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Concise New Layout ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
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Funding. Resources. Community. For Creatives.
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THE BSL ROUNDUPFresh opportunities, artist stories, and resources for Chicago's creative community. Volume 71 • September 11, 2026 |
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New look! feeling cute, won’t delete later :) IN THIS ISSUE 🎨 Artist Feature + News
💰 Funding We're Watching
📅 Closing in the Next 30 Days
🔭 Looking Ahead: Next 90 Days
💡 Grant Tip
📣 Resources
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Today’s Collective Catalyst Cohort Spotlight - Reintroducing Camila Vick of The.BlkRoom! You may remember Bustling Spaces featuring The.BlkRoom before in 2025. A LOT has changed since then, and we’re overjoyed to bring them back into the spotlight as official members of Bustling Spaces’ CCC to amplify the work and the momentum they’re making in 2026. Vocalist, Composer, Curator, and artistic powerhouse Camila Vick founded The.Blkroom in 2021 as a shared-artist studio and community space for artistic creation. Now a dynamic artistic hub on the West Side, The.BlkRoom is far more than a physical space - it’s an entire platform that offers safe, inclusive space for emerging and seasoned artists, with a tiered membership program catered to meet creatives where they are and propel them to where they hope to be. The Blk.Room partners with artists & organizations throughout the city to support creatives in a multitude of ways, whether it be through their membership program or their community-run projects such as The.BlkRoom radio show and Library, the Bloom Residency for Black Women, the Corridor Visual Arts Gallery with Kindred Noir, their new outdoor garden programming, and more. We’re also excited to watch Camila shine as a member of the New Music, Inc 2027 cohort from New Music USA, a city-specific incubator initiative supporting small-budget, artist-centered new music groups and organizations through pivotal stages of organizational growth. Interested in membership, or want to get involved? Follow @the.blkroom on Instagram and head to their site for more information! |
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FUNDING WE'RE WATCHING 👀 - Opportunities worth having on your radar this month. |
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Funder: Illinois Department of Human Services / Field Foundation
Grant Program: Healing Illinois
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: $30,000 for regional activations, $50,000 for multi-region activations
Application Closes: September 28, 2026
Funding Area: Racial Healing (Nonprofit Organization + Partners) Healing Illinois funds projects that bring people together to build trusted relationships, foster understanding, and strengthen the bonds of community. When residents can listen to one another, share their stories, and find common ground, communities become stronger and our democracy becomes healthier. Through three funding priorities, Healing Illinois supports organizations leading this work across the state: 1)Healing Through Narrative, 2) Healing Through Dialogue, and 3) Healing Through Place. The next information session takes place on September 15th. Register for this and office hours sessions below: Information Session| Tuesday, September 15, 2026 at 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM General Office Hours | Thursday, September 17, 2026 at 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM General Office Hours | Monday, September 21, 2026 at 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM Review the full RFP and contact HealingIllinois@fieldfoundation.org or DHS.Healing@Illinois.gov with questions.
Funder: Ingenuity
Grant Program: Creative Schools Fund - Partnership Residency Grants & Arts Teacher Grants
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: $10,000 for Partnership Residency Grants , $5,000 for Arts Teacher Grants
Application Closes: September 25, 2026
Funding Area: Arts Education in Chicago Public Schools (CPS Schools, Arts Organizations, Teaching Artists & CPS Arts Teachers)
Creative Schools Fund grants go directly to schools to support Ingenuity’s mission to ensure that every student, in every grade, in every Chicago Public School, has access to high quality arts as part of a well-rounded education. Two types of grants are being offered via this program: Partnership Residency Grants and Arts Teacher Grants. For Partnership Residency Grants, Schools must work in collaboration with an arts organization or independent teaching artist. Both schools and their partners must apply. For Arts Teacher Grants, funding directly supports teacher-led art projects, equipment upgrades and other teacher - proposed projects and investments not supported through regular school budgets. An information session will take place Monday, September 14th from 4PM - 5:30 PM. Register below to attend: Information Session| Monday, September 14, 2026 at 4PM PM - 5:30 PM Review the full program guidelines and contact csf@ingenuity-inc.org with questions.
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We’re semifinalists for South Side Pitch!VOTE TODAY! Bustling Spaces is deeply invested in what we do, and we’re excited for the opportunity to bring Creative Measures, our new joint venture with The Maekeen Room, to the Institute for Justice Clinic for Entrepreneurship’s South Side Pitch competition for our next initiative, poised to amplify the ways that the Arts create value in Chicago. WE’VE MADE IT TO THE SEMIFINALS, BUT WE NEED YOUR VOTES. Voting runs through Monday, Sept. 21st. Every year, small businesses across the South Side of Chicago participate in South Side Pitch, sharing stories about their roots, their impact, and their visions for the future. The contest ends with a shark-tank style event where finalists pitch their businesses to a city-wide audience and a panel of judges for the chance to win a portion of cash prizes that total over $38,000! The business with the most votes receives the People’s Choice award, and is guaranteed a spot to compete in October 15th in the live competition. We have until Monday after next to get enough votes to be in the finals. Help us get there, and then meet us at the competition! To vote, just watch our pitch on YouTube and hit the like button below it (see image below). Wanna watch us compete? Register to attend here: 13th Annual South Side Pitch RSVP |
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CLOSING IN THE NEXT 30 DAYS - SELECT GRANTS18 opportunities • $1K–$500K+ • Artists + Organizations • Multiple disciplines
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Source: Chicago Women's History Center - Call for Proposals, Chicago Women’s History Conference 2027
Opportunity: Presentation at Chicago Women’s History Conference
Application Closes: September 14, 2026
Focus Area: Women in the Arts, Multiple Disciplines (Individual Presenter / Team) Funder: Guggenheim Foundation - The Guggenheim Fellowship
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: $50,000
Application Closes: September 15, 2026
Funding Area: Multiple Disciplines in Arts, Humanities, Natural & Social Sciences (Individual Mid-Career Practitioner) Funder: Live Music Society - Toolbox Grant
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: $10,000
Application Closes: September 16, 2026
Funding Area: Music, Venue Improvements (Organization) Funder: Chicago Community Trust - Sponsorships
Maximum Grant / Opportunity: $10,000
Application Closes: September 21, 2026
Funding Area: Events, Conferences, Cultural Events taking place in Nov., Dec., and January (Organizations) *NOTE: requires completion of Organizational Profile in GrantCentral portal Funder: Center on Halsted - Spark Community Partnerships Programming Grant
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: $1,000
Application Closes: September 25, 2026
Funding Area: LGBTQ+ Cultural expression & well-being (Artist / Organization)
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LOOKING AHEAD: NEXT 90 DAYS, SELECT GRANTSPlan ahead for opportunities coming later this fall for artists, organizations, arts education programs, capital projects, and creative businesses.
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Funder: First Peoples Fund - Yéego Action Grant for Native Artists / Culture Bearers
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: $2,500
Application Closes: October 10, 2026
Funding Area: Multiple Disciplines (Individual Native Artist) Funder: Illinois Arts Council - Creative Accelerator Fund
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: $10,000
Application Closes: October 14, 2026
Funding Area: Multiple Disciplines (Individual Artist) Funder: AAPI Civic Engagement Fund - Creative Catalyst Fellowship
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: $30,000
Application Closes: October 15, 2026
Funding Area: Multiple Disciplines (Individual Asian-American / Pacific Islander Artist )
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ALWAYS LOOKING FOR YOUR NEXT OPPORTUNITY?You don't have to wait for the next newsletter. Visit the Resources section on the Bustling Spaces website anytime to explore current grants, fellowships, residencies, open calls, and other opportunities for artists and creative organizations. We keep the list updated, so check back regularly for new opportunities.
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Grant Tip of the Week 💡-Newsletters, Tips, Databases, oh my! Check out Fractured AtlasHere at Bustling Spaces, we love to highlight a free resource. We try to make sure to send them out in this newsletter, at Grant Clubs, in our introductory consultations - any time we get a chance. Last week, we talked briefly about DCASE’s Chicago Made Resources and office hours (which we’ll revisit in a later issue). And after stealing a couple of grant tips and pointing folks in their direction, we figured it was high time we gave another resource it’s own moment in the sun. This week, we’re making sure you know about Fractured Atlas, a creative-led platform with a mission to make the journey from inspiration to living practice more accessible and equitable for artists and creatives. To start, they have an amazing’ Artist Opportunity Database for Grants, Residencies, and more, with a fluid user-interface that’s searchable by date, discipline, region, and tags. Feel free to submit opportunities as well as search (because sharing = caring). In addition, be sure to sign up for their "Inciter Art" Newsletter to get monthly updates and grant tips directly in your inbox. Fractured Atlas also provides Fiscal Sponsorship for Independent Artists and Creative Business, extending the benefits of their 501(c)(3) on behalf of independent artists and creative businesses that are raising funds and/or applying for opportunities. Head to their website below to explore the full range of their resources!
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Rolling / Multi-Cycle Grants
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Funder: The.BlkRoom & Kindred Noir - The Corridor Gallery Open Call
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: 3–6 Month Solo/Group Exhibition at The Corridor Gallery @The.BlkRoom
Application Cycle: Rolling
Funding Area: 2-Dimensional Visual Arts Exhibition (Individual BIPOC Artist) BlkOUT Theatre Project - Call for Submissions
Opportunity: Partnership in Development of Artistic Works *(see post for details)
Application Cycle: Rolling
Funding Area: Theatre, Performance Art, Interdisciplinary Performance (artists, playwrights, performers, and creators) NEW! EMERGENCY GRANTS Funder: MusiCares - Emergency, Disaster Relief & Living Needs Grants
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: varies - see guidelines
Application Cycle: Rolling
Funding Area: Emergency relief for Musicians (Individual) Funder: Sweet Relief Musicians Fund - Emergency, Disaster Relief & Living Needs Grants
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: varies - see guidelines
Application Cycle: Rolling
Funding Area: Emergency relief for Musicians (Individual) Funder: Craft Emergency Relief Fund (CERF+): Emergency Relief Grant
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: $3,000 Emergency Relief Grants
Application Cycle: Rolling
Funding Area: Emergency relief for Craft Artists (Individual)
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Looking for Space on the Southside?
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South Side Artists in Sacred Spaces Check out our interactive map of the congregations that are participating in the South Side Artists in Sacred Spaces program. Here’s the link to the map.
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Additional Funding Opportunities & Informational Resources:
Explore more funding avenues! Discover additional resources promoting diverse grants, residencies and other opportunities for artists, arts organizations, and creative businesses. Unleash new possibilities and fuel your artistic journey! |
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