Manhattan Arts Grants 2027: Creative Engagement and UMEZ Arts Engagement

About this call

Lower Manhattan Cultural Council's 2027 Manhattan Arts Grants fund Manhattan-based individual artists, collectives and nonprofit organizations across all artistic disciplines. The project funding track (Creative Engagement, and UMEZ Arts Engagement for Upper Manhattan, Community Districts 9 to 12) supports public events taking place in Manhattan between January and December 2027: concerts, performances, public art, exhibitions, screenings, festivals, workshops, readings and more. Applicants may request between $1,000 and $20,000. Funding is intended for artists and organizations that cannot apply directly to its funders (the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, the New York State Council on the Arts and the Howard Gilman Foundation): in general, earlier career artists, collectives and recently established organizations, and those with smaller operating budgets or less administrative infrastructure. Results are announced April 5, 2027.

Who can apply

• Regional applicants
• Medium: Installation / Mixed Media / New Media / Painting / Performance / Photography / Sculpture / Video / Writing
• Entry fee: See official site
• Open to Manhattan-based individual artists (18 or older at submission and not enrolled in a full-time degree program; they may apply for themselves or for a collective, and may be unincorporated, sole proprietors, LLCs or S-Corps), nonprofit organizations located in Manhattan with a core artistic mission and/or history of arts programming, and, for some funding sources, NY State chartered educational institutions, government entities and Tribal Nation members present within NY State. The grant recipient must submit proof of address or residence in Manhattan (for individuals, a document showing a physical Manhattan address dated within the last three months; P.O. Boxes are not accepted); nonprofits must also provide proof of NYS Charities Bureau registration and incorporation status. UMEZ Arts Engagement is limited to Upper Manhattan, Community Districts 9, 10, 11 and 12, for both the grant recipient and the project, and individuals and collectives need a fiscal sponsor (LMCC can serve as one). Projects must be finished or complete works presented to the public in Manhattan between January 1 and December 31, 2027, guarantee a fee for participating professional artists in the project budget, and have at least one artist confirmed as a creative leader or significant contributor. Not eligible: projects not open to the public, arts education or training for people pursuing careers as professional artists, and recreational, therapeutic, rehabilitative, religious or social service projects. Funds cannot pay for general operating costs, facilities, capital equipment, acquisition of works of art, awards to students, non-professionals or people under 18, lobbying, or entertainment such as opening parties. Online projects must offer active audience engagement or a real-time experience of the work; only the Manhattan activities of a project are funded. Previous grantees must submit any outstanding final reports by January 31, 2027 and may be funded at most three consecutive years. One proposal for one project per cycle; applicants choose one track (project funding, Creative Learning arts education funding, or Creative Unrestricted general operating funding). The application is in English, on Submittable: project description (suggested max 750 words), lead artist's experience (suggested max 500 words), community and audience plan (suggested max 500 words), one work sample (a second is optional) and a project budget. Grant recipients must sign the contract by May 17, 2027 and complete a final report within 30 days of their public event.