Queens-based artists and nonprofit organizations can receive up to $590,260 in grants this year thanks to additional funding provided by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA).
DCLA’s funding for the Queens Council on the Arts’ (QCA) Queens Art Fund (QAF) grant program increased by 17 percent over last year’s total, and 3.5 times the amount provided in Fiscal Year 2017.
The increase, which has allowed QCA to provide larger grants to more artists, has continued to receive support Mayor Bill de Blasio and the City Council.
“As I know from my 24 years working at Queens arts organizations, artists and emerging arts groups are essential to the vibrancy and social connections of the borough’s diverse communities,” said NYC Cultural Affairs Commissioner Tom Finkelpearl. “We have increased funding for artist grants nearly fourfold citywide as part of the CreateNYC cultural plan’s commitment to supporting the creative life of New York City.”
In 2019, QCA awarded $527,600 in grants to 104 individual artists and 84 organizations for the creation of arts and cultural programming for the borough of Queens.
QCA Executive Director Hoong Yee Krakauer said they’re pleased to work in close partnership with DCLA to support the creative community in Queens.
Applications for 2019 QAF grants may be submitted online until Tuesday, Oct. 29.
QAF offers grants to Queens-based individual artists, collectives, and nonprofit organizations offering distinctive arts and cultural programming that directly serves the community of Queens.
For Queens-based nonprofit organizations, QAF offers two grant opportunities. The Arts Access Grant (funded by DCLA) and the Community Arts Grant (funded by NYSCA), each ranging from $1,000-$5,000. These project-based grants support nonprofit organizations and artist collectives partnering with Queens community organizations to create cultural projects and arts activities that enhance the vibrancy in Queens communities and neighborhoods.
For artists, QAF offers the New Work Grant (funded by DCLA), which supports individual artists of all artistic disciplines who live or have a studio in Queens for the creation of new work. New Work Grants are $3,000, and do not require fiscal sponsorship.
Funds cover costs for eligible projects such as:
- Projects with a public component that benefit Queens communities
- Arts activities taking place within Queens in the 2020 calendar year
- Individual artists’ costs needed for the execution of a cultural project (direct administration costs, marketing and publicity costs, venue rentals as well as supplies and materials)
For more information, visit queenscouncilarts.org/qaf/
