ArtsWestchester to offer grants for artists, community groups

ArtsWestchester will offer grants to artists, cultural groups and community organizations as part of the 2019 Arts Alive Grants.

“The Arts Alive Grants are one of our most effective means of supporting arts activities for diverse populations in Westchester and Rockland counties,” said Janet Langsam, CEO of ArtsWestchester. “These grants are an opportunity not just for artists, but also for cultural groups and community organizations such as houses of worship or libraries, for instance. So long as your organization can demonstrate a history of ongoing arts and cultural programs, you are eligible to apply for these grants.”

The organization said the annual grants help “ensure that residents throughout Westchester and Rockland counties have access to the arts in their communities, particularly in areas where access may be limited.”

Potential grantees will be recommended by an independent panel of artists and business, civic and cultural leaders to ArtsWestchester”™s board of trustees.

Funds are available in three categories:

• Arts Alive Project Grant, which supports community-based arts and cultural projects developed by arts organizations, groups, collectives, individual artists and a limited number of other nonprofits that offer public arts activities as part of their ongoing operations.
• Arts Alive Artist Grant, which supports the creation and presentation of new work by professional artists. An essential element of this funding is the inclusion of a community engagement component.
• Arts Alive Arts Education Grant, which supports lifelong learning in the arts through partnerships between individual artists or arts organizations and public schools, after-school programs and learning programs.

The grants are funded by the Decentralization Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts, and are administered by ArtsWestchester.

Pre-application workshops will take place during the coming months to help individuals fill out applications, and ArtsWestchester will offer office hours by appointment. For more information, contact lbrady@artswestchester.org.

The deadlines to apply for grants are Sept. 26 in Westchester County and Oct. 2 in Rockland County. Applications and program guidelines are available online at artswestchester.org/grants/arts-alive-grant-program.