ArtsHERE

Supporting organizations with a commitment to equity

Through grants and peer learning opportunities, ArtsHERE invests in organizations that have demonstrated a commitment to equity within their practices and programming, with the goal of increasing arts participation for underserved groups/communities, and sharing insights that may inform similar funding programs in the future.

ArtsHERE is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with South Arts and in collaboration with the other five U.S. Regional Arts Organizations.

Thank you for your interest in ArtsHERE. The submission window for ArtsHERE Statements of Interest closed on January 19, 2024. Applicants were notified of their status in March 2024. The guidelines below are for reference only.

ArtsHERE 2024 recommended grant recipients have been announced. Read the announcement.

If you would like to learn about additional programs from the National Endowment for the Arts, your state arts agencies, or Mid-America Arts Alliance, please explore maaa.org. We encourage you to subscribe to our monthly e-newsletter for additional opportunities.

light-skinned women weave hay at a picnic table.

Who ArtsHERE is for

ArtsHERE invests in organizations that have

Demonstrated a commitment to equity within their practices and programming
Undertaken consistent engagement with underserved groups/communities.

Applications are welcome from organizations that are diverse in terms of geography, scale of operations, and focus of arts programming; as well as organizations that work at the intersection of the arts and other domains, such as community development, health/well-being, climate/environment, or economic development.

Learn more about the eligibility at ArtsHERE.org.

What ArtsHERE Provides

Funded organizations will receive:

Investment: Managed by South Arts, ArtsHERE will award approximately 95 nonprofit organizations with nonmatching grants of $65,000 to $130,000. Grants are for specificprojects that will strengthen each organization’s capacity to sustain meaningful community engagement and increase arts participation for underservedgroups/communities.
Learning: ArtsHERE will offer grantees peer-learning and technical assistance opportunities, designed to share knowledge and build networks.
Evaluation: As a pilot program, ArtsHERE will bedocumented and evaluated by the National Endowment for the Arts to better understand the project activities supported through this program and how grantees approached the work, and to inspire others. The evaluation will result in a summary of lessons learned and may inform the future of ArtsHERE and other similar funding programs and practices.

Statements of Interest Are Now Closed

Timeline

Statement of Interest Opens
November 15, 2023
ArtsHERE Overview Webinar
November 30, 2023
Statement of Interest Closes
January 19, 2024
Finalists Notified
March 1, 2024
Full Application (By Invitation) Opens
March 8, 2024
Full Application (By Invitation) Closes
April 19, 2024
ArtsHERE Awards Made
August 1, 2024

About ArtsHERE

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) awards thousands of grants each year to provide diverse opportunities for arts participation. However, historically underserved communities with rich and dynamic cultural identities continue to report lower arts participation rates than other groups. To address these disparities and better understand these dynamics, the NEA, in partnership with South Arts and in collaboration with the five other U.S. Regional Arts Organizations (RAOs), launched a new grant program, ArtsHERE.

ArtsHERE supports organizations that have demonstrated a commitment to equity within their practices and programming and have undertaken consistent engagement with underserved groups/communities. Grants are for specific projects that will strengthen the organization’s capacity to sustain meaningful community engagement and increase arts participation for underserved groups/communities. Grantees have access to peer-learning and technical assistance opportunities designed to share knowledge and build networks.

As a pilot program, ArtsHERE will be documented and evaluated by the National Endowment for the Arts to better understand the project activities supported and how grantees approached this work.

How to Apply

Find the full program description, calendar, eligibility, guidelines, review process, application, award administration, webinar and office hours, FAQs, and communications toolkit starting at the About section of the U.S. Regional Arts Organization’s website for ArtsHERE.

The submission window for ArtsHERE Statements of Interest closed on January 19, 2024. Applicants will be notified of their status by March 1, 2024. The guidelines below are for reference only.

Have Questions?

Do you have questions? We are here to help.

Many questions related to the guidelines may be found via this ArtsHERE Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page.

Resources for applicants:

Learn more at ArtsHERE.org: Review the grant guidelines and submit your statement of interest by Jan. 19, 2024.
Register for the webinar: Join us for an information webinar on Nov. 30, 2023, from 2:00–3:30 p.m.
Click here to join drop-in office hours: Starting December 5, join M-AAA’s Christine Bial on Zoom on Tuesdays from 3:30–5:00 p.m. to get your ArtsHERE questions answered. No sign up required.
Click here to select a 30-minute time slot for Friday office hours with M-AAA: Starting on December 8, M-AAA’s Christine Bial will hold office hours for those who have questions about ArtsHERE.

If you have any additional questions or concerns about the ArtsHERE grant program, please contact Christine Bial, director of arts and humanities grant programs at ArtsHERE@maaa.org.

ArtsHERE is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with South Arts and in collaboration with the other five U.S. Regional Arts Organizations. Wallace Foundation is supporting a partnership between the National Endowment for the Arts and U.S. Regional Arts Organizations by providing matching funds to support ArtsHERE.

ArtsHERE, National Endowment for the Arts, South Arts, and US RAOs logos.