Deadline: 05-Jul-21
Applications are now open for the Interchange Artist Grant program is interested in projects that make change in communities by actively engaging people around social issues, opportunities and challenges. A community may be defined geographically (e.g., town, neighborhood) or by relationships and characteristics (e.g., identity, heritage).
Interchange grants will support a new project, or a significant component and/or further development of an ongoing project.
Interchange is a program of Mid-America Arts Alliance made possible with support from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Interchange is designed to strengthen communities and individual artists within the region by supporting artist-led projects focused on social impact.
Interchange grants will be awarded to sixteen artists with an active socially-engaged creative practice in the Mid-America Arts Alliance region through:
- $20,000 in direct project support
- Professional development retreats with Interchange grantees
- Mentoring
Examples of projects include:
- Projects that increase dialogue and civic discourse around local issues or local impact of national issues.
- Projects that empower people by providing tools and structures for organization and advocacy.
- Projects that recognize and engage specific neighborhoods.
- Projects that celebrate and preserve cultural practices/traditions of underrepresented or marginalized groups.
- Projects that activate underutilized spaces with art and community participation for the benefit of the residents.
Eligibility Criteria
- You are eligible to apply if you:
- Are an artist with an active socially-engaged creative practice.
- Are a resident in the Mid-America Arts Alliance region (Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas).
- Are a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or have non-resident status.
- Are at least 18 years old at the time of application.
- Are part of an artist collaborative as long as you are the principal artist who applies for and receives the grant funds.
- Can confirm you are able to attend two grantee retreats: virtually in October 2021 and in Kansas City, MO in July 2022.
- What determines a socially-engaged creative practice?
- A current and ongoing artistic practice that includes working with communities (defined by geography or characteristics) to make change.
- A creative practice that responds to social issues, challenges, and opportunities.
- A creative practice characterized by processes and products directly linked to their intended social impact.
- Artists working in and across a range of disciplines may apply. You will be asked to identify the primary discipline that applies to the project you are proposing.
- Performing Arts (e.g., dance, theater, music, opera, puppetry, storytelling, playwriting, performance art, spoken word, sound art)
- Traditional Arts (work that is made based on artistic traditions shaped by values and standards of excellence that are passed from generation to generation through demonstration, conversation and practice – may include crafts, storytelling, dance, music or functional art)
- Literary Arts (e.g., fiction, nonfiction, poetry, playwriting)
- Visual Arts (e.g., painting, sculpture, ceramics, fiber, film screenwriting, video, media arts, photography, mixed media, wearable art, experimental)
- Humanities
- Multidisciplinary
For more information, visit Interchange Artist Grant.
For more information, visit https://interchangeartistgrant.art/apply/