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Find similar grantsMidwest Award for Artists with Disabilities is sponsored by Arts Midwest. This award recognizes and celebrates the work of disabled Midwestern visual artists and advocates for the arts as viable employment for disabled people. The award amount is $3,000, with no requirements for how the funds are used.
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Midwest Award for Artists with Disabilities - Arts Midwest About Midwest Award for Artists with Disabilities Please note that we acknowledge both identity first and person first framing of disability identity. When we use the phrase “disabled artists,” we intend to align with the Social Model of Disability , understanding that people are disabled by environmental and societal barriers.
Visual artists with disabilities are doing incredible work around the Midwest. The Midwest Award for Artists with Disabilities recognizes and celebrates their efforts and encourages their future work. It also advocates for the arts being viable employment for disabled people, which is often overlooked by funding agencies supporting people with disabilities.
From 2023-2025, this award will recognize 27 individuals (9 per year) in the Arts Midwest region of: North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio or the Native Nations that share this geography. Each awardee will receive a $3,000 check award. Total awards across the region will equal $27,000 per year.
There are no requirements for how awarded funds are used, though awardees are encouraged to use it toward growing their art career. Awardees’ submitted work will be featured on the Arts Midwest website. Applications for the 2025 cycle are now closed.
We invite mid-career 2D and 3D visual artists with disabilities to apply for this award. You may enlist assistance from another person to complete the application. We also allow nominations with consent from the individual being nominated.
Live in the Midwest. We define the Midwest as Arts Midwest’s region of North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, or the Native Nations that share this geography. Artists based outside of this geography are not eligible for this award.
Have a disability/identify as disabled. Disability communities are not a singular group, and we want artists to be able to self-identify into this award. We welcome a self or medical diagnosis understanding of disability.
Disability as you experience it may include, but is not limited to cognitive, learning, and developmental disabilities; emotional or mental health disabilities; and/or physical disabilities. Create 2D or 3D visual art. Examples of 2D art include but are NOT limited to: drawing, painting, printmaking, photography.
Examples of 3D art include but are NOT limited to: ceramics, sculpture, glass. Film is not an eligible medium for this opportunity. Are mid-career, which we interpret as creating artwork and building your artistic career for 5-15 years.
Arts Midwest uses SmartSimple grants portal for applications. You must register in the system before you apply. Please follow the steps below to complete your registration and your application.
You may enlist assistance from another person to complete the application. We also allow nominations with consent from the individual being nominated. Step 1: Registration (for new users only) Register in our SmartSimple grants portal On the registration page, click “Individuals” Input your information.
If you are nominating someone, please input your information as the nominator; you will share the nominee’s information in the application. Once you have filled out your registration and submitted, you will receive an email with a login link. Click on the login link.
The link will take you to a screen where you will create a new password for your account. Then click submit. Once you have created the password, you may receive a verification code in your email.
Copy the verification code from that email, and paste in the box on the login page. Now you’re in the SmartSimple portal! Make sure your profile is correct.
Go to the top right corner with your name letter symbol and click on Personal Profile. Confirm the info is correct from your registration. Navigate to the Individual Portal Home.
To begin the application, click on “Begin a new application. ” Click “Apply Now” on Midwest Award for Artists with Disabilities. Click save and begin your application.
If you completed the registration for yourself, click “I’m filling out this application for myself. ” Your registration information will appear. If you registered yourself as the artist and are getting assistance with the application, you may click “I’m getting assistance filling out this application for myself” and it will prompt you to share your assistant’s contact information.
If you registered to nominate an artist with their consent, click “I’m nominating someone” and it will prompt you to fill out the artist’s contact information. We want this opportunity to be accessible to all and will work with applicants who need to use other means to apply.
Options may include but not limited to: Using an adapted form in Microsoft Word Sharing a video application responding to application questions Enlisting assistance from another person to complete the application Please complete this form if you are requesting accessibility assistance or email [email protected] . Lastly, we recognize that some awardees may experience income limitation and other barriers to receiving this award.
We will work with awardees on a case-by-case basis to identify a plan, which may include options like a monthly payment plan rather than receiving the award in full at once or working with a guardian to receive the award.
Step 1: Register in our SmartSimple grants portal Step 2: On the registration page, click “Individuals” Step 3: If you are an artist filling out the application for yourself, fill out the registration with your information. If someone is helping you with the application, you will be able to include their info once you get into the application.
If you are nominating an artist with their consent, register with your info, and you will share the artists’ info in the application. Step 4: Once you’ve filled out your registration and submitted, you will receive an email with a login link. Click on the login link.
Step 5: The login link will take you to a screen where you will create a new password for your account. Then click submit. Step 6: Once you’ve created the password, you will receive a verification code in your email.
Access this email, copy the verification code, and paste in the box on the login page. Step 7: Now you’re in the SmartSimple portal! Make sure your profile is correct.
Go to the top right corner with your name letter symbol and click on Personal Profile. Confirm the info is correct from your registration. Step 9: Click save and begin your application.
For the first question: If you’re the artist who registered yourself, click “I’m filling out this application for myself. ” Your registration info will show up. If you registered yourself as the artist and are getting assistance, you may click “I’m an artist getting assistance filling out this application” and it will prompt you to share your assistant’s contact info.
If you registered to nominate an artist with their consent, click “I’m nominating an artist” and it will prompt you to fill out the artist’s contact info. Applicants will be asked to share: Artistic discipline (select the best option) Artist Statement: Describe your work and your goals as an artist. How is your work an expression of those goals?
Please add your response here or upload a document below. (200 words or fewer) Community Statement: Community can mean different things to different people. How does your work relate to community?
You may share a reflection, story, quote, etc. (200 words or fewer) Growth Statement: How has your work grown over the years, and how do you think your art will continue to grow? (200 words or fewer) As possible, please submit work from the past 5 years. You will not be disqualified if you submit older work.
However, panelists are looking to your work samples to understand your current practice. The following file types are allowed: jpg, gif, tiff, png, mov, mp4. Once you’ve uploaded the files, please rename the files with the title, year, and medium.
You can do this by visiting the properties editor on each file you upload in the File Manager, and click “Rename. ” You will not be disqualified if you don’t, but it’s preferred. Example: “Fish, 2020, Oil paint on canvas.
” Please acknowledge if AI is part of your artistic practice or work samples. While we do not prohibit the use of AI in our programs, we do require disclosure of its use. If you use AI in your work, you will be given the option to briefly explain your use of it in your work (100 words or fewer).
Please note that if you are selected, the work you submit will be featured on Arts Midwest’s website starting in the late summer of 2025. Staff will confirm selected pieces with awardees.
Consent for Additional Offerings Yes, add me to Arts Midwest’s newsletter options (select your preferences): Professional Development Tools Yes, Arts Midwest can share my information with the NEA so that I receive information on grant opportunities and webinars. Yes, I am interested in learning more about and potentially serving as a paid panelist or focus group attendee, informing future programming at Arts Midwest.
Panel Review Process + Criteria You will receive an email confirmation to confirm receipt of your application. Arts Midwest staff will contact you if we have any questions. Awardees will be selected by a compensated panel of individuals.
The panel will be selected to ensure it reflects a broad range of perspectives and experiences, including those of disabled artists, disabled arts and cultural workers, and accessibility advocates. The panel will use three criteria in the review process: artistic intentions, community connection, and mid-career artist status. We define these below and the application materials panelists will use for each.
Each criterion is on a scale of 1-5 points for a maximum of 15 points per application.
Criteria: Artistic intentions (5 points) The connection between the purpose of the art and the artwork is clear/artist’s mission ties into artwork samples, skill is evident Support: Artist statement and artwork samples Criteria: Community connection (5 points) The relationship, and value of relationship, between applicant’s art and community is clear Support: Community statement Criteria: Mid-career artist status (5 points) Shows commitment to continued growth and exploration Support: Growth statement, artwork samples June 9, 2025: Application opens July 10, 2025: Application closes at 11:59 pm CDT July 2025: Applications reviewed by an independent panel August 2025: Awards made and awardees announced; Awardees featured on Arts Midwest website and stories Tuesday, June 17, 2025 – 11:00am (central) Register Here Tuesday, June 24, 2025 – 11:00am (central) Register Here The Midwest Award for Artists with Disabilities is an initiative of Arts Midwest.
Established in 2022 with generous support from the James Edward Scherbarth and Paul Francis Mosely Giving Fund, the award honors James Edward Scherbarth’s commitment to arts access by supporting mid-career Midwestern visual artists with disabilities.
Arts Midwest is generously supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, Illinois Arts Council Agency, Indiana Arts Commission, Iowa Arts Council, Michigan Arts and Culture Council, Minnesota State Arts Board, North Dakota Council on the Arts, Ohio Arts Council, South Dakota Arts Council, Wisconsin Arts Board, individual donors, and other institutional partners.
Midwest Award for Artists with Disabilities Stories + News 9 Artists Receive the 2025 Midwest Award for Artists with Disabilities Nine artists from across the region have received $3,000 each through an award that celebrates the exceptional work of disabled Midwestern visual artists.
Now Accepting Applications: 2025 Midwest Award For Artists With Disabilities The Midwest Award for Artists with Disabilities is a $3,000 award supporting accessibility in the arts and celebrating the work of disabled Midwestern visual artists.
9 Artists Receive the 2024 Midwest Award for Artists with Disabilities Nine artists from across the region have received $3,000 each through an award that celebrates the exceptional work of disabled Midwestern visual artists. Have questions about the Midwest Award for Artists with Disabilities? We’re here to help.
Be sure to check out our FAQs, or shoot us an email.
According to the current listing, eligibility includes: Mid-career 2D and 3D visual artists with disabilities living in the Arts Midwest region (North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, or Native Nations that share this geogr…. Confirm the full requirements in the official notice before applying.
The current listing shows $3,000. Verify award ceilings, matching requirements, and allowable costs in the official notice.
Applications for Midwest Award for Artists with Disabilities are due November 1, 2026. Build your timeline backwards from this date to cover registrations, approvals, and final submission checks.
Midwest Award for Artists with Disabilities is funded by Arts Midwest. Verify program details on the funder's official page before applying.
This opportunity targets applicants in 9 states, including North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois. Check the official notice for the full list.
Start from the official opportunity page linked in this listing — it carries the sponsor's submission instructions.
NEA Big Read Grant is sponsored by National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) (managed by Arts Midwest). The NEA Big Read Grant aims to foster community engagement through shared reading experiences. This initiative funds nonprofit organizations to host diverse reading programs, encouraging cross-cultural understanding and creativity, and strengthening community ties and civic engagement through book discussions, workshops, and creative events.
National Endowment for the Arts Big Read is sponsored by National Endowment for the Arts (managed by Arts Midwest). Supports community reading programs designed around a single NEA Big Read book. The program aims to broaden understanding of the world, communities, and ourselves through sharing good books and inspiring conversation and discovery.
Jerome Early-Career Project Grants is a grant from Forecast Public Art, funded by the Jerome Foundation, that funds the creation of new public art projects by early-career artists based in Minnesota. Two grants of $8,000 each are awarded annually to support temporary or permanent public artworks anywhere in Minnesota. Projects may be supported by public or nonprofit agencies but private commissions are not eligible, and a secured project site is required at the time of application. The program places special emphasis on supporting BIPOC and Native artists, LGBTQIA+ artists, women artists, immigrant artists, rural artists, and artists with disabilities. Eligible applicants are Minnesota-based individual artists with 2–10 years of generative experience. The application deadline was October 15, 2025.
The Local Cultural Council Program is a grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council distributing $1,000 to $10,000 through a statewide network of 329 Local Cultural Councils (LCCs) representing every city and town in the Commonwealth. Each LCC awards funds based on local community cultural needs as assessed by council members. Eligible applicants include artists, nonprofits, schools, and organizations pursuing arts, humanities, and science projects. Applications are submitted directly to local councils and are typically due by October 16. Grants from most LCCs are reimbursement-based. Massachusetts Cultural Council funds the LCCs centrally, which then regrant to community projects.
NEA Grants for Arts Projects runs its second FY cycle with a July 9 Part 1 (Grants.gov) deadline and a July 21 Part 2 (Applicant Portal) deadline. Awards run $10,000–$100,000 against a mandatory 1:1 match, and only 501(c)(3)s with five years of arts programming qualify. Here's how the two-step submission, the match math, and the five-year rule decide who actually gets funded.
Read articleRoundhouse funds rural Oregon and Tribal communities exclusively, across arts, education, environmental stewardship, and social services. Its Spring 2026 Open Call alone moved $1.6M to 125 organizations. The Fall Open Call runs June 10 to August 14, 2026. Here is how a place-based family foundation actually evaluates applicants — and how rural nonprofits should approach it.
Read articleThe OpenAI Foundation opened applications June 15 for $50M in unrestricted, one-time grants to U.S. 501(c)(3) public charities — but a tight $500K–$10M operating-budget band, a 10-percent-of-budget award ceiling, and an explicit ban on fiscal-sponsorship arrangements have made eligibility a sharper filter than the AI-curiosity test most applicants are focused on. Here is the strategic landscape, the three program lanes, and what the October notification timeline means for nonprofits considering a Q4 launch.
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