Arts and culture grants are available from a variety of national, state, foundation and local organizations. The National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities award funds in an array of categories at the federal level. Many states maintain cultural commissions or other grant-making bodies to enhance the cultural life of their state. Local organizations and foundations often fill the gaps in the grant-making map, such as the Pew Trusts in the greater Philadelphia area.
Federal Grants
The National Endowment for the Arts awards arts and culture grants in a wide compliment of artistic disciplines, including visual arts, musical theater and arts education. The NEA makes significant grants to arts organizations, such as the $10,000 to $100,000 grants awarded in the Art Works arts education program in 2011. Individual fellowships are available in a few categories such as jazz, literature and folk arts. The National Endowment for the Humanities offers grants and fellowships with more than forty NEH grant programs, including support for libraries and cultural education. Candidates file for applications via the Grants.gov website.
State Grants
Many states, but not all, sponsor grant-making bodies to develop the artistic and cultural life of their state. The Florida Division of Cultural Affairs makes grants to arts organizations and individual artists. The Tennessee Arts Commission make grants to non-profit Tennessee cultural and arts organizations, and offers individual artist fellowships. The Massachusetts Cultural Council offers grant support to arts organizations, arts education and individual artists in Massachusetts. The Virginia Commission for the Arts offers grants to make art more accessible and to enhance arts education. The Illinois Arts Council develops the cultural life of the state with a variety of grant programs for organizations, arts education and artist support.
Foundation Grants
Charitable foundations are active in making arts and culture grants, with their grant programs reflecting the preference of the foundation. The John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation awards fellowships to accomplished mid-career artists. The organization awards about 220 fellowships each year, from a pool of 3,500 to 4,000 applications. The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation offers art and culture grants in the Chicago area, supporting more than 200 arts and cultural institutions.
Local Grants
Both private and governmental organizations make art and cultural grants available at the local level. The Pew Charitable Trusts offers grants in support of artists, cultural projects and arts organizations in the greater Philadelphia area. The organization's objectives are to foster artistic achievement and to enhance public participation in the arts. Many county organizations make arts and culture grants on a more modest level, such as the Lane County Cultural Coalition in the state of Oregon, making about $26,000 in grants per year as of 2011 to foster the arts and humanities in Lane County.
