been established to provide encouragement and support to adult actors, singers, dancers, comedians and other performing artists in Humboldt County.
This grant round is for individuals seeking support in developing artistic work in the performing arts.
The selection committee is looking for the following qualities: originality, honesty, talent, passion and inspiration.
Grants up to $1,000 available.
Grant Criteria:
About American-Scandinavian Foundation (ASF)The American-Scandinavian Foundation (ASF) promotes firsthand exchange of intellectual and creative influence between the United States and the Nordic countries: Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. ASF offers fellowships, cultural grants, internships/training, publications, exhibitions and other public programs reinforcing the strong relationships between the two regions, honoring their shared values, and appreciating their differences.ASF Public Projects GrantThe American-Scandinavian Foundation promotes the cultures of the Nordic countries in the United States and American culture in the Nordic countries by encouraging programs that will enhance public appreciation of culture, art, and thought. In establishing priorities, the Foundation considers the lasting benefits that may be achieved by any grant and favors projects where its contribution will complement support from other sources.
Russell County Area Community Foundation
The Russell County Area Community Foundation is an Affiliate Foundation of Greater Northwest Kansas Community Foundation with all funds managed by GNWKCF.
At the Russell County Area Community Foundation, we believe in hometowns and preserving our rural way of life. Our mission is to help people invest in meaningful ways to make a difference in the community by building permanent endowment funds and meeting charitable community needs. RCACF was founded in 2001 to benefit the communities in the Russell County area. We are an affiliate of Greater Northwest Kansas Community Foundation, a 501c3 organization. This helps us effectively pool resources with other foundations for community growth. Our local board of directors provides leadership on decisions that directly impact our communities.
Russell Area Youth Activities Fund
Helping Youth Participate, Learn & Thrive
Removing financial barriers so every child has the opportunity to grow, explore, and succeed.
The Russell Area Youth Activities Fund is designed to promote the health and well-being of children and to encourage healthy lifestyles through involvement in extra-curricular activities, including athletics, performing arts, visual arts, and literacy programs.
Important Information
How Can the Russell Area Youth Activities Fund Help?
The fund provides financial assistance so local youth can participate in activities they might otherwise be unable to afford.
Dennis Taylor Scholarship Foundation
The foundation was established to confer scholarships on students majoring in Performing Arts (Theatre, Dance, Vocal and Instrumental Music) at the College/University level as well as grants for performing arts classes, seminars, and related expenses, or for costs associated with college/university applications and auditions for students of the Performing Arts as determined by the Board of Directors. Scholarships are available to applicants residing in the Northern Illinois area. College/University Scholarships are expected to be $500-$1000 and Performing Arts grants will be in the order of $300. Recipients will audition and be selected on a merit basis by the Board of Directors. The Scholarship Foundation has been set up in memory of Dennis Taylor who served as a dancer, choreographer, costumer and wig designer in the western suburbs for more than five decades.
Dennis Taylor Scholarship Foundation: Performing Arts Grant
Grant Applications are accepted at any time of year, preferable 6-8 weeks prior to the performing arts class, seminar, workshop, or similar event.
Performing arts students may request a grant to cover expenses associated with college/university applications or auditions.
Company culture at Clark Associates emphasizes responsibility, sharing our success with others, and the importance of building strong communities. To help fulfill these goals, Clark Associates Charitable Foundation (CACF) was incorporated in 2001 and provides funding to organizations serving people in need and those delivering positive experiences for youth. CACF supports non-profits operating in and around its business locations and those where our employees volunteer and actively contribute. To date, CACF has distributed over $44 million in charitable contributions.
Organizations must be registered 501c3 charities serving three basic categories: people in need, innovative youth educational programs, and youth programs in music and the arts. People in need represents the largest giving category and includes homelessness, food insecurity, individuals with disabilities, victims of abuse, and people in recovery. Examples of other grant recipients include those assisting veterans, senior citizens, at-risk youth, academic enrichment, mentorship, leadership development, and those focused on the performing and visual arts.CACF evaluates grant applications submitted by non-profit organizations every month of the year.
The general scope and purpose of the grant program is to provide funding to presenting organizations to enable them to present artists from other communities in the state. The program provides a means of sharing resources with areas of the state which have limited access to arts programming. Level of support provided ranges from 25 to 35 percent of the artists' fees. Artists must be selected from an approved roster, thereby guaranteeing artistic quality.General Terms and Conditions of the Grant:(a) Applicant organizations sign a contract for services obligating them to present the artists in public performance. Artists presented must be from communities at least 40 miles from the applicant organization.
(b) All programs/services must be conducted in compliance with applicable state and federal regulations regarding nondiscrimination and fair labor standards. Specifically, they must comply with provisions of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and the provisions of Labor Standards under Section 5(j) of the National Foundation for the Arts and Humanities Act of 1965, as amended. Grantees also must not discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation.
(c) Grantees must maintain complete financial records for all activities covered by the contract and provide a final report at the end of the project detailing all expenditures and describing the programs/ services provided to the citizens of the state. Ten percent of the grant funds awarded are withheld until this report has been received and approved.
(d) Grantees must provide credit to the Georgia Council for the Arts in all publicity materials. This credit is to be provided in the form of the use of a camera-ready logo provided by the GCA, or by presenting the following statement: "This program is supported in part by the Georgia Council for the Arts through the appropriations of the Georgia General Assembly."
Missouri Arts Council
The Missouri Arts Council supports the arts that strengthen the cultural, educational, and economic vitality of our state.
Established as a state agency in 1965, the Missouri Arts Council is a division of the Office of the Lieutenant Governor. The Council is funded through the Missouri General Assembly, Missouri Cultural Trust, and National Endowment for the Arts.
The Missouri Arts Council is the state agency dedicated—as public leader, partner, and catalyst—to broadening the growth, availability, and appreciation of the arts in Missouri and fostering the diversity, vitality, and excellence of Missouri’s communities, economy, and cultural heritage. The grants we award make possible quality arts programming to communities both large and small throughout the state. We provide grants to arts projects that meet our strategic goals:
In addition to funding, we provide technical assistance in community development, fundraising, marketing, grant writing, arts education, artistic disciplines (visual arts, music, literature, theater, dance, festivals, and film/media) and more.
Annual Grants
Annual Grants are designed for experienced Missouri Arts Council applicants with large budget arts projects. The annual application is extensive and more demanding with a rigid deadline schedule, a more competitive review process, and a longer turnaround. While the request amount is higher, organizations receive a smaller percentage of their request based on our funding.
Annual Grants: Organizations of Color
Organizations must meet the following criteria:
About Pennsylvania Creative Industries
Pennsylvania Creative Industries is the new flagship brand of the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency. With this name, the Council aims to elevate the creative sector’s visibility, engage broader audiences, foster collaboration across disciplines, and underscore creativity’s vital role in innovation, economic growth, and community vitality.
In 2025, our Council adopted a new strategic plan with the mission to empower, connect, and amplify creatives and creative industries and their contributions to Pennsylvania's communities, economy, and workforce. Our vision is that Pennsylvania becomes the national leader among states for creative communities, talent, and industries.
Spotlight Program
For smaller creative arts organizations and programs—with an average annual revenue of $10,000 to less than $100,000.
Through the Spotlight Program, smaller creative arts organizations receive support to deliver programs, products, and services that advance Pennsylvania Creative Industries' core strategic priorities.
In addition to providing essential funding, the program fosters a collaborative network for grantees, offering opportunities to connect and share insights through tailored webinars organized by artistic discipline.
Meet The Trustees
The Schrafft Candy Company was founded in Boston as a candy company by William F. Schrafft in 1861 before expanding into the restaurant business with stores in Boston and New York. The famous Schrafft neon sign, constructed in 1928, still sits atop the former candy factory in Charlestown, MA, where it can be seen from Route 93. In 1946, William and his wife Bertha Schrafft established a private charitable foundation which today continues their legacy of giving to improve the lives of the citizens of Boston and Massachusetts, especially its young people.
Schrafft Charitable Trust
Mission
The William and Bertha Schrafft Charitable Trust invests in community-based organizations to expand access to educational and artistic opportunities for young people in Boston and New Bedford.
Vision
We envision a future where every young person in Boston and New Bedford has the opportunity and resources to thrive and achieve their full potential.
How We Invest
Schrafft Charitable Trust is committed to investing in communities that have faced long-standing systemic disinvestment, aiming to increase access to life affirming services and opportunities.
Focus Areas
We value introducing all young people to high quality arts to develop their own skills as well as a passion for the arts. Our arts and culture partners offer direct instruction in the visual and performing arts as well as meaningful exposure to a wide range of arts disciplines.
Meet The Trustees
The Schrafft Candy Company was founded in Boston as a candy company by William F. Schrafft in 1861 before expanding into the restaurant business with stores in Boston and New York. The famous Schrafft neon sign, constructed in 1928, still sits atop the former candy factory in Charlestown, MA, where it can be seen from Route 93. In 1946, William and his wife Bertha Schrafft established a private charitable foundation which today continues their legacy of giving to improve the lives of the citizens of Boston and Massachusetts, especially its young people.
Schrafft Charitable Trust
Mission
The William and Bertha Schrafft Charitable Trust invests in community-based organizations to expand access to educational and artistic opportunities for young people in Boston and New Bedford.
Vision
We envision a future where every young person in Boston and New Bedford has the opportunity and resources to thrive and achieve their full potential.
How We Invest
Schrafft Charitable Trust is committed to investing in communities that have faced long-standing systemic disinvestment, aiming to increase access to life affirming services and opportunities.
Focus Areas
We value introducing all young people to high quality arts to develop their own skills as well as a passion for the arts. Our arts and culture partners offer direct instruction in the visual and performing arts as well as meaningful exposure to a wide range of arts disciplines.
We believe that nurturing the personal and interpersonal development of young people sets them up to thrive in adulthood. Our youth development partners provide developmental, mentoring, skill-building, and recreational opportunities during out of school hours (after-school, evenings, weekends and summers).
Utah Division of Arts & Museums
As the first and oldest state arts agency in the nation, the Utah Division of Arts & Museums (UA&M) celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2025.
UA&M Mission: Our agency enhances Utah’s quality of life. We champion opportunities to experience culture by investing in arts and museums, offering professional development, facilitating connections, and providing direct services.
Creative West - TourWest Grant
Creative West’s TourWest grant program, supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, provides funding to presenters and presenting organizations to bring touring performers and literary artists to communities throughout the Western region.
Regional touring is defined as:
TourWest focuses on expanding access to the performing arts, especially in underserved communities. To support this goal:
A 1:1 cash match using non-federal funds is required. This match requirement is waived for organizations based in the Pacific Jurisdictions, including American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Guam.
AAF: Arts & Culture Fund
The boards of the Amarillo Area Foundation and the Don and Sybil Harrington Foundation decided to allocate a portion of the Discretionary Grant funds from the Economic Opportunity cycle to fund visual and performing arts organizations within the 26 counties of the Texas Panhandle. The funding priorities are operational, programmatic, marketing, and capital expenses.
This application process is new, and an external arts committee will select organizations to recommend to the Amarillo Area Foundation board of directors for funding. The requests must fall within the range of $5,000-$50,000.
The purpose of the Alabama Arts License Tag Grant Program is to promote the arts in Alabama, especially arts education, including visual arts, dance, folk arts, drama, and music.
SteamPlant Fee Assistance Grant Program
Financial support for public performance-based arts events to reduce fees for use of the SteamPlant in Salida.
The SteamPlant Fee Assistance Program was created to help ensure that local arts, culture, and community organizations can continue to access and utilize the SteamPlant Event Center for performances, exhibits, and public events. Through charitable contributions to the Salida Arts & Culture Fund, eligible organizations may receive grants that offset a portion of SteamPlant facility fees, making the venue more accessible and affordable.
The program is made possible through a partnership between the City of Salida and the Chaffee County Community Foundation (CCCF). The City has committed $5,000 in matching funds to match the first $5,000 donated by the community, helping build support for local arts and cultural programming.
While the Salida Arts & Culture Fund supports a variety of arts and culture initiatives, SteamPlant fee assistance is currently the fund's primary focus. Donations are tax-deductible and restricted to purposes approved by the Arts & Culture Advisory Committee (ACAC), which annually reviews community needs and available resources to guide funding priorities.
About Us
Our Mission
The Tennessee Arts Commission was created in 1967 by the Tennessee General Assembly with the special mandate to stimulate and encourage the presentation of the visual, literary, music and performing arts and to encourage public interest in the cultural heritage of Tennessee. TN Arts Commission Governing Policies can be found here.
The mission of the Tennessee Arts Commission is to cultivate the arts for the benefit of all Tennesseans and their communities. Our vision is a Tennessee where the arts inspire, connect and enhance everyday lives.
The Commission is supported by in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.
Individual Artist Fellowship
Recognition and acknowledgement of outstanding professional Tennessee artists who, through their work add to the cultural vitality of the state.
Fellowships provide those individuals who by education, experience, or natural talent engage in a particular art form or discipline, and live and work in Tennessee. To qualify, an artist must be financially compensated for his or her work, and this compensation must be a significant source of support for their livelihood.
Accepted categories for FY 2028:
Grants for performing arts provide funding to support theatrical productions, dance companies, and music ensembles. The following grants help organizations promote artistic expression, foster cultural enrichment, and expand access to live performances.
Explore 137 funding opportunities for performing arts, with $5.9M available. Instrumentl helps nonprofits sustain and grow cultural programming with strategic grant recommendations, deadline tracking, and funder insights.
How common are grants in this category?
Common — grants in this category appear regularly across funding sources.
Over the past year, when are grant deadlines typically due for grants for Performing Arts?
Most grants are due in the second quarter.
What's the typical grant amount funded for Grants for Performing Arts?
Grants are most commonly $5,500.
Instrumentl simplifies the grant application process for nonproft organizations interested in grants for performing arts. This platform streamlines your search of more than 100 grant opportunities by helping you filter out relevant funding opportunities. The platform also gives detailed funder insights that help organizations tailor their applications to align with grantor priorities. Discover how Eversight increased their grant success rate from 14% to 22%.
Nonprofits who are interested in grants for performing arts include nonprofit theatres, dance companies, orchestras, and arts education organizations. Funders provide grant monies that support theatrical productions, dance companies, and music ensembles. Many grants require applicants to be 501(c)(3) organizations and may prioritize programs that increase access to the arts, support emerging artists, and promote cultural diversity.
Grants in performing arts typically have the highest concentration of deadlines in Q2, with 27.8% of grant deadlines falling in this period. If you're planning to apply, consider prioritizing your applications around this time to maximize opportunities. Conversely, the least active period for grants in this category is Q4.
Performing arts grants support artistic performances, theatrical productions, dance companies, music ensembles, educational outreach, artist residencies, and community engagement initiatives. Funders also aim to promote and enhance artistic and cultural expression, expand arts accessibility and access to live performances, foster cultural enricnment, and sustain creative institutions. Over 100 grants are available and $2.6 million in funding is being offered for nonprofit groups that support the arts and artistic expression.
Funding for performing arts grants varies widely, with award amounts ranging from a minimum of $250 to a maximum of $3,750,500. Based on Instrumentl’s data, the median grant amount for this category is $5,500, while the average grant awarded is $57,943. Understanding these funding trends can help nonprofits set realistic expectations when applying.
Of the $2.6 million available in funding, most comes from private funders and state and local government entities. On the private side of grant funding, the Gates Family Foundation, the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation, the Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation, and the New England Foundation For The Arts are just a few private grantors that support the performing arts.
In addition, there are many and state and local government funders, including the Utah Division of Art & Museums, the Virginia Commission for the Arts, and the California Arts Council. Federal funding is also available through the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).
To improve grant success in the performing arts, nonprofit organizations should concentrate on all of these key areas:
Not sure how much to request in a grant application? Learn how to calculate the right amount with our grant request sizing guide.