Accelerator Grant Program 2026

Accelerator Grant Program 2026 is sponsored by The Arts Commission (Ohio). This competitive program offers financial support for local Emerging and Hobbyist artists to advance their creative projects and pursue artistic growth. Eligible categories include materials and supplies, equipment, professional development, and project support.

The Arts Commission of Greater Toledo The Arts Commission values the many artists across disciplines who are part of Toledo's vibrant creative community. The Accelerator Grant is a competitive program offering financial support for local Emerging and Hobbyist artists to advance their creative projects and pursue artistic growth.

Eligible categories of support for this program are limited to Materials + Supplies, Equipment, Professional Development, and Project Support. Grant request amounts are not to exceed $1,000. The Arts Commission's work is made possible through support from the Ohio Arts Council, the National Endowment for the Arts and other generous supporters.

Please read the 2026 Accelerator Grant Guidelines for the full program details. ‼️ Cycle 1 applications are due Tuesday, June 16th at noon, 12:00 pm. 2026 Accelerator Grant Cycles Eligible categories of support are limited to — Professional Development — Individual artists and artist collectives with a current residence or a creative studio within 30 miles of downtown Toledo may be eligible.

— The Accelerator Grant is open to artists across all mediums. — Applicants who identify as Hobbyist or Emerging Artists are eligible to apply (see the FAQ on this page or the 2026 Accelerator Grant Guidelines for descriptions). — Applications will be accepted from university or college level adjunct teachers.

— Artists enrolled in a degree or certificate-granting program of any kind at the time of application are NOT eligible for Accelerator Grants. Applications will not be accepted before the graduation date. — Artists teaching full-time at a college or university (as a tenure track or full-time salaried employee) at the time of application are NOT eligible for Accelerator Grants.

— Artists currently employed by The Arts Commission or serving as members of The Arts Commission’s Board of Trustees are NOT eligible for Accelerator Grants. — Applicants self-identifying as Mid-career or Established Artists are NOT eligible to apply for an Accelerator Grant. We encourage those artists to apply for the Merit Award that opens in late August.

— Commercial photographers or graphic designers are NOT eligible for Accelerator Grants. For the purposes of this program, a commercial artist is someone who creates visual artworks for commercial purposes, primarily to promote and sell products, services, or ideas. — Nonprofits are NOT eligible for this opportunity.

Applications will be reviewed by a Grant Panel composed of The Arts Commission’s Board of trustee members and representatives from the performing, literary, and visual arts communities (both from Toledo and the Midwest). The Arts Commission’s Chief Executive and Operating Officers serve as ex-officio members on the Grant Panel (the ex-officio members do not score or make funding recommendations).

Grant Panelists may prioritize awarding to artists representing a diversity of mediums or those who are first-time grantees. Please be aware that applying for this grant does not guarantee funding. Mid-June: Panelists will Score and Comment on applications.

Early July: Panelists will meet for a Zoom Panel Review where they will make funding recommendations based on application scores. ‼️ Mid-July: The recommendations from the panel will be reviewed and approved by The Arts Commission. Applicants can expect to receive an email from The Arts Commission about the funding decisions.

Recipients of Accelerator Grants will receive approved grant funding no later than one month following the receipt of their signed grant agreement. For all inquiries about Accelerator Grants, please contact Liz Bayan (Artist Services & Subgranting Manager) at LBayan@theartscommission. org.

Cycle 2 applications will open on August 3 and close on August 25 at 12:00pm, Noon (EST). 2026 Application Guidelines PDF not for offline completion Click the link to view past workshop slides and find out more about upcoming free workshops to grow your professional skill set! Application Workshop Series Grant awardees are required to acknowledge our generous funders.

Find out how by clicking the button! Award Recognition Requirements Financial support for local artists. Frequently Asked Questions For the purposes of this program, applicants may identify as a Hobbyist artist if one of the following applies: Making art is not your profession or career.

It's something fun you do in your spare time. You make things purely for self-fulfillment or self-satisfaction or for the love of making things. For the purposes of this program, applicants may identify as an Emerging artist if one of the following applies: You have 0-10 years of experience as a working artist regardless of age or education.

You are actively working to grow your creative career with things like exhibitions, performances, honors or awards, publications, artist lectures/presentations, etc. You are someone who’s made a career change or recently decided to prioritize your art above everything else. Research the actual prices of items or services included in your budget.

Panelists like to see detailed and itemized lists that address why support is needed and how it supports your creative art making. Double-check the guidelines to make sure you are not requesting funds for ineligible expenses like travel, lodging, or rent. Requests MUST be directly related to your practice.

Try to make your budget as detailed and comprehensive as possible. 1. If you are paying someone—how much are you paying them per hour and for how many hours?

2. If you are purchasing frames for your work— how many will you buy? 3.

If you have disparate items in the same budget line— break them apart . Such as: a computer, canvases, and frames —should all be in their own expense line and not grouped together. The Grant Panelists who review your application are going examine your budget to understand how you plan to spend the grant funding.

You want to make it as easy to understand as possible. Awardees must spend funds within 90 days of receiving their award, and they must be able to submit a final report within 120 days of receiving their award. If your funding cannot be spent or reported on within that time frame, it might be best to wait and apply to a future round.

No. This is not a reimbursable grant and awarded funds must be spent within the spending period as communicated in the 2026 Accelerator Grant Guidelines. Nonprofit organizations are NOT eligible for this opportunity at this time. All applications are screened for eligibility before the Grant Panel reviews.

If you do not live or have a creative studio within that 30 mile radius, you are not eligible for this opportunity. Check with your local community to see what artist grants might be available to you. If you do choose to utilize AI, be sure you are not fully relying on it to complete the prompts.

If AI creates a first draft, we urge you to edit your application to fit your individual voice and ensure that you include details that respond fully to the prompts. Most of the time AI does not do you justice as an artist all on its own. The Toledo Lucas County Public Library has free access to experts in the grant writing field who are familiar with our grant applications for artists.

To find out more, click here ! Yes! Just make sure that your requests for support are different and that you are not double-dipping i.e. submitting a request for something The Arts Commission has already funded.

Funds from Accelerator cannot be used to pay for expenses outlined in your TLC ARPA award. Applications will be reviewed based on: Impact on Artist’s Growth Public/Community Presence Yes! Artists are encouraged to apply to each cycle until an award is received.

After an award is received, you must wait three years before applying again. For example, artists who receive funding in 2026 have to wait until 2029 to re-apply. Yes!

You can edit your application before the deadline. We recommend that even after you submit an application that you review it before the deadline. 1.

Verify that all provided links are functional. 2. Ensure there are no Ineligible Expenses—you can find them on in the 2026 Accelerator Grant Guidelines.

3. Re-read your application. You may even consider asking a friend or family member proofread your application to catch anything you might have missed.

2025 Grant Recipients - Cycle 2 2025 Grant Recipients - Cycle 1 Sarah Cohen (The Antivillains) Multidisciplinary/Ceramics/Printmaking Graphite + Watercolor Drawing Oil, Acrylic, and Watercolor Painting Nikki D & The Sisters Of Thunder 2024 Grant Recipients - September 2024 Grant Recipients - August Writing/Visual Storytelling Oil Painting and Mixed Media 2024 Grant Recipients - July 2024 Grant Recipients - June 2024 Grant Recipients - May Vocal Jazz Composition, Singer-Songwriter Sound Art, Composition, Music 2023 Grant Recipients - September Janelle Teitlebaum Lorenzen 2023 Grant Recipients - August 2023 Grant Recipients - July 2023 Grant Recipients - June Visual, African Drums and Dance 2023 Grant Recipients - May 2022 Grant Recipients - September 2022 Grant Recipients - August Multidisciplinary Singer/Songwriter Joel Trzcinski - Bliss Nova 2022 Grant Recipients - July 2022 Grant Recipients - June Dance Studio Owner, Performance Artist Hip-Hop & Spoken Word Artist 2022 Grant Recipients - May 2021 Grant Recipients - September Glassblowing & Metalworking 2021 Grant Recipients - August 2021 Grant Recipients - July 2021 Grant Recipients - June Artist, Activist, Educator 2021 Grant Recipients - May 2020 Grant Recipients - September 2020 Grant Recipients - June 2019 Grant Recipients - May 2019 Grant Recipients - June Filmmaking and Photography 2019 Grant Recipients - July El Corazon de Mexico Ballet Folklorico 2019 Grant Recipients - August Daniel and Joel Trzcinski 2019 Grant Recipients - September 2018 Grant Recipients - May Daniel and Joel Trzcinski Children's Theatre Workshop 2018 Grant Recipients - June 2018 Grant Recipients - July 2018 Grant Recipients - August 2018 Grant Recipients - September 2017 Grant Recipients - May Kate Kokonecki, Kelly Thompson and Jon Zenz 2017 Grant Recipients - June 2017 Grant Recipients - July 2017 Grant Recipients - August 2017 Grant Recipients - September 2017 Grant Recipients - October 2017 Grant Recipients - November 2017 Grant Recipients - December Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access Statement Inclusion, diversity, equity and access are fundamentally important to our work at The Arts Commission.

Our aim is to provide access and opportunity to art and culture for all in our community. It is our committed practice to stand alongside, listen and act based upon community needs. We have a responsibility to advocate for inclusion, diversity, equity and access.

The Arts Commission will continue to deepen this practice as we move into the future. The Arts Commission believes that the arts can provide the space to foster conversations that bring us together. The arts have long stood in the gap as a bridge between cultures.

They have served as a place to support healing, as well as a place to develop and exchange compassion. We trust the arts in this role. By embracing our differences and celebrating our similarities we build a more vibrant, just, and inclusive society.

All content on this site is presented in support of Toledo's creative community and is made available as such. The Arts Commission strives to provide programming and events in an inclusive manner in accessible spaces and venues. Should you wish to visit or participate and need accommodation, please contact us at 419-254-2787.