Funder: Terra Foundation - Convening Grants
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: $25,000
Application Closes: September 28, 2026 (*Letter of Inquiry)
Funding Area: Visual Art (Organization)
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Funder: IL Dept. of Human Services / Field Foundation - Healing Illinois
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: $30,000 for regional activations, $50,000 for statewide activations
Application Closes: September 28, 2026
Funding Area: Racial Healing Activations (Organization)
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Funder: Filter Photo - “Field Notes from the Middle” Photography Exhibition Open Call
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: Photography Exhibition + $2,000
Application Closes: September 30, 2026
Funding Area: Photography (Individual Midwest Photographer)
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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)
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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)
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Funder: Black Public Media - 2026 Open Call for Nonfiction Filmmakers
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: $20,000 + opportunity to pitch at BPM PitchBLACK competition in June 2027
Application Closes: October 1, 2026
Funding Area: Film, Nonfiction (Individual Filmmaker / Director)
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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)
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Funder: PEN America - U.S. Writers Aid Initiative (multi-cycle)
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: varies - see guidelines
Application Closes: Oct. 5th (fall cycle)
Funding Area: Emergency Relief for Writers (Individual)
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Funder: New York Foundation for the Arts - Rauschenberg Dancer Emergency Grants (multi-cycle)
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: $3,000
Application Closes: October 6, 2026 (next round due December 8)
Funding Area: Emergency Relief for Dancers (Individual)
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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)
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Funder: Illinois Arts Council - Creative Accelerator Fund
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: $10,000
Application Closes: October 14, 2026
Funding Area: Multiple Disciplines (Individual Artist)
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Funder: School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) - Artist in Residence, West Side
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: $7,000 + 6-month Residency @ Nichols Tower
Application Closes: October 14, 2026
Funding Area: Multiple Disciplines (Individual Artist)
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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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Funder: Vimeo - Short Film Grant
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: $60,000
Application Closes: October 16, 2026
Funding Area: Film - Shorts (Individual Filmmaker)
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Funder: We Are Moving The Needle - John Prine Mid-Career Microgrant
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: $2,500
Application Closes: October 18, 2026
Funding Area: Music - Production, Sound Engineering, Songwriters (Individual Woman / Nonbinary Artist)
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Funder: Research to Impact Lab - Work//Shift Fellowship
Funder: Illinois Capital Development Board (Art in Architecture Program) - Western Illinois University, request for artwork purchases
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: Revenue from purchase of art up to $13,325
Application Closes: October 21, 2026
Funding Area: Visual Art (Individual IL Artist / IL Artist-led Team)
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Funder: Center for Art and Advocacy - Center Fellowship for the Formerly Incarcerated
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: $10,000 + annual fellows retreat
Application Closes: October 25, 2026
Funding Area: Multiple Disciplines (Individual Formerly Incarcerated Artist )
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Funder: We Are Moving The Needle - Early-Career Microgrant
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: $1,000
Application Closes: October 15, 2026
Funding Area: Music - Production, Sound Engineering, Songwriters (Individual Woman / Nonbinary Artist)
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Funder: Research to Impact Lab - Work//Shift Fellowship
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: 1-yr. fellowship + $30,000 stipend
Application Closes: October 26, 2026
Funding Area: Future of Work Ideation (Individual Freelance / Gig Worker )
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Funder: City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events (DCASE) - Chicago Cultural Center Dance Studio Residency
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: $25,000 + 80-hr dance studio residency
Application Closes: October 26, 2026
Funding Area: Dance (Individual Artist)
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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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Funder: Arts Midwest - GIG Fund: Interstate Touring Program
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: $10,000
Application Closes: November 4, 2026 (Phase 1 - Eligibility Review)
Funding Area: Multiple Disciplines (Organization + Individual Artist)
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Funder: National Trust for Historic Preservation - Preserve Route 66 Grant Fund
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: $10,000
Application Closes: November 12, 2026
Funding Area: Historic Preservation (Organization)
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Funder: National Trust for Historic Preservation - Preserve Route 66 Legacy Business Grant Fund
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: $10,000
Application Closes: November 12, 2026
Funding Area: Historic Preservation (Business / Entrepreneur)
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Funder: Chicago DPD: Neighborhood Opportunity Fund
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: $250,000
Application Closes: November 13, 2026
Funding Area: Capital (Organization)
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Funder: Arts Midwest - GIG Fund: Interstate Touring Program
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: $10,000
Application Closes: November 17, 2026 (Phase 2 - Full Proposal)
Funding Area: Multiple Disciplines (Organization + Individual Artist)
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Funder: Chicago DPD/SBIF (Lawrence/Broadway | Little Village East | Midwest | Pulaski Corridor | Stockyards SEQ)
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: $150,000 commercial | $250,000 industrial
Application Closes: November 30, 2026
Funding Area: Capital (Organization)
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Funder: Chicago Artists Coalition -2027 Artist & Curatorial Residency
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: 2 - year artist residency (see guidelines for details)
Application Closes: December 20, 2026
Funding Area: Multiple Disciplines (Individual Artist / Curator)
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Funder: Indy Arts Council - Project Grants: Art Activities in Public Spaces 2027-2028
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: $10,000
Application Closes: January 10, 2027
Funding Area: Multiple Disciplines (Individual Artists and Organizations)
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Funder: Luminarts Cultural Foundation - Fellowship Program
Maximum Grant/Opportunity: $10,000 Unrestricted Award
Application Closes: January 15, 2027
Funding Area: Visual Arts, Creative Writing, Classical Music, & Jazz Improvisation (Individual / Age 18–30)
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