Support for Artist Grant 2026

The FY2026 Support for Artists grant is administered by the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA), a state agency committed to supporting the diverse and evolving creative practices across New York State. NYSCA aims to enhance the vibrancy of the arts, uphold equitable access to cultural experiences, and invest in the economic and communal value of artistic endeavors. The Support for Artists initiative reflects NYSCA’s mission by empowering artists at all stages to develop and complete new creative work through funding that centers on the artist’s creative process. This grant provides individual artists with a $10,000 fee to support the creation or development of new work during calendar year 2026. Funding is not designated for production costs or specific project expenses but rather as a commissioning or creative fee for the artist. The grant requires artists to apply through a New York State-based fiscal sponsor organization, as NYSCA cannot issue awards directly to individuals. These fiscal sponsors, which must be registered nonprofit organizations or government units in New York, are responsible for disbursing funds, administering contracts, and ensuring compliance throughout the grant term. Artists can apply in various disciplines including choreography, composition, film/media/new technology, folk and traditional arts, interdisciplinary arts, literature, theater, and visual arts. Each discipline has tailored requirements for work samples and supporting documentation. All projects must involve some form of public engagement accessible to New York State audiences, such as a talk, showing, or online presentation. Applicants may only submit one project per year and cannot apply if they received or applied for the same grant in the previous cycle. Eligible artists must be at least 18 years old, not full-time students, and current residents of New York State, providing two forms of documentation as proof to their sponsor. Fiscal sponsors cannot charge application fees and may deduct a maximum of $500 as an administrative fee if an award is made. Both artist and sponsor must execute a Letter of Agreement defining their roles and responsibilities. Applications are evaluated solely on creativity, assessed using a scoring rubric from 0 to 5. Review criteria include artistic vision, originality, relevance to the artist’s development, and the project’s viability. Scores below 3 are ineligible for funding. The application must include narrative responses, a resume, and discipline-specific work samples. Applicants and sponsors must submit by 5 p.m. on Thursday, June 26, 2025. Awards are expected to be announced by December 2025. Technical support is available via help@arts.ny.gov and additional guidance can be found at https://arts.ny.gov/contact.