2026 Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Grant

The Iowa Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Grant is designed to preserve and promote cultural heritage throughout the state of Iowa by supporting mentor-apprentice teams engaged in sustaining traditional and folk art practices. Administered by the Iowa Arts Council, a division of the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA), the grant is funded through a combination of state appropriations from the Iowa Legislature and a federal grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. The purpose of this grant is to ensure that Iowa’s diverse cultural practices continue to thrive by enabling mentor artists to formally pass on their skills and traditions to apprentices. Mentor artists must be Iowa residents who are recognized within their communities for their artistic excellence and must be at least 18 years old. Similarly, apprentices must also be Iowa residents, at least 18 years old, and have some prior training or familiarity with the specific traditional artform they wish to study. The application process is fully online, with a submission deadline of April 22, 2025. All applicants are encouraged to thoroughly review the grant guidelines, which provide comprehensive information about eligibility, the use of funds, reporting obligations, and evaluation criteria. These guidelines also include the application questions and the scoring rubric used during the review process. Grantees are expected to complete a final report at the conclusion of their grant activities. Additional support is available through the Iowa Arts Council, including the opportunity to schedule a meeting with Program Manager Jennie Knoebel for personalized guidance related to the application process. This grant represents a valuable opportunity for Iowa-based cultural practitioners to preserve their artistic heritage and strengthen community ties through mentorship. It is part of a broader suite of arts and culture programs offered by the Iowa Economic Development Authority in partnership with national and state-level institutions.