New York City has raised the cap on grants for individual artists and small nonprofits from $5,000 to $10,000, the first increase in nearly 20 years. Applications are handled by a different local arts council in each borough, and deadlines vary.
New York City has doubled the cap on city grants for individual artists and small nonprofits, from $5,000 to up to $10,000. It is the first increase in nearly 20 years. The office of Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced the change on Oct. 2.
The grants are funded each year by the city's Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA), and borough arts councils serve as "regrant" partners that accept and review applications. The city said this fiscal year's DCLA budget is the largest in city history. Deputy Mayor for Economic Justice Julie Su said the increase will help more artists continue working in New York, and DCLA Commissioner Diya Biz called the move "a first step toward deeper support."
Under the "regrant" model, the city passes funding to local arts councils, which then distribute it to individual artists and neighborhood groups. The structure is meant to reach small-scale creators directly without going through large institutions, so applicants apply not to City Hall but to the arts council in the borough where they live. During the 20 years the cap stayed at $5,000, studio rents and material costs in New York rose sharply.
Application Windows and Deadlines by Borough
Brooklyn's deadline has already passed, while applications are open in the Bronx, Manhattan and Queens. Specific eligibility requirements differ by borough, so applicants should check the guidelines of the relevant organization. Full information is available at nyc.gov/artistgrants.
Grant recipients will also get expanded access to materials. Starting in October, Materials for the Arts (MFTA), the city's reuse center for art supplies, will hold a free shopping day on the first Monday of every month exclusively for recipients of local arts council grants. Reservations can be made at nyc.gov/artistgrants.