Deadline: 21-Jul-21
Arts Fairfax has announced the applications for Arts Ignite Recovery Grants Program to support eligible nonprofit arts organizations, both established and developing, in providing activities that engage diverse audiences and create arts opportunities in underserved areas of the county.
Arts Disciplines including arts education, choral/vocal music/opera, dance, film/digital, instrumental music, literary arts, multidisciplinary/arts services, theatre, and visual arts are encouraged to apply as well as culturally specific groups including African, Latinx, Asian, Arab, and Native American.
Purposes
- ArtsFairfax’s Arts Ignite Recovery grant program (AIR) supports the development and advancement of the arts in Fairfax County. These grants recognize the devasting effects of the pandemic on arts organizations and the communities they serve. AIR grants catalyze recovery from the pandemic shut down by supporting the rebuilding of both new and old audiences, as well as programming capacity.
- ArtsFairfax embraces the county’s One Fairfax racial and social equity policy. Arts organizations receiving ArtsFairfax grants must intentionally examine their operations, programs and services, and incorporate equity, diversity, access, and inclusion in decision-making, development and deployment of policies, programs, and services.
Goals
Through the Arts Ignite Recovery grant program, ArtsFairfax seeks:
- To support recovery of the arts sector in Fairfax County and the cities of Falls Church and Fairfax;
- To promote opportunities for individual artists and arts organizations to create, present, and celebrate their artistic endeavors and traditions;
- To increase programming capacity and community-based cultural activities in formats that help prevent the spread of COVID-19;
- To support arts producers in reaching new, diverse, and underserved audiences and places;
- To rebuild engagement with the community and revitalize opportunities to participate in arts activities;
- To create greater awareness and support of the arts in Fairfax;
- To revitalize the spirit and emotional well-being of Fairfax residents with the energy of live performance and visual arts experiences.
AIR Grant Categories
Based upon ArtsFairfax’s long standing Project Support grant program, the Arts Ignite Recovery (AIR) grants will focus on three priority areas to foster engagement of the community in the arts as arts organizations emerge from the pandemic shutdown:
- Performances and installations in unconventional spaces including outdoors.
- Partnerships with Fairfax artists, artist cooperatives, non-501-c-3 arts groups.
- Programs, exhibitions and performances for diverse populations (gender, ethnicity, age, people of all abilities sexual orientation) and/or in underserved areas of the county.
Funding Information
- Arts Ignite Recovery grants range from $5,000 to $20,000. Applicants may be granted an amount less than requested.
Organizational Eligibility
- Nonprofit arts organizations based in Fairfax County, City of Fairfax, and City of Falls Church including arts divisions and departments of umbrella organizations are eligible. Organizations receiving line-item funding from the Commonwealth of Virginia, as well as schools or departments of state universities, Fairfax County Government departments, divisions, and agencies, and their affiliated foundations and fundraising entities, are not eligible for these ArtsFairfax grants.
- Applicants must meet the following criteria to apply to the Arts Ignite Recovery grant program. Staff reviews all grant applications for eligibility prior to the review process. An organization is eligible to apply if it meets the following criteria:
- It has as a core mission the creation, exhibition, presentation, production, or performance of and/or education in an arts discipline, and it operates as a stand-alone nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization or has its own arts program identity, within a larger nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization with current or pending status.
- It has regular activity in a minimum of four different months in the year or 120 days of the year. If such activity was prevented by the pandemic, it must be noted.
- It has an address of record within the geographical boundaries of Fairfax County, the City of Fairfax, or the City of Falls Church and has satisfied TWO of the following four criteria for at least one year:
- Present at least 51% of public artistic activities within the geographical boundaries of Fairfax County, the City of Fairfax, or the City of Falls Church.
- Meet, rehearse, exhibit, and operate within the geographical boundary of Fairfax County, the City of Fairfax, or the City of Falls Church.
- Have 51% of board of directors’ members’ work or reside in Fairfax County, the City of Fairfax, or the City of Falls Church.
- Verify that 51% of attendees at performances, exhibits, events, and activities reside in Fairfax County, the City of Fairfax, or the City of Falls Church evidenced through acceptable statistical data including but not limited to ticket analysis, subscription data, box office surveys, and audience surveys.
- An eligible organization must:
- Be in compliance with all local, state, and federal laws; and
- If an organization does not hold 501(c)(3) status in its own right, a fiscal sponsor that holds 501(c)(3) status may apply on its behalf. The fiscal sponsor must manage all grant funds and ensure compliance with the terms of the grant if an award is made.
- Submit independently prepared financial statements such as an audit or a treasurer’s report. An audit is required for organizations with expenses of $600,000 or more.
- Have submitted all required final reports for any grants received from ArtsFairfax during the previous fiscal year.
- The following are not eligible organizations:
- Organizations receiving line-item funding from the Commonwealth of Virginia, as well as schools or departments of George Mason University are not eligible for AIR grants.
- Fairfax County Government departments, divisions, and agencies, and their affiliated foundations and fundraising entities, are not eligible for AIR grants.
For more information, visit https://artsfairfax.org/arts-ignite-recovery-grants/