Live Arts Boston (LAB) Grants

The Live Arts Boston (LAB) Grants, supported by the Boston Foundation, empower performing artists in the Greater Boston area to innovate and create original work. With funding of up to $15,000, this program encourages artists and small organizations to explore new ideas and collaborations. LAB offers crucial resources such as project documentation, advising, and networking opportunities, fostering a vibrant arts community amidst ongoing social challenges. Artists are invited to apply and contribute to the cultural landscape.

NOTE: Please note, this funder has a 18-month grant cycle.
Arts and music are the translators of meaning. We are proud to once again support visionary performing artists creating new work through Live Arts Boston.
Now in its sixth year, Live Arts Boston (LAB), created with the support and partnership of the Barr Foundation, supports Greater Boston area artists to test ideas, explore collaborations and build skills in the process of generating new, original work. We invite performing artists, small performing arts organizations, bands, groups of artists, producers and presenters in the Greater Boston area to apply today.
LAB provides up to $15,000 in project-specific funds to create, produce or present new performing arts work for Greater Boston audiences. In addition to funding, grantees will receive project documentation, one-on-one advising, peer networking opportunities and support for other professional development.
Funding will support work in dance, theater, music, opera, musical theater, spoken word, performance art, circus arts, traditional and folk performing arts and any multi-disciplinary combination of the above.

Eligibility

For Artists: To be eligible to apply for LAB, you:Must reside full-time and make work within the Boston Foundation’s catchment area.Must be at least 18 years old;Must be a professional artist or creative entrepreneur. The word “professional” refers to the nature of your commitment to your art form as a primary vocation, rather than the amount of income earned through the art form;Can be at any career level (new, emerging, mid-career, mature), but must have had at least a one-year history of creating and presenting professional-level work for an audience in a public setting (excluding work created or presented you were an undergraduate or post-secondary student in an arts-related program);May not be currently enrolled in an arts-related undergraduate college or university program. Currently enrolled graduate students are eligible to apply, regardless of whether they are studying to obtain an arts-related degree. LAB-funded projects may not be part of the requirements for an arts-related graduate degree program.For unincorporated groups, collaboratives and bands:The Boston Foundation will accept LAB applications from groups of artists and collaborators. We define a “collaborator” as an artist who is a co-owner of a project and a generative part of the team, with some level of artistic control over the outcome. A collaborator is NOT someone who provides services on a “work for hire” or independent contractor basis. Groups and collaborators should apply jointly and submit a single application. Note: Unless funds are directed to a fiscal sponsor (see above), one collaborator or group member will ultimately need to serve as the “primary applicant” and, if the project is funded, will be the person who directly receives payment. The primary applicant will be required to pay federal taxes on the grant funds received.It is NOT required that all collaborators or group members meet the eligibility requirements listed above for artists; however, the primary applicant must meet ALL eligibility requirements (i.e., the primary applicant must reside within the Boston Foundation’s catchment area, not be currently enrolled as an undergraduate student in an arts-related program, be at least 18 years of age, and have had a one-year history of public presentation).For non-profit 501(c)(3) performing arts organizationsTo be eligible to apply for LAB, organizational applicants must:Have a primary mission focused on arts and culture;Be a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization incorporated in the State of Massachusetts; Have a business address within The Boston Foundation’s catchment area;Have had an annual operating budget of $250,000 or less during the organization’s most recently completed fiscal year;NOT have received funding through another TBF grant program within the last calendar year.

Ineligibility

Performance projects that include a visual art or film component are eligible, but LAB does not support standalone film projects.