UMEZ Arts Engagement is a grant program designed to enhance the diversity and frequency of arts and cultural presentations in Upper Manhattan.
Donor Name: Lower Manhattan Cultural Council
State: New York
Borough: Manhattan
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline (mm/dd/yyyy): 09/13/2022
Grant Size: $1,000 to $10,000
Grant Duration: 12 months
Details:
The program provides direct support for these activities to Upper Manhattan’s artists and nonprofit arts organizations under the guiding principle that support for artists of diverse disciplines, practices, cultural backgrounds, and career stages contributes to the vibrancy and sustainability of the communities in which they live and work.
UMEZ Arts Engagement is a grant program designed to support Upper Manhattan artists and arts organizations in accessing Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone (UMEZ) funds for presentations that enhance the diversity and frequency of cultural presentations in Upper Manhattan. Upper Manhattan is home to a remarkable concentration of artists and arts organizations including one of the largest concentrations of culturally-specific groups in the country. With this in mind, UMEZ Arts Engagement invites proposals from artists and arts organizations of diverse disciplines, practices, cultural backgrounds, and career stages that are 1) based in Upper Manhattan and 2) presenting arts projects or programming in Upper Manhattan, making their work more widely available to the public.
The program encourages artistic presentations that respond to the current needs of the local communities and amplify the cultural breadth and identity of Upper Manhattan. Funding priority will be given to projects that engage artists with deep connections to the community in which they are presented and elevate the cultural activity and aspirations of the community involved. Applicants whose work is rooted in the lived experience of Upper Manhattan’s Black, Latinx, Indigenous and immigrant communities are strongly encouraged to apply.
UMEZ Arts Engagement awards grants of $1,000 to $10,000 to individual artists, arts groups and arts nonprofit organizations to implement projects that provide audiences with opportunities to attend and/or participate in arts events and programming in Upper Manhattan.
For projects taking place between January 1 – December 31, 2023.
Eligibility Criteria
Nonprofit Organizations:
UMEZ Arts Engagement supports nonprofit arts organizations that meet ALL of the following Eligibility Requirements:
- Organizations must be based in Upper Manhattan, defined as north of 98th Street on the east side of Fifth Avenue; and north of 110th Street on the west side.
- Organizations must be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with proof of nonprofit status.
- Organizations must have a principal mission of production and/or presentation of arts and culture for public audiences.
- Organizations must have carried out or participated in publicly accessible arts programming in 2 of the last 5 calendar years.
- Organizations must have operating budgets under $750,000 for two of the last three completed fiscal years.
- Organizations may not have received funds from or have a pending application with UMEZ directly for a grant for the same fiscal year.
- First-time applicants and applicants who have not attended a session for UMEZ Arts Engagement in 2019 or later are required to attend an information session webinar before applying.
Individual Artists and Collectives:
UMEZ Arts Engagement supports individual artists, as well as collectives, project-based collaborations, and unincorporated groups that meet ALL of the following Eligibility Requirements:
- Individual artists must reside in Upper Manhattan, defined as north of 98th Street on the east side of Fifth Avenue; and north of 110th Street on the west side.
- Individual artists must be fiscally sponsored by an organization with a formal fiscal sponsorship program or by LMCC (see Fiscal Sponsorship).
- Individual artists must have carried out or participated in publicly accessible arts programming in 2 of the last 5 calendar years.
- Collectives must designate a lead artist (director, or equivalent), who meets all eligibility requirements for individual artists, to apply as an individual on its behalf. Note: The lead artist must be the primary entity responsible for the application, as well as the grant, if awarded.
- Guest artists or temporary programming staff will not be considered a lead artist for the application.
- Individual artists may not apply or receive funds on behalf of any organization.
- First-time applicants and applicants who have not attended a session for UMEZ Arts Engagement in 2019 or later are required to attend an information session webinar before applying.
For more information, visit Lower Manhattan Cultural Council.
