ArtsCONNECT Grants

Overview

_NOTE: The last day to submit to Projects in Development listing is the 'pre proposal' deadline above. The Final Application Deadline is the 'full proposal' deadline above._

ArtsCONNECT supports performing arts touring projects collaboratively developed by presenters working together in the mid-Atlantic region.

The tours include performances as well as complementary engagement activities designed to create greater understanding or connections between artists, audiences, and communities.

Three or more located in the mid-Atlantic region who partner to present the same artist/company during the project period can each receive up to 50% subsidy for that artist/company’s compensation plus support for other eligible project expenses. Projects that demonstrate clear mission impact, strong artistry, well-rounded community and artist engagements, and thoughtful and inclusive efforts to engage audiences systemically underserved by the arts are encouraged to apply.

Eligibility

_We've imported the main document for this grant to give you an overview. You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's [website]().
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Application Details

ArtsCONNECT |
Program Guidelines 2025-2026
Projects in Development listing closes: February 13, 2025
Application deadline: February 25, 2025
Project Period: July 1, 2025- June 30, 2026
ACCESSIBILITY
This publication is available in .PDF format and as an accessible Word file at
https://www.midatlanticarts.org/opportunity/artsconnect/
To request accommodation during any phase of your application process, reach out to Program
Director, Performing Arts and Accessibility Coordinator Sarah Lewitus at
slewitus@midatlanticarts.org or call 410-539-6656 X 110.
ABOUT ARTSCONNECT
Three or more Presenters (referred to throughout these guidelines as “the consortium”)
located in two or more states across the mid-Atlantic region who partner to present the same
artist/company during the project period can each receive up to 50% subsidy for that
artist/company’s compensation (including artistic compensation, housing, per diem and travel)
plus support for other eligible project expenses.
One presenter in the consortium must submit the artist/company to the projects in
Development listing by the stated deadline. Presenters may review the Projects in Development
listing periodically to connect with developing ArtsCONNECT projects.
Each presenter in the consortium must submit their own application. One presenter in the
consortium must serve as the lead presenter, completing an additional application section
including proposed artist/company bio and work samples. See below for more information on
eligibility, application process, application adjudication and award notification.
Mid Atlantic Arts is committed to supporting diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accessible
programming in our region. Projects that demonstrate clear mission impact, strong artistry,
well-rounded community and artist engagements, and thoughtful and inclusive efforts to
engage audiences systemically underserved by the arts are encouraged to apply.
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ELIGIBILITY
To be eligible for an ArtsCONNECT grant award, presenters* must:
• be based in Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York,
Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Virginia, West Virginia, and the Native
nations that share this geography;
• be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization or be a unit of state or local government or
Federally recognized Indian tribal government;
• demonstrate organizational administrative capacity** to complete all required project
components;
• be in good standing with Mid Atlantic Arts at the time of application, with no overdue or
outstanding required reports and/or grant documents
*For this program, Mid Atlantic Arts defines “presenter” as an organization that financially
compensates an artist/company that is a separate entity from the presenter for performance(s)
and engagement activities in the presenter’s community. Producing organizations that solely
create artistic work or assemble artists to perform as ensembles for performances are not
eligible to apply.
**Presenters do not need to have a history of engaging professional touring artists as an
ongoing and/or significant part of their organization’s activity to receive ArtsCONNECT support;
organizations without a history of presenting touring artists will be asked to describe their
administrative plan for engaging the artist/company within their existing staff structure and
among other organizational priorities.
MAXIMUM NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS PER PRESENTER
• Each presenter may submit an application for a maximum of one ArtsCONNECT
consortia project per annual application cycle.
CONSORTIUM REQUIREMENTS
To be eligible for an ArtsCONNECT award, the following additional eligibility requirements
surrounding consortia must be met:
• Each consortium must include at least three presenters from two or more mid-Atlantic
states or jurisdictions. Presenters based outside of the mid-Atlantic states or
jurisdictions are not eligible to apply. See Presenter Eligibility above for list of mid-
Atlantic states/jurisdictions.
• One presenter of the consortium must be designated the lead presenter of the project.
The lead presenter is responsible for:
coordinating all members of the consortium to ensure consortium requirements
o
are met;
coordinating with the artist/company to complete additional questions in the
o
application on behalf of the consortium (e.g., artist description, work samples)
• Each presenter in the consortium, including the lead presenter, is responsible for:
planning a performance engagement with the touring artist in their community;
o
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negotiating with the artist the terms of the specific engagement;
o
completing a full application for the engagement as part of the proposed
o
consortium project
ARTIST/COMPANY REQUIREMENTS
All presenters in an ArtsCONNECT consortium must propose engagement with the same
artist/company. Each presenter’s proposed engagement must take place within the project
period. The tour is not required to be contiguous, nor does the artist need to perform the same
work or repertoire at each site on the tour.
The artist can be based anywhere across the U.S. or around the world, including those based in
the same state or jurisdiction as any of the applicant presenters. Mid Atlantic Arts does not
offer an artist roster for this program; the presenter consortia will independently decide the
artist they jointly propose to tour.
Eligibility restrictions related to Artist/Company support through ArtsCONNECT:
• Presenters may not participate in a consortium to present an artist they have presented
with ArtsCONNECT support within the past three years
• Artists on Mid Atlantic Arts’ active Performing Arts Global Exchange (PAGE), Iber
Exchange, or Mid Atlantic Tours rosters are not eligible for presentation support
through ArtsCONNECT. See midatlanticarts.org for active program rosters
• Presenters applying for support through the current grant round of ArtsCONNECT
cannot receive funding from Mid Atlantic Arts’ Special Presenter Initiatives or Folk &
Traditional Arts Community Projects Grant programs to support the same artists and
engagements
• One presenter within the consortium must submit the Artist/Company to the Projects in
Development listing by the deadline. See “Application Process” below for more details.
PROJECT REQUIREMENTS
Each presenter in the consortium is required to include the following activities in their
respective engagements:
• At least one in-person or virtual* performance with the artist that is open to the general
public; and
• At least one community engagement activity. These may include exhibitions,
lecture/demonstrations, master classes, panel discussions, pre- or post-performance
artist question and answer sessions, residencies, workshops, and interactive
engagements over digital platforms
Competitive ArtsCONNECT applications often go beyond the two required engagement
activities described above, with multiple community engagement activities and thoughtful
effort to engage communities systemically underserved by the arts. See “Application
Adjudication” below for more details on the selection process.
*Mid Atlantic Arts defines a virtual performance as an online, public presentation of work by an
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artist or group of artists that is streamed live or pre-recorded.
Proposed activities must meet the following requirements:
• All eligible activities must take place during the project period (July 1, 2025- June 30,
2026)
• Fundraising events, either as part of the public performance or community engagement
activity, are not eligible for support
• Performances that primarily serve a non-public audience (such as K-12 schools,
university classes, summer camps, senior centers, etc.) are not considered public
performances, although they may be one of the community engagement activities that
comprise an ArtsCONNECT project
APPLICATION PROCESS
PROJECTS IN DEVELOPMENT LISTING
The Projects in Development listing is a user-generated resource for presenters to connect with
one another as they develop their ArtsCONNECT consortium. Presenter participation in the
Projects in Development listing is required. A presenter must submit an artist’s information to
the listing by Thursday, February 13, 2025. Cohort applications proposing artists that have not
been submitted to the listing by Thursday, February 13, 2025 will not be eligible for
ArtsCONNECT funding. Submit to the Projects in Development listing at this link or by visiting
midatlanticarts.org.
Projects in Development Listing details:
• The Projects in Development listing is not a grant application. All presenters must apply
through Mid Atlantic Arts’ grant portal in order to be considered for funding. See
Application section below for more details
• The purpose of the listing is to help applicants identify presenting partners. Content of
the listing entry will not be reviewed by the grant panel
• The listing must be submitted by a presenter; an artist (including the artist
representative/manager) cannot self-submit to the listing
• Only one presenter in a consortium should submit a Projects in Development listing.
• There are no penalties for any listing entries that do not successfully form into a full
consortium
• Mid Atlantic Arts encourage presenters to submit to the listing as early as possible to
allow ample time for consortium and project development
APPLICATION PORTAL
All presenters in an ArtsCONNECT consortium must apply through Mid Atlantic Arts’ online
grant portal for funding consideration. The web portal can be accessed by visiting
midatlanticarts.smartsimple.com.
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Presenters must log into the grant portal with their existing username and password. If the
presenter has never applied for funding through Mid Atlantic Arts, or if the last application
submitted was through Mid Atlantic Arts’ former portal, “egrant,” the presenter must create a
new login through SmartSimple. Email the Program Director, Performing Arts if you have any
questions about your account status.
The ArtsCONNECT application, including lead presenter narrative and work sample
requirements, can be previewed and downloaded in Microsoft Word and PDF formats at this
link: https://www.midatlanticarts.org/opportunity/artsconnect/
The following required materials are uploaded with the online application:
• Countersigned letter of intent between the presenter and the proposed artist. The letter
must include the following:
Specific dates of the engagement
o
Negotiated artist fee for proposed project, inclusive of performance and
o
community engagement activities
The title of the works to be performed (if known)
o
• If the presenter forms part of local or state government: one copy of a letter on
letterhead, signed by an authorizing official, confirming the applicant’s status as a unit
of local or state government.
ARTIST CONSENT
We highly encourage applicant organizations to share the specific plans and activities of a
proposal with the artist and the artist representative for the purpose of transparency. Please
plan your timing to share the information accordingly.
ELIGIBLE REQUESTS
A Presenter can request a maximum grant amount of $12,000.00 USD per project. The Lead
Presenter does not serve as a fiscal conduit for a funded ArtsCONNECT project. Each presenter
in a funded consortium will receive a grant directly from Mid Atlantic Arts.
Each presenter may request the following:
• A fee subsidy up to 50% of the negotiated artist fee for the engagement, but not to
exceed $10,000.00 USD;
• Other eligible expenses of no more than $2,000.00 USD to support direct project
expenses including, but not limited to, program staff salary, direct technical personnel
fees, audience development, marketing and promotional expenses, project-specific
purchases or consulting related to increasing access for artists with disabilities, staff,
audiences or community members, technical and equipment rental expenses for virtual
or in-person engagements, artist travel/lodging expenses, and/or expenses related to
public health measures for in-person engagements
Funding requests must meet the following requirements:
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• Funding awarded by Mid Atlantic Arts is restricted to the specific, direct costs of the
project, as detailed above, and may not be used for indirect costs, including funding for
the presenter capacity support amount
• Grants must be matched on a 1:1 basis. The match may not include Federal funds
whether they are received directly from a Federal agency or indirectly, such as through a
state agency or other entity. In addition, the Mid Atlantic Arts grant and the required
match may not be used to match any other directly or indirectly received Federal funds
DEADLINES
• Projects in Development listing closes: February 13, 2025
• Application deadline: February 25, 2025
APPLICATION ADJUDICATION
A panel composed of experienced performing arts professionals will review applications and
make recommendations for support using the following criteria. All criteria will be reviewed
through the lens of Mid Atlantic Arts’ mission, vision and guiding principles, available at
midatlanticarts.org. All criteria have equal weight.
Mission Impact
The project demonstrates artistic merit by fulfilling a clearly defined mission of the applicant
organization, with feasible planning and significant potential for impact.
Artistry
The project demonstrates artistic excellence as defined by its rigor in artistic practice as well as
richness and depth in exploration of ideas and social relevance.
Community Benefit
The project offers meaningful and equitable exchanges between the artist, the presenter, and
local communities through its planned activities.
Access
The project engages in thoughtful efforts and partnerships that help cultivate diverse audiences
and alleviate barriers of participation for individuals representing communities that have been
systemically underserved by the arts. Barriers of participation may include those due to age,
class, disability status, gender, geographic location, race, sexual orientation, or other factors.
ADJUDICATION DETAILS
Applications will be adjudicated individually based on the four criteria above. Total application
scores will be averaged for each consortium. ArtsCONNECT funding decisions will be made
based on average consortium score.
Consortium projects will be reviewed in two tiers:
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• Tier 1: Proposed negotiated artist fee for all consortia members averaged at or below
$10,000.00 USD
• Tier 2: Proposed negotiated artist fee for all consortia members averaged above
$10,000.00 USD
Presenter applicants will be assessed in part on the risk of noncompliance with Federal statutes,
regulations and the terms and conditions as provided by the applicant’s Certification and
Statement of Assurances in the submitted application and the results of previous audits
including adherence to Single Audit requirements as set forth by Federal statutes.
AWARD NOTIFICATION
All applicants will be notified by email on the status of their proposals by the end of May,
2025.
If awarded, 100% of the grant amount is paid by ACH transfer or, if necessary, by check to the
grantee (or fiscal sponsor, if applicable) approximately 45 – 60 days prior to the engagement
following the review and signing of a grant award agreement.
A final report for a funded project is due no later than 30 days after the project completion
date. The final report, made available in the online grant portal at the time the grant is
awarded, requires a brief description of the completed project along with an accounting of
expenditures of the funded activities. Final report instructions are provided as part of the grant
award documents.
QUESTIONS?
Contact Sarah Lewitus, Program Officer, Performing Arts & Accessibility Coordinator at
slewitus@midatlanticarts.org or 410-539-6656 x 110.
ArtsCONNECT is made possible through support from the National Endowment for the Arts’
Regional Touring Program.
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