The purpose of the Grants for Artists program is to contribute to the sustainability of artists’ livelihoods by providing funds that support working or living expenses.
The Grants for Artists program aims to provide artists with holistic support rather than support that focuses solely on a particular product or project-based needs. A primary goal of the program is to strengthen the creative workforce, which is a vital part of Maryland’s economy and culture.
Watch the recording (YouTube) or review the meeting slides (.pdf) from this year's information session to learn more.
Eligible applicants must be an independent artist making work unaffiliated with an institution or organization, and must be:
- Currently engaged in a sustained artistic practice in a discipline supported by MSAC, including forms of dance, music, visual art, public art, folk and traditional arts, media arts, literary arts, and theatre.
- “Sustained” means that the artistic practice is ongoing, active, and intentional over time, rather than occasional or solely historical
- Maryland residents who are 18 or older.
- Those experiencing homelessness are encouraged to reach out to MSAC staff for details on how to apply
Applicants must not be:
- Enrolled in any matriculated high school, undergraduate or graduate degree program
- A recipient of a GFA award in the most recent cycle
- Collaborative groups, though members may apply individually
All GFA applications are accepted annually through SmartSimple, our grants management system. Using a free account, applicants will complete an online form that collects information needed to assess eligibility, including details about their artistic practice, supporting work samples, and a spending plan based on approved GFA expense categories.
GFA grants are based primarily on eligibility, so applications are reviewed by MSAC staff rather than panelists. After the eligibility review is complete, MSAC calculates the percentage of eligible applications submitted by artists in each county or jurisdiction. Grants are then allocated to each county or jurisdiction in proportion to those percentages, with awards determined through a randomized selection process thereafter.
Applicants with questions about the application process are encouraged to contact the relevant MSAC staff listed below.
After the randomized award selection, applicants will be notified of the grant status as soon as possible, and, if selected for funding, receive a formal Grant Agreement Form to process the grant payment (100% of award amount).
Upon execution of a grant agreement, payment will be processed for receipt in 6-8 weeks. More information on MSAC’s disbursement processing timeline can be found on the Payment Process page.
Grantees are required to submit a Final Report at the completion of the support period. For detailed reporting requirements, please see the Guidelines document.
GFA award recipients must file a final report online in SmartSimple by the deadline specified in the Grant Agreement Form. The report will be added to the grantee’s SmartSimple profile as soon as the grant agreement is fully executed.
The final report collects information on how the grant funds were used, along with any anecdotes or insights grantees wish to share about the impact of the funding. The report also includes a data collection section required by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).
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