DCLA Premier Grants

The DCLA Premier Grants provide vital support to first-time applicants, including individual artists and community organizations on Staten Island. These grants focus on projects that foster public engagement and enhance cultural programming across diverse artistic disciplines. Eligible applicants must demonstrate community interest, clear objectives, and a realistic plan for implementation. Priority is given to projects that address under-resourced communities or artistic disciplines, ensuring equitable access to funding and cultural production opportunities.

Note: Under-resourced disciplines for 2025 are: Folk Arts, Film, Literature
For nearly 30 years, Staten Island Arts has been providing funding to artists, collectives, and nonprofit organizations creating original work, producing cultural programming, and fostering arts education on Staten Island. Public engagement is central to our work, from our guiding community-led grant review panels to our grantees’ public sharing of work.
DCLA Premier Grants support first-time applicants.
This grant category is for individual Staten Island artists, collaborative groups of individuals, and community arts and cultural organizations who produce art or cultural programming. All projects must include a public component or simply a public sharing of work (for example, an exhibition/showing at a local venue).
All art and artistic cultural disciplines are considered, including music, dance, digital/new media, film/video/animation, folk arts, humanities and cultural studies, interdisciplinary events/festivals, literature, public art, theatre, and performing and visual arts.
This grant is funded through the Greater New York Arts Development Fund (GNYADF) of New York City’s Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA).

Eligibility

DCLA Premier Grants support first-time applicants.* First-time applicants must attend an application info session. Schedule is posted at the start of each grants cycle.Applicants who have not received funding in the past 2 years should attend an information session to learn of any new changes to the program.Arts Education programs offering arts exposure (but not instruction and curriculum-based programs) at Staten Island public schools are eligible, as are programs taking place at senior centers.To be eligible for a Premier Grant, the applicant must meet ALL the following criteria:Proposals must focus on artistic or creative expression and cultural significance.Clearly stated objectives.Clear and realistic plan for implementation.Appropriate request level and realistic budget for stated proposal.Need and impact on the artistic discipline, geographic area, or local population:Under-resourced communities have low or limited access to the means of cultural production as well as art programming/activities.Under-resourced disciplines are disciplines that have received low or limited funding from the arts council in the past.Demonstrated community interest or support of project.Applicant’s artistic experience, skill, and exhibition/performance history.The project should be accessible to any member of the community who wishes to partake in the experience. Venues should comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act standards.Virtual programs should provide captioning, subtitles, or ASL interpretation.All Staten Island Arts grants applications (including work samples) are online only. All grant-funded projects must be completed within the designated calendar year.You can use the funds for artist fees, venue rental fees, marketing/publicity expenses, direct administrative expenses, and supplies and materials.Individual items may not exceed $1,000.All artistic cultural disciplines— humanities and cultural studies, digital and interactive media, literary, performing, and visual arts, crafts, and folk arts —are considered.Yes, it is possible to apply for multiple grants if the grant guidelines allow it. However, since the grant program is a competitive process and not all requests can be funded, applicants are encouraged to select the grant which best suits their needs and submit a complete and well thought-through application only in that respective program.

Ineligibility

What is not eligible:Organizations receiving direct or discretionary funds from the Department of Cultural Affairs in the same fiscal year their SIA grant would be issued.Organizations with operating income budgets over $100,000 for two of the last three fiscal years.Programs that are essentially religious, recreational, rehabilitative, or therapeutic.Universities, colleges, primary and secondary schools and districts, school affiliates or components, in-school activities or programs/activities that exclusively serve a student audience with no public component.Programs serving only the applicant organization’s members.Operating expenses of privately- owned facilities (homes and studios).Deficit budgets, capital improvements, equipment purchases, fundraising events, scholarships, juror fees, prizes, lobbying expenses, entertainment, reception or food expenses, any non-arts related expenses or administrative costs unrelated to project.Grant funds can never be used for food/refreshments/purchasing equipment*No paper applications or hard copy work samples will be accepted.