Rocket Grants

Rocket Grants offer funding up to $6,000 for innovative, artist-centered projects in public spaces within the Kansas City area. Artists, curators, and collectives can apply, provided they reside within an 80-mile radius and are over 21. This initiative aims to foster a vibrant arts community by supporting unconventional artistic expressions that engage diverse audiences. Notably, projects must be accessible to the public and cannot benefit established non-profits or be primarily for travel or equipment expenses.

Rocket Grants provide direct funding to artists in the Kansas City region who are creating exceptional, under-the-radar, and artist-centered projects in public spaces. Artists, curators, collectives, and collaborative groups residing within an 80-mile radius of the Kansas City metropolitan area are eligible to apply.
Rocket Grants award up to $6,000 to individuals or artist groups for projects that exist outside established venues such as museums, galleries, theaters or arts districts. Artists are encouraged to address the community at large, or choose a smaller, targeted audience. The long-term goals of the Rocket Grants program are to encourage emerging and non-traditional artistic practices in the Kansas City region; to contribute to a thriving arts community; and to build bridges between geographic and cultural communities.

Eligibility

Eligibility:
Artists, curators, collectives, collaborative groups, partnerships, and artist-run space residing within an 80-mile radius of the Kansas City metropolitan area are eligible to apply. If applying as an artistic group, this group can be long-standing or created specifically for this project.All artists must be over 21 at the time of the application, and may not be full-time students at any time during the application or award period (May 6, 2025 to October 1, 2026).All exclusions apply for the entire period of the application and award (May 6, 2025 to October 1, 2026).
Rocket Grants fund projects that:

• add energy and diversity to the arts in our region
• happen in unexpected places
• challenge mainstream methods of thinking, making or presentation
• encourage the development of new kinds of audiences
• connect with, and provide opportunities for creative growth, to either the artist community, or the general public (projects could address both

Ineligibility

Summary of kinds of projects that will NOT be funded:
Projects proposed by a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.Projects in which the lead artist/organizer, or the majority of artists, or the key visual artist live outside the 80-mile radius zone, or are not resident in this area at the time of application.Projects that do not have a public component, that are not accessible and presented to the public, that are a continuation or completion of traditional, private studio practice, or that do not exemplify inventive or experimental practices.Projects that request funding solely or primarily for travel or equipment purchase.Projects that request the use of venues run by partner institutions (Charlotte StreetFoundation and the Spencer Museum of Art), or that propose to use traditional or established arts venues without a compelling reason for doing so.Projects in which the lead artist/organizer/curator or any of the key participants is under the age of 21, is enrolled in any full-time or undergraduate study program at the time of application (or will be at any time during the period of the award)This grant is funded by the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, and it carries a stipulation that the money cannot be used to benefit groups that have already achieved the structural level of not-for-profit, 501(c)3 organizations.Rocket Grants may not be used to provide or support programming for a non-profit organization.This grant will not be awarded to develop conventional, private studio work for a typical exhibition formatArtists may not be awarded a Rocket Grant for two sequential rounds of funding. Artists who are part of incomplete projects may not reapply until a year after the project is completed