Interested in applying for an Urbana Arts Grant? The application is now available, and due by January 16th. There are different tiers (starting with grants of $500), so no matter the size of your Urbana-based-public-arts project, there is a grant that might be appropriate. Details are below, and you can apply online.
The City of Urbana supports opportunities for all residents to engage with the arts in its many forms. The arts are essential to the vitality for the development of the city and enhance the quality of life while encouraging economic development, improving academic performance, and celebrating diversity. The Urbana Arts and Culture Commission, through the Urbana Arts Grants Program, supports projects in the arts that are accessible to the public. This program fosters an environment for established and emerging artists to thrive in Urbana, promotes life-long participation and learning in the arts, and integrates art into the urban environment.
Up to $90,000 will be awarded to artists, arts organizations, and festival presenters for creative projects that enrich the lives of Urbana residents and visitors.
“For over a decade, the Urbana Arts Grants Program has supported a wide range of arts-related programs and services that make Urbana a more vibrant place to live and work,” says Rachel Lauren Storm, Arts and Culture Coordinator at the City of Urbana. “Through selective funding, we aim to foster a city that values creative innovation and collaboration. Given the COVID-19 pandemic, proposed projects may include adapted and virtual engagement efforts that build community and foster creativity through partnerships with Urbana venues and organizations.”
This grant program is open to all disciplines in the arts on public display within spaces open to the public, including but not limited to creative writing, dance, film, video, music, theatre, visual arts, crafts, performing arts, spoken word, environmental arts, multimedia arts, architectural arts, landscape architecture, and emerging media. Grants will be available in five categories listed below:
- Tier I Grants ranging between $500-$1,500 for individual artists and initiatives
- Tier II Grants ranging between $2,000-$4,500 for mid-sized initiatives
- Tier III Grants ranging between $5,000-$10,000 for large-scale special events
- Arts in the Schools Grants for arts education initiatives in USD #116 schools (now built into the Tier I application)
Top image EKAH, Convergent Evolution, from the Urbana Arts and Culture Program Facebook page.