Boost Fund for Artists

Boost Fund for Artists is sponsored by Assembly for the Arts (Cuyahoga County). The Boost Fund provides funding to help Cuyahoga County artists, which can include filmmakers, bring their projects and events to life and to help offset artist-specific needs. The fund is offered in multiple cycles throughout the year.

Boost Fund – Assembly for the Arts | By Assembly for the Arts View a List of 2025 Grantees Boost Fund Cycle 2 is Now Open Assembly for the Arts is excited to launch the 2026 Boost Fund , a grant opportunity for Cuyahoga County artists working in all creative disciplines.

The Boost Fund provides a $1,500 “boost” of flexible funding to offset the costs of creative projects, materials, equipment, events, and a wide variety of artist‑specific needs. The Boost Fund will award 144 artists across three cycles , with 48 artists selected per cycle . To level the playing field and ensure equitable access to public funding, awards are determined using a nationally modeled random selection process .

Artists may submit one application per cycle until selected. Full eligibility requirements and application details are available in the program guidelines. Artists aged 18 and older in a variety disciplines are eligible (see FAQ below).

Artists must be able to provide proof of their creative work. Artists must live and work in Cuyahoga County and provide proof of residency. Board or staff members of Assembly for the Arts or Cuyahoga Arts & Culture (CAC) and panelists of Assembly’s artist programs are not eligible to apply.

Artists who have received Support for Artists funding from Assembly for the Arts (Creative Impact Fund), SPACES (Urgent Art Fund), Karamu House (Room in the House Fellowship), Cleveland Public Theatre (Premiere Fellowship or Individual Artist Fund) or Julia de Burgos (Unidos Por El Arte) within the last two (2) years are not eligible to apply for the Boost Fund in 2026.

Artists can submit one (1) application to the Boost Fund each cycle until selected. Boost Fund recipients will be selected through a nationally modeled random selection process facilitated by Assembly for the Arts. This process will occur after the open application period has ended for each cycle.

All applicants will be notified of their application status by email after the selection date for each cycle.

Cycle 1: March 20 – April 13 Cycle 2: July 24 – August 24 Cycle 3: October 21 – November 19 This program is intended for artists and active creators ages 18 and older who live in Cuyahoga County and work in the disciplines of craft, dance, design, film, interdisciplinary work, media, music, theatre & performance, traditional/folk arts, visual art and writing/literary art . Last year I was awarded a ...

[Boost Fund (Assembly), Creative Impact Fund (Assembly), Room in the House Fellowship (Karamu House), Unidos Por El Arte (Julia de Burgos), Urgent Art Fund (SPACES) or Individual Artist Fund or Premiere Fellowship (Cleveland Public Theatre)]. Am I eligible to apply for the Boost Fund this year?

Unfortunately, no. Artists who were awarded any of these grants in 2024 or 2025 are not eligible to apply in 2026 so that we can extend the opportunity to other artists. Can my nonprofit organization or creative business apply for the Boost Fund? No , Boost Funds will be granted to individual artists only .

But if you are an artist with an active creative practice, working at a nonprofit or for a creative business, you are eligible to apply and receive funds as an individual. How does Assembly define ‘Artist?

’ Assembly defines artists as independent professionals who derive income from creating, performing, teaching or supporting the development of work in these creative disciplines: Craft (ceramics, fiber, glass, jewelry, metals, textiles) Dance & Choreography (create or perform movement-based works) Design (fashion, graphic, industrial, object, all forms of architecture) Film (filmmakers, cinematography, directing, screenwriting, animation) Interdisciplinary (work creating intentional connections between multiple creative disciplines) Literary Arts / Writing (fiction, nonfiction, poetry, spoken word, criticism, graphic novels, journalism, arts writing) Media (work at the intersection of technology, content creation, aesthetics, storytelling, and digital culture) Music (composing, songwriting, performing, DJing, producing) Theatre & Performance (directing, playwriting, puppetry, comedy, set design, lighting/installation, and performance art) Traditional Arts (work related to the continuity and evolution of a tradition and/or cultural heritage such as cultural dance, cultural music, oral expression and traditional crafts) Visual Art (painting, sculpture, photography, installation, performance art, sound art, video, printmaking, illustration, drawing) I am a hairstylist, chef or curator.

Can I apply to the Boost Fund? No, the Boost Fund is geared towards artists who work in the disciplines outlined in the guidelines. Can I be awarded both a Boost Fund and a Creative Impact Fund through Assembly in 2026?

Yes! Artists can apply for and receive both a Boost Fund and Creative Impact Fund in the same year. Can I submit multiple applications to the Boost Fund?

Artists can submit one (1) application to each cycle of the Boost Fund, until funded. If you receive a Boost Fund in 2026, you cannot submit another application to the program in 2026. How will artists be selected for funding?

Recipients of the Boost Fund will be determined through a random selection process facilitated by Assembly . Artists will not be selected by a jury or Assembly staff and applications will not be evaluated for content , other than eligibility. Random selection in artist funding models has gained popularity across the country and is intended to eliminate subjectivity and reduce competition among artists.

To meet intended program goals and align with Assembly’s mission, some artists will be randomly selected from prioritized categories. What can Boost funds be spent on? The goal of Boost is to help you cover gaps in your project and creative costs so you can be a more active artist .

You can spend your funds on project or event expenses , such as venue costs, supplies, permits, artist contract fees, technology and /or artist need expenses such as materials, equipment, studio costs and repairs, work-related travel and more. Please see the Guidelines for a full list of eligible uses of these funds. Can I use Boost Funds on groceries, my rent, medical expenses or childcare?

Unfortunately, no. Boost Funds must be used to cover costs directly related to your creative practice as noted above in the previous question. Do I have to submit a project proposal with my application? No , you don’t need to submit a project proposal, but the application asks for the expenses you’ll cover with Boost Funds.

Keep in mind that these funds are intended to support artist-led projects, events or programs and artist specific needs. At the end of your grant year, Assembly will ask all grant recipients to submit a 2-3 minute video testimonial about how the Boost Funds benefitted them and their creative practice. I don’t have an artist website.

What kind of web page can I include in my application? There are several other ways to showcase your creative work online in your application if you don’t have a website: Art-specific sites where you share your work like BandCamp, Patreon, Vimeo Artist profile pages through other sites – consider creating a free artist profile on Cleveland Arts & Events if you don’t already have one Yes.

Please consult with an accounting or tax professional , such as the Hispanic Business Center or LISC , to determine how much of your grant to reserve for taxes. Grantees will be required to submit a W-9 to receive their award and will be issued a 1099 at the end of the year. I just moved to/out of Cuyahoga County.

Can I still apply? Artists must be current residents of Cuyahoga County at the time of application with plans to remain in the county for the duration of the grant year. Please contact grants@assemblycle.

org . Boost Fund is supported by the residents of Cuyahoga County through a public grant from Cuyahoga Arts & Culture. Thank You to our Community Partners tag keeps this out of the DOM until ============================================= --> The rhythm of Assembly for the Arts Enter your email address below to stay up-to-date with all arts and cultural initiatives of Assembly for the Arts.

Leave this field empty if you're human: