The Iowa Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Grant ensures the continuation of cultural practices throughout Iowa by supporting teams of mentor artists and apprentices who are committed to sustaining artistic traditions and cultural heritage.
Donor Name: Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA)
State: Iowa
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 04/22/2025
Size of the Grant: $1000 to $10,000
Grant Duration: 1 Year
Details:
The program is funded through an appropriation by the Iowa Legislature to the Iowa Arts Council, which exists within the Iowa Economic Development Authority (the “IEDA”), and a grant by the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.
Funding Priorities
Priority is given to traditional art forms with few practitioners left in the local community and applicants that represent the spectrum of cultural communities across the state.
Funding Information
The mentor artist will receive a $3,000 grant and the apprentice will receive a $1,000 grant to support their work together over the course of the year. An additional $1,000 can be requested to cover travel, supply/material costs, and expenses related to the public event. Grantees will receive 50% of the award up front and 50% upon completion of the apprenticeship year.
Grant Period
July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026.
Eligible Expenses
Iowa Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Grants support expenses that are essential to the apprenticeship. The grant must be dedicated to eligible one-time, direct expenses that are legitimate parts of the proposed project. Costs must be incurred and expended within the eligible funding period. Expenses should be based on competitive, current market pricing.
Eligible grant expenses include direct project costs, such as:
- Artist fees (the mentor artist and apprentice artist’s time working on the apprenticeship)
- Domestic travel (e.g. mileage, per diem, and accommodation following the State of Iowa in-state employee travel rates, as necessary for participation in the apprenticeship)
- Expenses related to the Public Event (e.g. access accommodations, marketing, rentals)
- Materials and supplies for Apprenticeship (e.g. paint, costumes, food items).
Eligibility Criteria
- Eligible mentorship teams must consist of the following requirements.
- Individual mentor artist, who is formally or informally recognized for excellence in their artistic traditions and communities
- Individual apprentice artist, who has some previous training in the folk and traditional artform
- Additionally, eligible applicants must meet all the following requirements. Individuals who do not meet all the requirements are not eligible for funding.
- U.S. citizen or possessing a Permanent Resident Card (i.e. “Green Card”) or in the process of obtaining a Permanent Resident Card, who is a full-time Iowa resident domiciled in Iowa or maintaining a permanent place of abode in Iowa.
For more information, visit IEDA.
