OAC Community Arts Grants - Small Grants Support

OAC Community Arts Grants - Small Grants Support

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Oklahoma Arts Council
Amount: Up to US $2,500
Last Updated: February 12, 2026

Summary

The OAC Community Arts Grants - Small Grants Support, offered by the Oklahoma Arts Council, aims to enrich communities through arts festivals, exhibitions, and performances. Established to provide financial support to eligible organizations, these grants require a 1:1 cash match and are available for new applicants. Projects must be submitted at least 60 days prior to their start. This initiative fosters diverse and inclusive arts experiences, enhancing Oklahoma's cultural landscape.

Overview

About the Oklahoma Arts Council In 1965, Oklahoma Governor Henry Bellmon and the Oklahoma State Legislature established the Oklahoma Arts Council in response to a national movement to make the arts accessible to all Americans. Establishing the Oklahoma Arts Council enabled the State of Oklahoma to receive federal funding from the National Endowment for the Arts to support arts activities across the state. For more than 50 years, this system of federal, state, and private support has given Oklahomans in communities statewide access to the transforming power of the arts. Our Mission The Oklahoma Arts Council leads, cultivates, and amplifies the transformative power of the arts for all Oklahomans and their communities. Our Vision The Oklahoma Arts Council envisions a future where: All communities are celebrated and enriched through creative expressionArtists, arts organizations, and arts education thrive through robust public supportThe arts are recognized as essential to education and economic vitalityOklahoma is the leader for diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in the arts Community Arts Grants Festivals, exhibits and performances are significant contributors to Oklahoma's economy, culture, and quality of life. Community Arts Grants from the Oklahoma Arts Council help eligible organizations provide the festivals, exhibits and performances that impact their communities. (Festivals must feature the arts as a central component). Small Grant Support All new applicants must apply in this category.Applicants are eligible for three grants each fiscal year. Each grant requires a 1:1 cash match (half of the match may be in-kind support).Applications must be submitted at least 60 days before the start of a project.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. Who is eligible for Community Arts Grants?501(c)(3) nonprofit organizationsCity and county governmentsPublic librariesPublic school districtsPublic universitiesTribal governmentsWhat types of projects are eligible for funding?Festivals (must feature the arts as a central component)exhibitionsperformancesWhat expenses can be paid for using grant funds?Generally, grant funds can be used for artistic fees, marketing expenses, technical expenses, facility rental, and administrative fees.

Ineligibility

What projects are not eligible for funding?Reenactments, activities with a religious purpose, fundraisers or benefits. We cannot fund projects that involve fiscal agents.Grant funds cannot be used for clowns, magicians, balloon sculptors and re-enactors. A performer's artistic merit must be evident in your application in order for that expense to be paid for using our grant funds. Other ineligible expenses include prizes, awards, food, and capital expenditures (equipment and building improvements).Individuals, religious organizations, state agencies, and individual school sites are not eligible for Community Arts Grants.