CMA Artistic Projects Grant

CMA Artistic Projects Grant is sponsored by Chamber Music America. Offers grants to small ensembles and presenters in New York City with budgets under $250,000 for projects like commissions, performances, recordings, and residencies.

Artistic Projects | Chamber Music America Registration for CMA's 2026 Conference in Chicago is open now! Community & Project Support Deadline: Thursday, September 17, 2026 11:59 PM ET Notification: December 2026 Grant Period: January 1, 2027 – December 31, 2027 Artistic Projects is supported by The Howard Gilman Foundation RSVP for the Application Workshop on Tuesday, August 11 at 12:30 PM.

PUBLIQuartet / photo: Lelanie Foster Artistic Projects offers grant opportunities for small chamber music ensembles and presenters with operating budgets under $250,000, to carry out creative chamber music projects intended to create a meaningful community impact and present them to audiences within the five boroughs of New York City.

The grant supports chamber music projects that include performances, recordings, or new compositions (commissions). If the proposed project is a collaboration involving other artistic disciplines or genres, it must also be a stand-alone chamber music work. Grants will range from $7,500 to $20,000.

CMA defines chamber music as music for small ensembles between two and ten musicians, with one musician per part, generally without a conductor. This encompasses contemporary and traditional jazz, classical, and world genres. All activities must take place within the five boroughs of New York City between January 1, 2027, and December 31, 2027.

Applicants and their primary collaborators (presenters, ensembles, composers) may be part of only one Artistic Projects application per grant period. Artistic Projects is supported by The Howard Gilman Foundation . Apply to Artistic Projects RSVP for the Application Workshop on Tuesday, August 11 at 12:30 PM.

Program Support: Adriana Vergara, Grant Programs Associate, avergara@chambermusicamerica. org Membership Services: membership@chambermusicamerica. org Technical Support: Submittable Help – For Submitters | Submittable Funds must support a chamber music project that falls within one of the following categories — performances, recordings, or new compositions (commissions).

All projects must include a community impact component. All projects must be completed by the end of the grant period.

Community Impact Component Creation of a new work by one composer for the applicant ensemble (Composer may be a member of the ensemble) A premiere of the new work XYZ ensemble works with one composer to create a new work and a premiere 1 or more performances at a venue or a set of venues XYZ ensemble is playing a performance at ABC Hall for 1 night Creation and release of a new recording Release Concert (recording projects must be completed and ready for public release by the end of the grant term) Current New Jazz Works grantees are not eligible to apply for 2027 Artistic Projects grants.

If awarded a 2027 Artistic Projects grant for Commissioning or Recording projects, grantee is ineligible to receive a 2027 New Jazz Works grant. Current Classical Commissioning grantees are not eligible to apply for 2027 Artistic Projects grants. If awarded a 2027 Artistic Projects grant for commissioning, the grantee is ineligible to receive a 2027 Classical Commissioning grant.

Current Empowerment for Impact & Growth grantees are not eligible to apply for 2027 Artistic Projects Recording grants. If awarded a 2027 Artistic Projects grant for recording, the grantee is ineligible to receive a 2027 Empowerment for Impact & Growth grant.

For Commissioning projects, commissioned works: must be of substantial length (at least 10 minutes of composed music); this may be one extended work or shorter pieces that together form a larger work. be written for 2-10 musicians; the total number of musicians including the performing composer and guest artists must not exceed 10. be scored for one musician per part.

result in a printed score, lead sheet, or other form of graphic notation or nontraditional documentation. If the commissioned work is written as part of a multi-disciplinary project, it must also be able to be performed or presented as a stand-alone chamber music work.

Projects requesting Commissioning funding for the following are considered ineligible: Previously written works or arrangements of previously written works or works-in-progress Portions of works (such as individual movements or variations) Application Deadline Schedule Applications are due to Chamber Music America by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on Thursday, September 17, 2026. Award notifications are made in late December.

Grant Components, Time Period & Funding Amounts All Artistic Projects grant projects must take place between January 1, 2027, and December 31, 2027. Grants range from $7,500 to $20,000 . The program will fund 100% of eligible expenses.

No matching funds are required, but if a project costs more than $20,000 the applicant must describe how they will pay for the additional costs. Please Note: Grant funds are taxable income; grantees must comply with all applicable city, state, and federal laws, ordinances, codes, and regulations regarding the reporting of grant funds.

Chamber Music America gives priority to projects that fall within one of the project categories and demonstrates meaningful community impact. Community impact: Creates more access to chamber music Fosters a sense of respect and appreciation for chamber music. Creates opportunities for ensembles and presenters to engage with current and new audiences.

Examples of community impact can include: Advancing or highlighting cultural richness and creativity of a community. Fostering collaboration between ensembles, presenters, or other organizations and the communities they serve. Engaging with audiences in meaningful dialogue around historical or current social and cultural issues.

Making project content (such as recordings or videos) available to audiences beyond the grant period. Performances must be public, accessible, and inclusive. A public performance is one that takes place in a venue or digital setting open to general audiences, not just invited guests or personal networks.

This includes live-streamed concerts, as long as they are publicly viewable. For the purposes of this grant, conferences do not qualify as public events. For more ideas on what community impact could look like applicants can choose to explore the Arts Impact Explorer | Americans for the Arts .

The following expenses are allowed, provided they are directly related to the project.

Ensemble and guest artist fees (for musician participants only) Ground transportation and cartage fees for ensemble members, guest artists, and instruments Concert or streaming production expenses Recording studio and sound engineer fees Rehearsal and performance space rental Marketing and advertising specific to the project Applications may be submitted by ensembles or presenting organizations based in one of the five boroughs of New York City*.

Applicants that have received CMA funding in two of the past three grant years (since 2024) are not eligible for 2027 Artistic Projects funding. Current grantees should also look at the “Eligibility: For current grantees. ” Applicants ensembles and presenters should have been established for at least one year prior to applying.

Must have at least one member who is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident based in one of the five boroughs of New York City and must be listed as primary contact for the application Must consist of 2-10 professional musicians including guest musicians student groups are not eligible soloists with accompanists are not eligible May perform any style of small ensemble music encompassing contemporary and traditional jazz, classical, and world genres Must work with a U.S.-based composer if applying for composer funding.

(If awarded, composers working with Ensemble grantees must provide proof of U. S residency status or permanent green card status.) Must have an annual operating budget under $250,000 Must not have any outstanding financial obligations to CMA Cannot be a current grantee of the Howard Gilman Foundation *Ensemble grantees must provide proof of New York City domicile.

Must be a 501(c)(3) organization or otherwise eligible for charitable contributions for federal income, estate, and gift-tax purposes Must present one ensemble May present any style of small ensemble music encompassing contemporary and traditional jazz, classical, and world genres Must work with a U.S.-based composer if applying for composer funding. (If awarded, composers working with ensemble grantees must provide proof of U.

S residency status or permanent green card status.)

Must have an annual operating budget under $250,000 Must apply with an ensemble whose annual budget is also under $250,000 and based in one of the five boroughs of New York City The ensemble must consist of 2-10 musicians including guest musicians The ensemble may only appear on one presenter’s application Must not have any outstanding financial obligations to CMA Cannot be a current grantee of the Howard Gilman Foundation *Presenter grantees must provide proof of a New York City-based venue.

Projects that require a fiscal sponsor Projects requesting funding for: Capacity building or general operating support, although administrative expenses specific to the project may be included within the project budget Private or fundraising events or for arts education Fees to student musicians, faculty, or administrative staff Funds for classes or workshops for music students Music for dramatic works (staged or un-staged) Incidental music for other media Fees for non-musician member participants in the proposed work (such as a narrator or dancers) or for student musicians Collaborative projects involving other artistic disciplines, that are not stand-alone works for a concert performance Projects requesting commissioning funding for: Previously written works, arrangements, or works-in-progress Portions of works (such as individual movements or variations) Compositions that are soloistic in nature (such as concertos or works for soloist and accompaniment) Composers who are not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident Composers who are currently working on an active CMA grant Collaborative projects involving other artistic disciplines that cannot function independently as chamber music works for concert performance Additionally, CMA cannot consider the following applications: Applications from current New Jazz Works or Classical Commissioning grantees Multiple applications from the same ensemble or presenter CMA staff review applications for eligibility.

Eligible applications are then evaluated by an independent panel of chamber music professionals that is solely responsible for scoring, ranking, and selecting awardees. While staff facilitate the evaluation process, they do not serve as judges in the decision-making process. CMA Board members are not involved in any part of the evaluation or selection.

Applicants are solely responsible for ensuring their materials are submitted correctly and completely by the deadline. To ensure fairness to all applicants and manage the high volume of submissions, staff cannot notify applicants of missing components, nor correct submission errors on their behalf. Incomplete or incorrect applications may still be evaluated by the panel but will receive lower scores.

The panel will review and score: Written Application – 40% Note: The panel’s scoring will place particular emphasis on the project’s potential to create meaningful impact for the ensemble’s intended audience and within the New York City community. Are the project’s activities and objectives clearly described? Does the project have a clear timeline of activities and a feasible plan of execution?

What is the planned impact of the project on the ensemble’s intended New York City audience? How does the ensemble plan to make this impact? If a recording project’s release timeline goes past the grant term dates, how does the ensemble plan to impact the intended audience during the grant term dates?

Is the target New York City audience clearly identified? Is there a specific outreach plan for the ensemble to reach the intended audience? Does the ensemble demonstrate a clear understanding of appropriate industry rates for the proposed grant activities?

Does the budget show clear financial planning and the ensemble’s capacity to carry out the project within the proposed budget? If the total budget exceeds $20,000, does the ensemble have a plan to cover additional expenses?

Artist statement explaining the ensemble’s work and how it connects with intended audience impact Audio samples demonstrating the ensemble’s technical skill and musical cohesion Panelists will be considering how well the audio samples support the written narrative of the application.

*FOR COMMISSION REQUESTS ONLY: Audio sample demonstrating the applicant composer’s artistic voice and technical skill Panel reviews will be conducted in two rounds. During Round 1 the panel will review the narrative responses and budget. Applications that selected to advance to Round 2 will then have the work/audio samples reviewed.

‌ If awarded, the member of the ensemble serving as the primary contact is responsible for: Serving as the ensemble’s primary point of contact with CMA Providing government issued documentation as proof of their U.S. citizenship or permanent resident status; Providing proof of New York City domicile Receiving and managing the grant funds Filing reports and associated documents If awarded, the presenter contact serving as the primary contact is responsible for: Acting as the contact for CMA on behalf of the presenting organization Providing proof of 501(c)(3) status or eligibility for charitable contributions for federal income, estate, and gift-tax purposes (fiscal sponsors not eligible) Providing proof of the ensemble’s New York City domicile status Receiving and managing the grant funds Filing reports and associated documents Grant funds will be disbursed as follows: 100% of the award to be disbursed after signing the CMA grant contract Grant funds are taxable income; grantees must comply with all applicable city, state, and federal laws, ordinances, codes, and regulations regarding the reporting of grant funds.

Grantees may not receive funds through a fiscal sponsor. CMA uses the online application platform Submittable. Go to cma.

submittable. com to create a free Submittable account if you do not already have one. Complete the online form directly or draft your responses in an offline document as backup, then copy/paste your information into the online application.

CMA recommends that you save your draft in an offline document as backup. To save the work you have done on your application, you must click SAVE DRAFT at the bottom of the form before exiting. You can return to your saved application to continue working on it by following the log-in instructions.

The application will close promptly at 11:59 PM ET on Thursday, September 17, 2026. Late or incomplete submissions will not be accepted. Applicants are encouraged to submit their applications at least 24 hours in advance of the deadline to avoid any last-minute complications.

Required Uploads and Materials Two ensemble audio samples are required and must be uploaded to the online application. Samples should be up to 4 minutes each and feature works for small ensemble (2-10 musicians). Samples should demonstrate the ensemble’s performance level and must feature either the full ensemble or at least 50% of its musicians.

* Include contrasting works, if possible. Soloistic works are not recommended. *A duo must submit works with both partners.

* Only mp3 and/or m4a file types are accepted. Samples do not need to be of studio quality but should be clear and representative of the ensemble’s performance within the last two years. *FOR COMMISSION REQUESTS ONLY*: In lieu of two ensemble samples, commission requests must include one composer audio sample and one ensemble audio sample.

Composer sample should demonstrate technical skill in composition and arrangement/orchestration as well as artistic voice of the composer.

*FOR PRESENTER APPLICANTS ONLY*: Tax-Exempt Letter/501(c)3 Letter of Determination Upload 3 photos for use in CMA press release materials in the event that the applicant is awarded & label photos in the following format: 1_AwardeeName_credit_PhotographerName (Please make sure that the photos provided have been cleared for public use by your photographer before submission.)

2_AwardeeName_credit_PhotographerName (Please make sure that the photos provided have been cleared for public use by your photographer before submission.) 3_AwardeeName_credit_PhotographerName (Please make sure that the photos provided have been cleared for public use by your photographer before submission.)

Memorandums of Understanding The Ensemble is required to provide a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the ensemble and the composer (if applicable). A sample MOU can be downloaded here: Sample MOU Word Document (Ensemble and Composer) The Ensemble/Presenter is required to provide a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the composer and CMA (if applicable).

A sample MOU can be downloaded here: S ample MOU Word Document (Composer and CMA) The Presenter is required to provide a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the ensemble and the presenter (if applicable). A sample MOU can be downloaded here: Sample MOU Word Document (Ensemble and Presenter) To submit an application: Go to cma. submittable.

com and click on “Artistic Projects. ” Complete all required fields, including text boxes, the Funding Request, and Audio Sample information. Prepare your budget, audio samples, marketing sample, and MOU attachment.

Save audio files as: Ensemble Name-Audio 1 and Ensemble Name-Audio 2; acceptable file types: mp3, m4a. Upload the budget, audio files, marketing sample, and MOU to the application. When complete, sign and date your application.

Click “Submit” to send application to CMA; you will receive a confirmation email. Sample Budget & Sample Responses Other Questions: Why does Chamber Music America ask for race and ethnicity information in some applications? CMA collects data on race and ethnicity in connection to grant programs and applications; membership; and surveys with partner organizations, like funding partners.

As such, CMA has developed a set of standards for keeping, collecting, and presenting data on race and ethnicity that aim to provide consistency in collecting and using this type of data. These standards have been developed in accordance with data collection standards by other groups such as CMA’s funders, federal agencies, and agencies that track race and ethnicity data such as the U.S. Census Bureau.