Creative Capital Open Call (2027) is sponsored by Creative Capital. Creative Capital Open Call (2027) is a grant from Creative Capital providing unrestricted project grants of up to $50,000 to individual artists across all 50 states. The 2027 cycle supports new artistic works in Visual Arts, Performing Arts, Film, and Literature.

Grant Application - Creative Capital What can we help you find? The 2027 Creative Capital Open Call application portal is now closed. The application deadline was April 2, 2026 at 3PM ET.

The 2027 Creative Capital Open Call seeks proposals from individual artists in all 50 states for new artistic works in the Visual Arts, Performing Arts, Film, and Literature. The Creative Capital Award provides unrestricted project grants of up to $50,000 to individual artists to create new work. The new State of the Art Prize provides unrestricted artist grants of $10,000.

See full details in the Creative Capital 2027 Open Call Application Handbook . Watch the 2027 Open Call Info Session here . Creative Capital Award + State of the Art Prize In celebration of 25 years of national artist support, the 2027 Open Call invites project proposals from individual artists for the Creative Capital Award and the new State of the Art Prize.

All grants will be awarded via a national, open call, external review process. The Creative Capital Award provides individual artists with unrestricted project grants for the creation of innovative, original, and imaginative new artistic works. The Award provides unrestricted project grants from $15,000 up to $50,000, plus professional development support, industry connections, and community-building opportunities.

The State of the Art Prize aims to recognize and support one artist from every U.S. state and inhabited territory, with an unrestricted artist grant of $10,000. Through the 2027 Open Call for the Creative Capital Award, Creative Capital will also select recipients for the new State of the Art Prize.

2027 Open Call Grant Information Celebrating 25 years of national artist support, Creative Capital invites individual artists to apply for grants to create new works in the visual arts, performing arts (dance, theater, music/jazz), film, literature, technology, multidisciplinary, and socially engaged forms across all 50 states and territories.

The 2027 Creative Capital Open Call will be the second year Creative Capital continues its goal to grant artists residing in all 50 states. See the complete list of 2026 Creative Capital Awards and 2026 Inaugural State of the Art Prize Artists in all 50 states, as well as Guam, Puerto Rico, and Washington, D. C.

in the press release . Founded in 1999, our mission as a national nonprofit organization is to champion artistic freedom by providing grants and services to individual artists creating new work.

The new State of the Art Prize is designed to help support more regional and rural artists, to invest in grassroots creative economies, and to foster a vibrant cultural landscape across the U.S. Both the Creative Capital Award and the State of the Art Prize support artists of all backgrounds at all career stages working across a range of disciplines, themes, and ideas.

For the 2027 grant cycle, Creative Capital invites professional artists to propose experimental, original, bold new works in Visual Arts , Performing Arts (Dance, Theater, Music/Jazz) , Film , and Literature . Multidisciplinary , technology , and/or socially engaged projects are welcome in all disciplinary categories. Creative Capital seeks new project proposals for formally and/or conceptually innovative works in all disciplines.

Creative Capital welcomes a full range of artistic approaches and thematic inquiries, including boundary-pushing formal explorations, as well as projects that engage urgent social issues of our time. Creative Capital also seeks new projects or works addressing subjects that Creative Capital has not previously funded.

The Creative Capital Award aims to support approximately 50 new artistic works in the following areas: Visual Arts : architecture & design, craft, drawing, ecological art, illustration, installation, painting, printmaking, performance art, photography, public art, sculpture, social practice, sound art, video art, technology, and socially-engaged visual art Performing Arts : dance, jazz, multimedia performance, music, music theater, opera, theater, playwriting, technology, and socially-engaged performing arts Film: animation, documentary film, experimental film, and narrative film Literature: fiction, nonfiction, poetry, plays (playwrights please submit under Performing Arts/Theater) Creative Capital’s transformative giving approach is built on the principle that artists need funding as well as networks and advisory services in order to realize ambitious projects and build thriving careers.

Recipients of the Creative Capital Award will receive grant funding, professional development services, and community-building opportunities. Awardees will also have access to the Creative Capital Artist Lab —suite of online professional development courses. The State of the Art Prize – NEW!

Through the 2027 Open Call process for the Creative Capital Award, Creative Capital will also select recipients of the State of the Art Prize . Now in its second year, this new national initiative aims to recognize one artist residing in each U.S. state and inhabited territory with a $10,000 unrestricted grant per artist.

All applicants to the 2027 Open Call will be automatically considered for the Creative Capital Award and the State of the Art Prize. Both grants follow the same application, external review process, and evaluation criteria; there is no separate application process. State of the Art Prize recipients will also have access to the Creative Capital Artist Lab —a suite of online professional development courses.

State of the Art Prize recipients may apply again to future open calls for the Creative Capital Award. However, artists who have already received the Creative Capital Award may not apply for the State of the Art Prize. Both the State of the Art Prize and the Creative Capital Award are one-time awards.

ROUND I: Project Proposal Creative Capital’s Open Call deadline was Thursday, April 2 at 3pm ET, and we are no longer accepting Round I applications. Applicants selected in Round I to advance to Round II will be notified in June, 2026.

ROUND II: Project Details Applicants selected by our external reviewers to advance to Round II will submit additional materials to support their application: Project timeline (1 page) Work samples (see Application Handbook for guidelines) Proof of eligibility (U.S. citizenship, permanent resident, Tribal ID, or O-1 visa verification) Applicants selected by our external reviewers to advance to Round III will be asked to: Confirm collaborators (if applicable) Submit project updates (optional, 100 words max) Full application guidelines are outlined in the Application Handbook.

Creative Capital invites curators, programmers, industry leaders, cultural producers, artists, and other experts in the field from across the country to serve as external reviewers. External reviewers are offered honoraria for their time and expertise. All external reviewer names are confidential.

Due to the high volume of submissions, Creative Capital is unable to provide feedback on individual applications.

2027 Open Call Application Timeline March 2, 2026: Round I application portal opens April 2, 2026 at 3:00PM Eastern Time : Round I application deadline June 2026: Notification of advancement to Round II September 2026: Notification of advancement to Round III: Final Panel Review December 2026: Final grant notification Early 2027: Public announcement of 2027 Creative Capital Awards and State of the Art Prizes These dates are subject to change.

US citizen, permanent resident, Tribal ID holder, or O-1 visa holder at time of application At least 25 years old at time of application Working artist(s) with at least 5 years of professional artistic practice within their chosen discipline Applicant may not be enrolled in a degree-granting program at time of application May not apply to the Andy Warhol Foundation Arts Writers Grant program in the same year May not have previously received a Creative Capital Award May not be an applicant or collaborator on more than one proposed project per year State of the Art Prize recipients must be a resident of the state they are awarded in through February 1, 2027.

Prize recipients must verify their state or territory of residence in order to receive the grant.

Projects that are not eligible Projects whose main purpose is promotional Project is to fund ongoing operations of existing business or nonprofit organization Curation or documentation of existing work Journalism projects and podcasts Educational projects intended for a student audience Children’s and young adult literature, and graphic novels Projects that will premiere or be completed before July 1, 2027 Do you fund artist-run nonprofits or businesses?

The Creative Capital Award is specifically designed to support the realization of new artist projects. Creative Capital does not fund nonprofits and artist-run businesses, nor are Creative Capital’s services well-suited to support these kinds of ventures. Do you fund curatorial projects?

The Creative Capital Award does not support the production of exhibitions. Creative Capital funds new, discrete artistic projects that have one author, director, lead or a core group of collaborating artists. Do you fund educational projects?

Creative Capital supports artist projects, and does not fund projects that are solely academic. While Creative Capital understands that all art is educational to some degree, if the end goal of your project is to serve a student audience or create a curriculum, then the project is ineligible. I am looking to expand an existing project, should I apply?

Creative Capital is most interested in projects that are in the early stages of development and production, as they can benefit the most from the services that Creative Capital offers. That being said, if you still consider your project to be in development or have only shared the work in workshops or much more condensed versions, you are welcome to apply.

Note that Creative Capital does not provide support to projects that are at a stage where they need finishing funds or touring support. Creative Capital asks our reviewers to specifically consider the timeline of development for a project to make sure that Creative Capital can make the most impact on the artist and the final results of their project.

If you think that a significantly more evolved version of your project could take form, then the project is eligible. How do you define five years of professional experience? Creative Capital defines five years of professional experience as engaging an artistic practice in some public capacity over a cumulative five years.

This could be constituted through projects, exhibitions, readings, panel conversations, screenings, interviews, etc. How do you define student status? Applicants may not be enrolled in any degree-granting educational program at the time of application. This applies to ABD (all but dissertation) status Ph.

D. candidates and students in low-residency MFA programs. Can I apply with multiple projects?

You may only submit one project per award cycle. Artists may not apply as a collaborator on an additional application, as all collaborators are considered awardees. My work spans multiple disciplines.

How do I pick just one? Creative Capital invites artists to submit their proposals based on which area experts are most suited and qualified to review the project proposal, with the understanding that radical art is often by nature interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary, or antidisciplinary.

Choosing a disciplinary category is a way to frame the discussion around your work and to indicate which experts are most qualified to evaluate the project proposal. How do you define the “Technology” sub-discipline category in Visual Arts and Performing Arts?

Visual Arts and Performing Arts applicants have the option of selecting “Technology” as one of their project’s three sub-disciplines if technology (including but not limited to: games, digital media, artificial intelligence, robotics, AR/VR, internet art, bio art, etc.) plays a significant role in the form of the work. What kind of non-monetary support does Creative Capital provide? Why do you ask about my hometown?

The hometown question lets us know if you maintain roots that are different from your present location. Creative Capital finds that many people who currently live and work in major cities still identify as coming from another place. If you were born and raised in your current city, please enter your current city.

My application contains sensitive information. How are you going to use this information? Can I submit it another way besides through your application portal?

Creative Capital is only able to receive information through the application portal as this is what reviewers use to access and score submissions. Applications are only shared with select Creative Capital staff and the reviewers who will evaluate the project. You can make note of any sensitive information in the materials or in the title of your work.

What are the award amounts? The Creative Capital Award amounts range from $15,000 up to $50,000 per project. Creative Capital grants are structured so that the artist(s) may draw down funds over a five-year period.

How many awards will Creative Capital make in this grant cycle? Creative Capital will award approximately 50 individual artists across a range of disciplines, demographics, and geographic locations. If I receive a grant, can I receive the funds through a fiscal sponsor or LLC?

Creative Capital disburses funds to the individual artist who is designated as the lead applicant on the application, or a 501(c)(3) organization operated by the lead applicant, only. We cannot route funds to LLCs or fiscal sponsors. Fund recipients must have a U.S. bank account, as funds cannot be directed to international banks.

How are State of the Art Prize recipients selected? The State of the Art Prize recipients will be selected from the Creative Capital Award applicants, following the same guidelines and criteria. There is no separate application process.

A mutli-disciplinary cohort of artists will be selected for as many states and territories as Creative Capital receives applications from. They represent the strongest applications per state. How many artists will receive the State of the Art Prize?

One artist will be selected for the Prize from each state and inhabited territory that Creative Capital receives applications from. What is the Prize amount? Prize recipients will receive $10,000.

Are collaboratives eligible for the State of the Art Prize? Do all members of the collaborative have to live in the same state to be eligible? The State of the Art Prize is an individual artist grant.

For Collaboratives, only the Lead Applicant is eligible to receive the Prize. Eligibility for State of the Art Prize is based on the state of residence of the Lead Applicant. If I receive the State of the Art Prize, am I required to complete my proposed project?

No, this is an unrestricted artist prize of $10,000. Can I apply for both the Creative Capital Award and the State of the Art prize? If so, how?

The State of the Art Prize recipients will be selected from the Creative Capital Award applicants. There is no separate application process. Is it possible to receive both a Creative Capital Award and State of the Art Prize in the same year?

No. State of the Art Prize recipients are welcome to apply for the Creative Capital Award in future grant cycles. Past recipients of the Creative Capital Award are not eligible to apply for the State of the Art Prize. Recipients of the State of the Art Prize may apply again for the Creative Capital Award, but will not receive the State of Art Prize a second time.

More questions? Email [email protected] . No phone calls please.

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