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We heart your art - get these grants ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
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FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES | VOLUME 70| August 28, 2026
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The Windy City Ramblers at the 2024 Hyde Park Jazz Fest - Credit Marc Monaghan |
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Today’s Collective Catalyst Cohort Spotlight - Meet Mario Abney of The Windy City Ramblers! PLOT TWIST - we have a new member of our cohort! As our initial cohort members moved through their work, we noticed another founder making moves in the community who was on a similar trajectory. The energy he brings to his work flowed harmoniously (pun intended) with the dynamic changemakers we’d already been partnering with since May. Seeing a natural alignment and the potential for synergy towards our collective goals, we asked him to join the band! Master Musician and bandleader Mario Abney is the founder of the Windy City Ramblers, a Chicago-based brass band keeping the spirit of brass and Second Line culture alive. A gifted multi-instrumentalist from a young age, Abney’s musical beginnings stemmed from the Black church, inspired by a gospel sound that had been baptized in the Mississippi and travelled North with our people during the Great Migration. After honing his chops at Fred Anderson’s legendary Velvet Lounge, he lived in New Orleans for a time and was deeply inspired by the music and Second Line culture there. Upon his return to Chicago, he yearned to bridge what he heard and felt in New Orleans with his hometown, continuing to cultivate and uplift the links between not only the sound, but the history. After a rousing Millennium Park performance by the band that would become the Ramblers in 2022, and with encouragement from Mario’s business partner Dot Jones, the Windy City Ramblers was born, and was officially established as a nonprofit. Blending New Orleans rhythms with Chicago’s jazz, blues, and gospel roots, they bring soulful energy and authenticity to every performance — creating music that celebrates heritage, joy, and unity.
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Mario and the Ramblers at Honey Pot Performance’s 2026 Juneteenth Celebration - Credit Sarah Ji |
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The minute you hear those horns and that electrifying beat, we dare you to stand still. Mario and the Ramblers bring life to so many community events, from Honey Pot Performance’s Juneteenth Celebration to Cabrini Art House’s Party on the Blacktop, from Bud Billiken to the 60th Anniversary of the Chicago Freedom March . As a nonprofit, the Ramblers also have another focus - educating and inspiring the next generation of musicians. Through performances, parades, and free workshops and classes for youth, they help young artists grow in skill and confidence. _____________ More than just a band, The Windy City Ramblers is an Institution Ultimately, the goal of the Windy City Ramblers is to transcend and transform youth culture across the Chicagoland area, building a bridge between Chicago and New Orleans that highlights the historical, musical, and communal connections. They’re committed to producing the next generation of professional musicians and cultural leaders - providing a path for personal and professional development through education in the art and cultural expression of Brass Band music and Second Line culture. This commitment was evidenced most recently when the Ramblers took on a fundraising project to bring the Young Fellaz Brass Band from New Orleans to perform with them in the Bud Billiken parade this year. Not only did the joint bands perform in the parade, but they also held a “Battle of the Brass Bands” at Haven Entertainment Center in Bronzeville, bringing an authentic New Orleans sound to the scene while bringing young people together from both cities for musical exchange, education, camaraderie, and relationship-building. Mario sees the Ramblers’ work in this light: “This gives the youth an option to become part of a community organization that can fulfill their musical interests and their desire to play in a band outside of high school, college, or the more conventional ways of being in a band. It’s a way that musicians can learn this style of music and also be part of the community, play in a band, and pass along cultural knowledge. They can learn how to play jazz and improvise, but in a more accessible way, through second line music.”
Can’t get enough of the Ramblers, or want to see them in action? You can find them every Tuesday at their open-air rehearsals at the 63rd Street Beach by the Beach House, starting at 4PM, until the weather shifts for the season. Also, Catch the Ramblers on September 10th and October 1st at the 95th Street CTA Station in Roseland, and on October 16th at Harris Theater, performing as part of Mandala Arts Red Line Jazz Project Visit @chicagowindycityramblers on Instagram to see all they’ve been doing, and head to windycityramblers.org to learn more about the Ramblers’ mission and to sign up for email updates. Visit the bustlingspaces.com/cohort to learn more about the Collective Catalyst Cohort, and stay tuned to our newsletter and socials as we feature each of these organization’s work and progress!
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Funder: Prince Charitable Trust
Grant Program: Together We Flourish
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: up to $15,000
Application Closes: September 2, 2026
Funding Area: Arts + Nature, Multiple Disciplines, Healing Arts (Organization) Together We Flourish is a multi-year participatory grantmaking effort at Prince Charitable Trusts guided by a nine-person community driven advisory group called The Flourish Collective. The Collective is an ensemble of artists, poets, musicians, sculptors, urban agriculturalists, naturalists, and gardeners committed to supporting organizations and efforts that advance wellness in Black and Latine communities primarily on the west and south sides of Chicago through the intersection of arts and nature. They seek to support organizations or programs that are inclusive, immersive, prioritize accessibility, and are free or low-cost to participants, whose work is aligned with at least one of the following two focus areas: - Mind, Body, and Soil - Creative Placemaking and Placekeeping Eligible applicants are Black, Latine, or Indigenous-serving 501(c)(3) or fiscally sponsored organizations, responsive to and rooted in primarily Chicago communities on the west and south sides. See the full Request for Proposals for additional details, and email flourishcollective@princetrusts.org with any questions.
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Funder: Elevated Chicago
Grant Program: Elevating Culture Near Transit
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: $50,000
Application Closes: September 16th, 2026
Funding Area: Multiple Disciplines (Organizations, fiscally sponsored entities) Elevated Chicago has launched the second round of the Elevating Culture Near Transit RFP to support creative placekeeping in Chicago. Chicago area organizations are invited to submit proposals that utilize arts and culture as transformative tools to shape place, spark investment, reflect community identity, and engage residents from vision to implementation. Selected projects will advance community vitality and equity through creative, collaborative, and culturally rooted approaches that reflect local ownership and encourage broader connectivity. This year, we will support projects that: - Activate public spaces through arts & culture - Advance equity and community power in urban planning - Support local creatives & small businesses - Advance collaborative, community-led efforts Register for an upcoming information session to find out more: All resources for the 2026 cycle including the 2026 Request for Proposals, information session recordings and presentation slides, FAQs, and more are available here. Contact Marly Schott at marly@elevatedchicago.org with questions. *NOTE: This application is accessed via Chicago Community Trust’s GrantCentral Portal. Applicants and fiscal sponsors must register in the GrantCentral system and must have an up-to-date, certified Organizational Profile in GrantCentral prior to applying.
Looking for other opportunities? Newsletter giving you “TL:DR” vibes? 😵💫 Look back at our Grant Watch posts on instagram at @bustlingspacesllc, and check our IG reposts page for recent opportunities!
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New Resource Highlight - City of Chicago DCASE’s Chicago Made Resource Page! If there’s one thing the team at Bustling Spaces loves, it’s highlighting a new resource - especially when it connects you directly to people you can seek out for 1:1 assistance. Our friends at the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events are working hard to continue to build out their slate of resources for Chicago Creatives. One way they’re doing this is through their Chicago Made Platform. Chicago Made supports local creatives, entrepreneurs and artisans who make Chicago the artistic and economic hub that it is. Through workshops, arts activations and performance opportunities, office hours, and more, DCASE supports Chicago’s makers and dreamers by connecting them to the resources they need to get started and keep going. At the Chicago Made Resources Page, you’ll find: A sign-up link for Cultural Resources Office Hours, taking place the 3rd Wednesday of each month, where you can get 1:1 assistance for DCASE cultural offerings including grants, public art resources, performing opportunities and more. DCASE’s Creative Worker Resources page, with links to a host of external resources ranging from low-cost legal assistance to emergency support. A Creative Worker Rights page with webinars and information on labor laws and standards for creative workers (new content coming in fall)
In addition, bookmark DCASE’s opportunities list at chicago.gov/DCASEopportunities , which houses current DCASE funding and engagement opportunities for creatives, including space rental, careers, grants and open calls, performances, grant selection panel participation, and more. Overwhelmed by information? Let DCASE curate it for you. Sign up for DCASE’s monthly newsletter to make sure you’re tapped in to the latest events, opportunities, resources and updates, and you’ll be the first to know when new grants open. You can also access the team by emailing CulturalResources@cityofchicago.org with questions at any time. |
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Grant Tip of the Week 💡-“It’s Not Because You’re Not Good Enough”There’s a pot of gold at the end of this newsletter! Drew Tucker of South Arts Jazz Road strikes again by getting to the heart of what keeps so many creatives from accessing funding that they might be eligible for - rejection and discouragement. We’ve mentioned this before, but as we both facilitate and attend multiple grant clubs, workshops, and co-working sessions across the city, perhaps the most persistent barrier to funding that we hear creatives express (second only to the inequitable distribution of information and resources) is discouragement due to rejection. That’s why we talk about it so much - and we’re glad that Drew does, too. If/when we are rejected for a grant that we apply for, especially if it’s one for a really large amount, or one that we really saw ourselves receiving - how do we hold that outcome honestly but move forward optimistically? How do we prevent ourselves from writing a story in our heads about what that rejection means ….. that doesn’t actually reflect reality, let alone the value and promise of our work? Drew speaks to this in @jazzroadgrants’ latest reel, excerpted from his remarks at the 2026 Jazz Congress. Head to the bottom of the newsletter to see why he thinks submitting grants strategically - even if you don’t get them - is still be a beneficial practice.
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*REMINDER: Check for new listings this issue, as well as our rolling grants in the last section, with Emergency Grants for Artists as well. (click “view entire message” at the end of the email to see all listings through September). CLOSING SOON! Funder: Chicago DPD/SBIF (43rd/Cottage Grove|Clark/Montrose |Goose Island |Northwest Industrial Corridor |West Woodlawn)
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: $150,000 commercial | $250,000 industrial
Application Closes: August 30, 2026
Funding Area: Capital (Organization) Funder: Liu Shiming Art Foundation - Artist Grant
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: $5,000
Application Closes: August 31, 2026
Funding Area: Traditional cultural or historical influences and contemporary artistic practice (Visual Artist) Funder: hasOptimization - Doing More Good
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: Organizational Branding Package
Application Closes: August 31, 2026
Funding Area: Marketing, digital identity, and brand development (Nonprofit) Funder: LATITUDE - Artist-In-Residency Program
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: $1,000 ink stipend, dedicated studio + lifetime lab access (see guidelines)
Application Closes: September 1, 2026
Funding Area: Multiple Disciplines (Artist) Funder: Andy Warhol Foundation - Project Grants for Small-Scale Organizations (*operating budgets under $200K)
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: $30,000
Application Closes: September 1, 2026 (*next round March of 2027)
Funding Area: Visual Art (Nonprofit) Funder: Andy Warhol Foundation - Multiyear Program Support
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: $100,000 (*request should be no more than 25% of operational budget)
Application Closes: September 1, 2026 (next round 3/2027)
Funding Area: Visual Art (Nonprofit) Funder: Andy Warhol Foundation - Exhibition Support
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: $100,000 (*request should be no more than 25% of project budget)
Application Closes: September 1, 2026 (next round 3/2027)
Funding Area: Visual Art (Nonprofit) Funder: Sundress Academy for the Arts (SAFTA) - SmokeLong Quarterly Fellowship for Trans Writers
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: 1 week-long, fully-funded farmhouse writing residency
Application Closes: September 1, 2026
Funding Area: Literature (Individual Trans Writer) Funder: Sundress Academy for the Arts (SAFTA) - Black and/or Indigenous Writers Fellowship
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: 1 week-long, fully-funded farmhouse writing residency
Application Closes: September 1, 2026
Funding Area: Literature (Black & / or Indigenous Writer) Funder: Sundress Academy for the Arts (SAFTA) - LGBTQIA+ Writers Fellowship
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: 1 week-long, fully-funded or 50% -funded farmhouse writing residency
Application Closes: September 1, 2026
Funding Area: Literature (LGBTQIA+ Writer) Funder: Crossroads Fund - Youth Fund for Social Change
Maximum Grant: $15,000
Application Closes: September 7, 2026
Funding Area: Youth Advocacy & Activism ( Youth-led Group / Organization) NEW! Funder: International Association of Blacks in Dance - Black Art Fund for Dance
Maximum Grant: $25,000
Application Closes: September 7, 2026
Funding Area: Dance (Organization - *note: IABD membership required at time of submission) NEW! Funder: International Association of Blacks in Dance - Emerging Choreographer Residency
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: Fully-funded one-week residency at IABD’s annual Conference and Festival, w/ work-in-progress showing + $1,500 stipend (see guidelines for full details)
Application Closes: September 8, 2026
Funding Area: Dance ( Individual Choreographer) NEW! Funder: MacDowell - MacDowell Residencies
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: Fully-funded Arts Residency (up to 8 weeks)
Application Closes: September 10, 2026
Funding Area: Multiple Disciplines ( Individual Artist / Collective) Funder: National Trust for Historic Preservation - Preserving Black Churches Grant
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: $500,000 (Active Congregations) / $250,000 (Non-Active Congregations)
Application Closes: September 11, 2026
Funding Area: Capital, Endowments, & Capacity (Organization / Historically Black Churches) NEW! Funder: Working Films - Impact Kickstart for
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: $25,000
Application Closes: September 11, 2026
Funding Area: Documentary Film, underrepresented filmmakers (Individual Filmmaker / Team) NEW! 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) NEW! Funder: Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce - Small Business Microgrants, Phase 1 (Pilsen |Brighten Park, Mckinley Park & Archer Heights |Back of the Yards|Little Village| Chicago Lawn & West Lawn| Berwyn / Cicero)
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: $5,000
Application Closes: September 14, 2026
Funding Area: Small Businesses impacted by workforce disruptions, reduced foot traffic (Organization /Entrepreneur) 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: PEN America - U.S. Writers Aid Initiative (multi-cycle)
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: varies - see guidelines
Application Opens: Sept. 15th (fall cycle)
Funding Area: Emergency Relief for Writers (Individual) Funder: New York Foundation for the Arts - Rauschenberg Medical Emergency Grants (multi-cycle)
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: $5,000
Application Closes: September 15, 2026 (next cycle due 11/2026)
Funding Area: Medical Emergency Relief for artists in visual arts, digital/electronic arts, video/film, and choreography (Individual) Funder: Graham Foundation - Individual Artist Grants
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: $20,000 (Production & Presentation) & $10,000 (Research & Development)
Application Closes: September 15, 2026 (LOI)
Funding Area: Production and Presentation grants and Research and Development grants (Individual) Funder: Elevated Chicago - Elevating Culture Near Transit RFP
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: $50,000
Application Closes: September 16, 2026
Funding Area: Arts, Culture, & Creative Placekeeping Near Transit (Organization / Community-Led Collaborations) NEW! Funder: Live Music Society - Toolbox Grant
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: $10,000
Application Closes: September 16, 2026
Funding Area: Music, Venue Improvements (Organization) Funder: The Amphion Foundation - Amphion Grant Program
Maximum Grant: $7,500
Application Opens: September 24, 2026
Funding Area: Music/Performance (Organization) Funder: Chamber Music America - Presenter Consortium for Jazz
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: $15,000 (*see guidelines for details)
Application Closes: September 24, 2026
Funding Area: Music - Jazz (Organization / Venue Collaboration ) NEW! Funder: Cliff Dwellers Arts Foundation - Arts Grants
Maximum Grant: $2,000
Application Closes: September 25, 2026 (*next cycle in March, 2027)
Funding Area: Multiple Arts Disciplines (Individual / Organization) Funder: Ingenuity - Creative Schools Fund
Maximum Grant: TBD
Application Closes: September 27, 2026
Funding Area: Arts Education in CPS (Organization) Funder: Terra Foundation - Convening Grants
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: $25,000
Application Closes: September 28, 2026 (*Letter of Inquiry)
Funding Area: Visual Art (Organization) NEW! Funder: IL Dept. of Human Services - Healing Illinois
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: $30,000 for regional activations, $50,000 for statewide activations
Application Closes: September 28, 2026 (*opens 9/1)
Funding Area: Racial Healing Activations (Organization)
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Funder: Chicago DPD/SBIF (107th/Halsted | Fullerton/Milwaukee |LaSalle Central | Madison/Austin |Woodlawn)
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: $150,000 commercial | $250,000 industrial
Application Closes: September 30, 2026
Funding Area: Capital (Organization) COMING SOON - Funder: Center on Halsted - Spark Community Partnerships Programming Grant
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: $1,000
Application Closees: September 30, 2026 *(opens 9/1)
Funding Area: LGBTQ+ Cultural expression & well-being (Artist / Organization) NEW! Funder: Art Omi - 2027 Arts Residencies
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: Fully-funded 2-week Residency (see guidelines for dates by discipline)
Application Closes: October 1, 2026
Funding Area: Music, Dance, Architecture (Individual Artist) Funder: David Amarri Foundation - David Amarri Foundation Grant
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: TBD (see website for details)
Application Closes: October 4, 2026
Funding Area: Multiple Disciplines (Individual Artist / Cultural Producer) 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: Chicago DPD/SBIF (Englewood Neighborhood | Greater Southwest Industrial (East) | South Chicago| Stevenson/Brighton | Pilsen Industrial Corridor)
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: $150,000 commercial | $250,000 industrial
Application Closes: October 30, 2026
Funding Area: Capital (Organization)
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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) Funder: designs 4 dignity - Impact Grant
Application Cycle: Rolling
Funding Area: Interior, Lighting, Graphic & Landscape and Garden Design (Nonprofit) Funder: The Neuro - Community, Artist Residency & Mentorship
Opportunity: Reduced Fee 1 - 2 month artist residency
Application Cycle: Rolling
Funding Area: Multiple disciplines (Individual artist who has experienced a neurological disruption - see guidelines) Funder: First Peoples Fund - Yéego Action Grant for Native Artists / Culture Bearers
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: $2,500
Application Cycle: Monthly (due on the 10th of each month)
Funding Area: Multiple Disciplines (Individual Native Artist) Funder: Arts Work Fund
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: $40,000
Application Cycle: Rolling
Funding Area: Capacity Building/Planning (Organization) Funder: Center on Halsted - Spark Community Partnerships Programming Grant
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: $1,000
Application Cycle: Quarterly
Funding Area: LGBTQ+ Cultural expression & well-being (Artist / Organization) Funder: Chicago DPD: Neighborhood Opportunity Fund
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: $250,000
Application Cycle: Quarterly
Funding Area: Capital (Organization) Funder: Chicago DPD - Workforce Solutions
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: $250,000
Application Cycle: Rolling (*for applicants located in eligible TIF districts)
Funding Area: Workforce Development (Organization) Funder: Epiphany Center for the Arts - Call for Exhibitions
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: Exhibition platform / space (see guidelines for details)
Application Cycle: Rolling
Funding Area: Visual Arts (Artist) Funder: New Music USA--Reel Change: Fund for Diversity in Film Scoring
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: $20,000
Application Cycle: Rolling
Funding Area: Music (Artist) Funder: Pollock-Krasner Foundation - Grants for Artists
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: $50,000
Application Cycle: Rolling
Funding Area: Visual Arts (Artist) 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) Funder: PEN America - U.S. Writers Aid Initiative (multi-cycle)
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: varies - see guidelines
Application Cycle: 3 cycles / year
Funding Area: Emergency Relief for Writers (Individual) Funder: New York Foundation for the Arts - Rauschenberg Medical Emergency Grants (multi-cycle)
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: $5,000
Application Cycle: approximately bimonthly
Funding Area: Medical Emergency Relief for artists in visual arts, digital/electronic arts, video/film, and choreography (Individual) Funder: New York Foundation for the Arts - Rauschenberg Dancer Emergency Grants (multi-cycle)
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: $3,000
Application Cycle: bimonthly
Funding Area: Emergency Relief for Dancers (Individual) (additional rolling grants under construction - stay tuned!)
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Grab your tickets early! Join Mandala Arts on October 16, 2026 for the FINAL Red Line Jazz Performance at Harris Theater at 7:30 PM for a jazz-filled evening starring Fareed Haque. Curated by acclaimed musician Fareed Haque, this exciting finale blends improvisational jazz, global musical influences, and movement to celebrate Chicago’s diverse cultural landscape. The performance culminates a summer and fall of trans-cultural jazz performances at CTA Red Line stations and community venues across the city. The festival features project artists such as the Butter Chicken Brass Band, Luciano Antonio’s Trio, The Windy City Ramblers, and more! If you're a student, use the promo code STUDENTRDLJ to get 2 tickets for $10 each. Get your tickets here: Red Line Jazz Project - Harris Theater, Oct. 16 Can’t wait ‘til October? The Red Line Jazz Fest continues all summer long!
Our final stop on the journey before the concert is the 95th street / Dan Ryan Station in Roseland. Join us for our upcoming Red Line Jazz performances as we continue to activate public transit spaces through jazz and cultural programming for free! Activation Line Up: September 10, 4:00–6:00 PM — 95th/Dan Ryan Station October 1, 4:00–6:00 PM — 95th/Dan Ryan Station October 16, 7:30 PM - Harris Theater
Visit mandalaarts.org and follow @mandalaartschi on instagram for more updates. |
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Grants aren’t *everything*, but after multiple rejections, is it still worth it? Drew Tucker gives a different perspective |
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STRATEGY & TIPSGrant Tip of the Week 💡-“It’s Not Because You’re Not Good Enough”We love mining tips from Drew Tucker (@itsnotaxylophone) , Director of Programs and Partnerships at South Arts and the program coordinator for their Jazz Road program, who is taking the opportunity between grant cycles to educate his following on how to apply for grants, what panelists are looking for, and how applicants can put their best foot forward. One of the things he focuses on is the idea that the process of grant writing and submission itself - not simply the monetary objective - is a worthwhile endeavor. There is a benefit to going through the process of clarifying your project plan, contacting stakeholders and collaborators, calculating costs thoroughly, articulating your full vision, and getting all of that information organized and in front of people whose make visions like that come true on a regular basis - EVEN if they don’t choose yours for that round. Panelists are human, and humans remember. What’s more, we don’t *only* remember “the ones that won.” Many panelists are working artists ourselves. As such, we are deeply impacted by work that we can feel through the page, that we can hear and see is vital to the artists, the participants, and the communities that creatives support. If you believe in the work you’re doing, and you write about that in your proposal - it comes through, whether or not the funding pool is large enough for that project at that time. And it’s possible that continuing to stay in touch - inviting funding representatives to events, asking for feedback if it’s available, applying for subsequent rounds of funding, and more - can all pay off in various ways - INCLUDING dollars - in the long-term. As Drew states: “When you do not get a grant, it is NOT - often times - because you are ‘not good enough’. And a lot of times, when we keep on applying and we keep on failing … we internalize it, and we shouldn’t do that. All of us are looking for certain things, and sometimes your project is amazing…..for a different grant.”
Head to @jazzroadgrants on Instagram to hear Drew tell it himself. Also, if your grant writing batting average is low, it might not just be the odds. You might have an alignment issue - meaning, you might need some help to get more strategic about what you apply for and when. Getting not only more practice, but more assistance, in assessing whether or not certain funding opportunities are a good fit for your organization, your mission, your priorities, and your programs is key to helping you work smarter, not harder. Need some help reviewing your grant tracker or seeing what funding opportunities are right for you? That just happens to be a thing we do. Bring us your grant tracker or funding opportunities list, and let us look it over with you to help you assess what your best bets are and get you on track. Sign up for an introductory consult at bustingspaces.com/contact Dust off your shoulders, get back in the game, and get your money. Happy Funding!
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Looking for convenient access to our Newsletter? In addition to receiving biweekly updates, you can also locate the latest newsletter on our website under Programs > Newsletter Catalogue .
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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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