Deadline: 06-Nov-20
The City of Urbana currently welcomes for the Arts Grants Program to support projects in the arts that are accessible to the public.
The City of Urbana supports opportunities for all residents to engage with the arts in its many forms. The arts are essential to the vitality for the development of the city and enhance the quality of life while encouraging economic development, improving academic performance, and celebrating diversity.
The Urbana Arts and Culture Commission, through the Urbana Arts Grants Program, supports projects in the arts that are accessible to the public. This program fosters an environment for established and emerging artists to thrive in Urbana, promotes life-long participation and learning in the arts, and integrates art into the urban environment.
City staff of the Urbana Arts and Culture Program continue to offer informational workshops to those interested in learning about this funding opportunity. Workshops are designed to give applicants opportunities to explore the grant application, best practices for grant writing, and an overview of the application process. Staff will also share information about other opportunities within the City of Urbana’s Arts and Culture Program. All workshops are free and open to the public.
This program fosters an environment for established and emerging artists to thrive in Urbana, promotes life-long participation and learning in the arts, and integrates art into the urban environment.
This program is open to all disciplines in the arts on public display within spaces open to the public, including but not limited to creative writing, dance, film, video, music, theatre, visual arts, crafts, performing arts, spoken word, environmental arts, multimedia arts, architectural arts, landscape architecture, and emerging media.
Goals
- Integrate the arts into the urban environment, creating a sense of place and purpose and promoting tourism and commerce;
- Increase the availability of publicly accessible projects in the arts;
- Encourage emerging artists and art forms;
- Preserve and commemorate local and multicultural traditions and histories;
- Enrich the lives of Urbana residents and visitors;
- Increase opportunities for residents to engage in the arts in its many forms;
- Represent the community in its diversity; and
- Encourage partnerships among artists, performers, businesses, and organizations.
Grant Categories
- Tier I: To provide grants to artists to produce art projects in Urbana.
- Tier II: To provide mid-sized grants to individuals, groups, and nonprofits organizing arts projects and events in Urbana.
- Tier III: To provide larger financial awards to organizations producing special events/festivals.
Funding Information
- Tier I: $500 – $1,500 awards (Minimum total project budget: $500);
- Tier II: $2,000 – $4,500 awards (Minimum total project budget: $3,000);
- Tier III: $5,000 – $10,000 awards (Minimum total project budget: $16,700).
Eligibility Criteria
- Projects must be exhibited or performed within the City of Urbana. Please note that the cities of Champaign and Urbana are separate entities. Preference may be given to projects that take place within a Tax Increment Financing District (TIF).
- Projects must be open and accessible to the public. Projects that charge admission are required to provide at least one event or showing free of charge to the public.
- Permanent installations are not eligible at this time. Consideration will be given to murals with a detailed partnership/tenant relationship, installation, maintenance, and de-installation time line.
- Applicants do not need to live in the City of Urbana. However, Urbana residency may be taken into consideration.
- Previous recipients of Urbana Arts Grants ARE eligible to apply for the 2021 cycle of Urbana Arts Grants. Grant applications requesting funding for new projects or new additions to ongoing projects may be given priority.
Deadlines:
- Applications for Tier III Grants are due Friday, November 6th, 2020.
- Applications for Tier I, II, and Arts in the Schools Grants are due Wednesday, January 13th, 2021.
For more information, visit https://urbanaillinois.us/artsgrants
