Artist Project Grant

Artist - Clarisse Mukashyaka   ARTIST PROJECT GRANT (FY2025)

Deadline: February 29, 2024 (5:00 p.m.)  The deadline has passed for this Grant,
this page is for reference only. Guidelines will change for next Fiscal year.

Grant Award: $2,500

Award Cycle: July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025

Detailed Overview Of Artist Project Grant for Fiscal Year 2024

 

The Artist Project Grant is designed to support individual Maine artists in various stages of their career. This includes the creation of new or existing work, activities that enhance an artist’s skills or process, participation in programs to raise the level and quality of their work, and supporting ways to bring their art to the public. Projects can be in any artistic discipline and on any scale and must take place between July 1, 2024 and June 30, 2025.

As we continue to expand our reach to all people living in Maine, we are committed to offer accessible opportunities to people historically under-served in the arts, including people who speak languages other than English, people with disabilities, people who are LGBTQIA+, people living in rural areas, and people from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds. In upholding our responsibility to cultural equity, we strongly encourage applications from candidates with connections in these communities and from all counties across the state.

 

Eligibility Requirements

 

 An applicant is eligible to apply if they meet the following criteria:

  • Is an individual practicing artist
  • Is a current Maine resident
  • Is 18 years of age or older by the application deadline
  • If applicable, has completed all Final Reports, required by the Maine Arts Commission for previous awards.

Notes:

  • An applicant cannot apply for the Artist Project Grant and the Springboard Grant in the same grant cycle.

 

Eligible Expenses

Awards may be used for the creation of work and the advancement of their artistic goals for things like:

  • Materials or equipment
  • Productions or installations
  • Planning and preparation
  • Tours or Exhibition costs
  • Residencies
  • Hiring other artists or assistants

 

Ineligible Expenses:
  • Debt or loan repayment
  • Equipment purchases over $5,000
  • Home office or home studio rent and expenses
  • Activities for which undergraduate or graduate level education is given
  • Projects that support or oppose a particular political party or candidate for public office
  • Projects that are exclusive to members of a particular religious faith group

 

Application Scoring

 

Grant applications are reviewed on a competitive basis using the following criteria:

  1. Merit and Impact (50%) of how the plan will support and positively impact the artist’s goals and practice in meaningful and clearly identified ways.
  2. Artistic Excellence (25%) as demonstrated in skills and techniques, the artist's creative process shows a unique vision or perspective, and the work is meaningful to an intended audience.
  3. Budget & Planning (25%) as it relates to the proposed project, partners involved, it’s budget, and goals with clear descriptions and details of the outcome; information is provided that helps make a convincing case that this project will succeed.

 

How To Apply?

 

All applications and materials must be submitted using the online Application Portal. If you are interested in applying, we encourage you to carefully review these details and call us with questions prior to beginning an application. It’s important to give yourself plenty of time to write a strong application, so be sure to start the process early!

  • Create a Maine Arts Commission account. Create Now! Once you start an application, you can make changes anytime before you submit. Get your application going by using the application worksheet!
  • Answer application questions (to be competed in the application portal):
      1. Tell us about yourself and your creative work. (1,300 characters)
      2. Explain your project, its goals, how the funding will be used, and its importance/meaning to the intended audience. It may be helpful to include a timeline. (2,000 characters)
      3. Explain how this funding will benefit you and your creative goals. (2,000 characters)
  • Complete the budget form.
  • Upload support materials:

Required Support Materials:

    • Resume, bio or Curriculum Vitae (CV)
    • Artist samples: This includes images, samples, audio, or video materials (max length: five minutes each) prose samples, poetry. Only 5 total artist sample uploads of any type will be reviewed.

Required Support Materials Guidelines:

UploadsFile TypeFormat and Tips
Images JPG, PNG, PDF
  • Recommended that each image size is under 3MB
  • Images will be viewed digitally and not printed
Audio MP3
  • Include only the material intended for panel review.
Video MP4, WMV, Youtube or Vimeo link
  • 20MB/video max for MP4 or WMV
  • No promotional videos*
  • No video slide show of still images
  • 5 minutes max. in length
Writing Samples or Testimonials PDF
  • 12pt, Times New Roman font
Links** PDF
  • If providing links to access supporting materials, they can be listed in one document not to exceed the max. allotment for the grant. 

 

* In order to ensure equitable consideration across all grant applicants we will NOT accept promotional/marketing videos for review.

** For ANY link submitted for review: 1 Link = 1 Sample. For example, 1 link should go directly to 1 image, 1 video, 1 text sample. 

 

The Maine Arts Commission may use submitted artistic samples solely for the non-commercial promotion of the artist and/or Maine Arts Commission programs.

 

Review Process

 

Submitted applications are first reviewed by staff for completion, eligibility, and funding guidelines. Applications are then reviewed by a diverse panel of arts and culture professionals. Panelists review each application and submit scores based on the review criteria (see below). These scores help us determine how we will disperse the funding.

 

Review Criteria

Grant applications are reviewed on a competitive basis using the following criteria:

  1. Merit and Impact (50%) of how the plan will support and positively impact the artist’s goals and practice in meaningful and clearly identified ways.
  2. Artistic Excellence (25%) as demonstrated in skills and techniques, the artist's creative process shows a unique vision or perspective, and the work is meaningful to an intended audience.
  3. Budget & Planning (25%) as it relates to the proposed project, partners involved, it’s budget, and goals with clear descriptions and details of the outcome; information is provided that helps make a convincing case that this project will succeed.

 

Award Process

If your application is funded, you enter into a letter of agreement with the Maine Arts Commission, and you must comply with all requirements stated in that agreement. Your award money may take up to 12 weeks from the time you are notified. This means you may need to pay costs upfront with your own money and then be reimbursed when you receive funding from us. Award funds can be used to reimburse past eligible project costs incurred between July 1, 2024 and June 30, 2025.

All applicants are notified, whether approved or declined, by email. If you receive an award, you will also receive future emails with next steps.

 

Timeline

 

Artist Project grant timeline

 

Final Reporting

 

Awardees are required to submit a final report for each grant received. You may not be eligible to apply for another MAC grant if you do not submit your final report.

GRANT ASSISTANCE

Our goal is for all potential applicants to have the resources they need to submit a competitive application. If you have questions about your project or the application process, please call us at 207-287-2724. We are happy to help!
 
If you have questions about the technical aspects of the application form, or questions about electronic submission, please contact: Eli Cabañas, Grants and Web Manager, vog.eniam@sanabac.ile or call 207-287-6746
 
 

 

 

ACCESSIBILITY 

The Information Symbol, A white question mark in a circle. Accessibility information Located here.

Grant information is available in large print format by request.

If you require an alternate format, need assistance to access the guidelines or application, please contact our ADA Accessibility Coordinator Eli Cabañas by email at vog.eniam@sanabac.ile or at 207.287.6746. 

It is the policy of the Maine Arts Commission not to discriminate on the basis of disability, and the Commission is dedicated to making our programs accessible and inclusive for people with disabilities and assist individuals with disabilities in connecting them with resources for access to the arts. All programs funded by the Maine Arts Commission must also be accessible.