Walking Together: Investing in Folklife in Communities of Color supports folklife and traditional arts rooted in communities of color by investing in artists/practitioners and the grassroots organizations that care for them.
Donor Name: United States Regional Arts Organizations
State: All States
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 03/19/2025
Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000
Grant Duration: More than 10 Years
Details:
It is a national funding program managed by the six US Regional Arts Organizations (RAOs). Walking Together serves traditional artists/practitioners and organizations that show a deep commitment to sustaining folklife rooted in communities of color, including but not limited to Alaska Native, Arab, Asian, Black/African American, Caribbean, Indigenous/Native American, Latine/a/o, Middle Eastern/North African, Native Hawai’ian, and/or Native Pacific Islander communities.
The program provides funding of $15,000 each to traditional artists, practitioners, and keepers of traditional knowledge, as well as $50,000 each to community organizations and collectives that support folklife in communities of color. Organizations may include nonprofits, local and tribal governments, businesses, and more—nonprofit status or fiscal sponsorship is welcome, but not required. The RAOs will select 36 artists/practitioners and 56 organization grantees from the 56 states and jurisdictions that they serve.
Folk and traditional arts encompass aesthetics of everyday life. They include forms of expression and knowledge deeply rooted in local histories that are often undervalued or ignored by larger institutions. These art forms and modes of knowledge are directly connected to bolstering the overall health and wellness of communities. For marginalized communities of color in particular, folk and traditional arts can be an essential source of community, expression, and joy.
Grant Period
January 1 – December 31, 2026.
Who can apply?
- Traditional artists, practitioners, and keepers of traditional knowledge that show a deep commitment to sustaining folklife rooted in communities of color
- Community organizations and collectives that support folklife in communities of color, including non-profits, local and Tribal governments, businesses, and more
- Must reside in one of the 56 states and jurisdictions served by the U.S. RAOs.
For more information, visit RAO.
