The ArtsWave’s Inspire Grant for individual artists will provide resources for the creation of inspiring artwork and career development for under-represented artists in the Greater Cincinnati Region.
Donor Name: ArtsWave
State: Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio
County: Selected Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 10/27/2025
Size of the Grant: $1000 to $10,000
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
Proposed artwork should authentically reflect the lived Black and Brown experience. Artists must present a project idea that can be highlighted at Showcase in July 2026 and participate in artist cohort activities throughout the development of their project. A limited number of social impact projects in the community may be considered depending on funding and number and strength of applications.
For the purpose of this program, artistic disciplines include Dance, Music, Opera/Musical Theatre, Theatre, Visual Arts, Design & Textile Arts, Crafts, Photography, Media Arts, Literature, Folk/Traditional Arts, Performing Arts, Spoken Word or Interdisciplinary Arts, Social Impact.
Funding information
There are two categories of projects:
- Emerging Artists: Apply for up to $5,000 (Approximately 5 will be selected)
- Practicing Artists: Apply for up to $10,000.
Eligible Expenses
Expenses must be directly associated with the funded activity and include:
- Artist Fee (self-compensation)
- Fees paid to other artists or collaborative partners as part of this project
- Materials/Supplies
- Online tools/services
- cultural facilities
- Marketing /Advertising
- Professional learning to advance the project
- Other expenses directly associated with the funded activity.
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants for an Inspire Grant are:
- An individual artist (either working as a sole proprietor or under an organized LLC as the sole member of the LLC), or teaching artist, working in any artistic discipline
- 18 years of age or older
- Full-time resident in one of the counties served by ArtsWave, prior to January 1, 2026 and at the time of the grant award;
- Have reported taxable income related to your work as an individual artist or teaching artist in your most recently filed tax return; and/or have a verifiable body of work through digital work samples or website.
- The 15 counties include Cincinnati-Middletown, OH-KY-IN MSA, which includes the following counties: Brown, Butler, Clermont, Hamilton, and Warren Counties in Ohio; Boone, Bracken, Campbell, Gallatin, Grant, Kenton, and Pendleton Counties in Kentucky; and Dearborn, Franklin, and Ohio Counties in Indiana.
For more information, visit ArtsWave.
