Our 2021 Community Arts Grants applications are live!

To do the most for Brooklyn's artists, we've extended our grants deadline to September 18, 2020.

While this year has been marked by challenges, accessing the communal and financial support needed to further your art should not be one of them. This is Brooklyn Arts Council has extended our Community Arts Grants application deadline to next Friday, September 18. Ranging from $2,000 to $5,000, our grants have helped thousands of our borough's artists take their creative practices to the next level.

Below, you'll find valuable information on finalizing your application and the resources — both human and digital — to support you through the process.  

Important Grants Dates

Monday, September 14, 2020:
Virtual Draft Review Roundtable on Brooklyn Arts Council's Facebook Live 

Friday, September 18, 2020:
Community Arts Grants Deadline

February 2020: 
Applicants notified of Brooklyn Arts Council's funding decisions.

March 2020:
Community Arts Grants Celebration

Application Requirements

Overview Session
Budget Session
The Application

overview session

Step One: Complete an Overview Session

From now through the September 18 deadline, our on-demand grants Overview Session is available for instant streaming. Brooklyn Arts Council's Desirée Gordon, Lauren Nordvig, and Wéma Ragophala appear in the Overview to offer you a few helpful hints for completing the application.

Please note that registration for this webinar is mandatory for all applicants, past and current.

Budget Session participation is also mandatory for any prospective Brooklyn Arts Council grantees.

Step Two: Complete a Budget Session

A budget is a vital portion of any grant application; learn the ins and outs of itemizing your expenses with the Brooklyn Arts Council team. As with our Overview Session, our on-demand grants Budget Session is available for instant streaming through Friday, September 18. This webinar provides an in-depth discussion of the budget portion of the grant application with tips and advice from experts in the field.

Please note that registration for this webinar is mandatory for all applicants, past and current.

Overview Session participation is also mandatory for any prospective Brooklyn Arts Council grantees.

The following webinars are also available and recommended, though not mandatory:

Step Three: Complete the Application

Upon completion of the Overview and Budget Sessions, you are invited to apply for our grants. All now due Friday, September 18, our three Community Arts Grants applications are designed to meet the specific needs of the borough's artists. Qualified applicants are encouraged to apply to more than one grant fund. The three funds include:

  • Local Arts Support: Brooklyn-based artists, artist collectives and non-profit organizations are invited to apply for up to $5,000 in Local Arts Support to support projects in all disciplines occurring in Brooklyn throughout 2021. These grants are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.

  • Brooklyn Arts Fund: Brooklyn-based artists, artist collectives and non-profit organizations are invited to apply for up to $5,000 from the Brooklyn Arts Fund to support projects in all disciplines occurring in Brooklyn throughout 2021. These grants are made possible by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council.

  • Charlene Victor & Ella J. Weiss Cultural Entrepreneur Fund: for up to $2,500 to support professional development opportunities. This fund is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council.

Step Four: Complete a Draft Review

Our Draft Reviews are a priceless opportunity to work in groups and one-on-one with the Brooklyn Arts Council team to make sure your application shines! 

To participate in a Draft Review with our team, sign up for a timeslot via Calendly. We will also be hosting a group Draft Review Roundtable over Facebook Live next Monday, September 14

It is highly recommended that you complete your application in advance of the Friday, September 18 deadline in order to reap the benefits of our Draft Reviews.

Step Five: Ask Questions!

While you can find many answers to frequently asked questions in our Grants One-Stop Shop document, our intrepid Grants team is eager to take your questions not answered here.

Please direct your inquiries to grants@brooklynartscouncil.org. Note that response times vary between minutes and 48 hours, depending on the volume of emails Brooklyn Arts Council receives from prospective grantees on any one day. We encourage you to reach out ahead of the September 18 deadline so your pressing questions do not go unanswered in your final application.



Here you'll find all the latest news and artist stories from the Brooklyn Arts Council community. Do you have a success story about your project or organization? Would you like to share some exciting news with our extended network of art lovers, cultural leaders, and creative institutions? Send us a message today.

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