Funding Opportunities
ArtsWestchester grants reach every part of the County and make possible an extraordinary array of cultural activities. Our grants help Westchester and Rockland-based cultural organizations grow and support individual artists in the creation of new work.
Grants are available in the following categories: Project Support; Arts Alive (Westchester & Rockland Counties); Arts initiative Target Grants; Westchester County Poet Laureate; Arts for People with Special Needs; Art$WChallenge; Basic Support; Voices for Change.
PROJECT SUPPORT *
APPLICATIONS ARE NOW OPEN
Application deadline: Wednesday, May 15, 2024
no later than 11:59pm
Allows for a more flexible grants-making process and enables ArtsWestchester to better align funding to the wide variety of arts and cultural organizations in Westchester County. ArtsWestchester defines “project” broadly: you may apply for support for a series of related events such as a film series or summer concert series; for an individual program or event; for a special program or pilot project. This funding category is primarily intended for organizations with modest incomes that are run by volunteers; for cultural organizations whose public programming is developed and funded by a Friends group; and cultural organizations that offer a relatively limited season of arts programs/activities.
Please join us for a ZOOM info session on Wednesday, April 24 @ 1pm. To register and receive the meeting link please click HERE.
This funding opportunity is available for Westchester based nonprofit & cultural organizations
Arts Alive – Westchester & Rockland Counties
Arts Alive Grant Cycle is now Closed
The 2024 cycle of Arts Alive is now closed. Submission deadline was Thursday, March 14, 2024. Please check back for future updates.
Arts Initiative Target Grants
The Yonkers & Mount Vernon Arts Initiative is now part of Project Support. Please refer to the Project Support guidelines and application
Westchester County Poet Laureate
Poet Laureate Cycle is now Closed. Next Application: Late 2025
2024-26 Poet Laureate Announced! Westchester County Executive George Latimer today partnered with ArtsWestchester to announce that Westchester County’s new Poet Laureate will be Phylisha Villanueva of Yonkers. Villanueva was one of 14 applicants for the position and will succeed poet B.K. Fischer who served in this countywide role for 3 years. Phylisha Villanueva is slated to begin her three-year term this month and will receive a $10K honorarium for each year of the appointment made possible with funds from Westchester County. Complete Press Release available here.
Arts For People With Special Needs
Arts For People With Special Needs Cycle is now Closed
This grant program was developed to increase accessibility of the arts to people with special needs. This opportunity is open to organizations that offer programs for individuals with special needs and human services agencies who apply to partner with artists on ArtsWestchester’s Directory of Teaching Artists for an artist residency.
Art$WChallenge Grant
Art$WChallenge Cycle is now Closed
The Art$WChallenge grant provides 1:1 matching grants to Westchester based organizations that recieve grant funding in one of these categories between 2021-2023: Basic Porgram Support, Project Support, Yonkers Arts Initiative or Mount Vernon Arts Initiative – OR – an Arts Alive Grant (Westchester County Only) between 2018-2023. A complete list of grantees and information on how to donate, click here.
Basic Program Support
Basic Program Support Cycle is now Closed
Funding is directed toward ongoing activities of eligible, Westchester-based arts organizations and historic sites. When considering the provision and level of Basic Program Support, the panel examines all aspects of your operation, including artistic merit, financial stability, the strength and involvement of the board, scope of programming, geographic area and number of people served, and inclusiveness at all levels of operation (including board, staff, audience).
Voices For Change
Voices For Change Cycle is now Closed
Voices for Change provides the creative community with an opportunity to develop and present new work that inspires and informs, and may be a catalyst for action. Different funding levels will be available and competitive projects will identify an organizational partner to work with.
Voices for Change is supported in part with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Become a Panelist
Panelists play a central role in reviewing applications for funding. We rely on panels composed of individuals who represent a broad range of artistic and cultural viewpoints, as well as wide geographic and ethnic diversity, to provide advice about the artistic excellence and artistic merit of proposals in a variety of funding categories. Our panels are composed of both arts professionals and knowledgeable laypersons. Most panelists are arts professionals who are qualified by their activities, training, skills, and/or experience in one or more art forms. Every panel also includes a layperson – someone knowledgeable about the arts but not engaged in the arts as a profession either full- or part-time.
Panelist Nomination
ArtsWestchester maintains a bank of potential panelists, and invites county residents, as well as colleagues in the field, to recommend panelists. For more information please contact grants@artswestchester.org
ArtsWestchester is committed to maintaining a balance of geographic, ethnic, and cultural diversity in its commitment to high standards of integrity and impartiality in its decision-making process. While every panelist nomination is considered, ArtsWestchester is not able to appoint every qualified nominee to a panel.
For more information please email grants@artswestchester.org
To schedule a time to speak with our grants staff one-on-one, click here to see our availability.
ArtsWestchester accepts applications through an electronic portal, Submittable.