2026 Artist Grant
Ends on
Full grant program details can be found: https://artsfoundtucson.org/grant/2026-artist-grant/
The Arts Foundation for Tucson and Southern Arizona, with generous support from the City of Tucson, Pima County Department of Community & Workforce Development, the Mellon Foundation, the Arizona Commission on the Arts, and the Arizona Community Foundation, will accept proposals for funding from artists. These funds are intended to help support jobs in the arts sector by investing in Southern Arizona’s arts economy to 1) Restore/create jobs, 2) Incentivize arts & civic engagement, and 3) Foster viable compensation for creative work.
Now in its second year, the 2026 Artist Grant will support individual artists living and working in Tucson and Southern Arizona. The Arts Foundation developed the program in response to articulated community needs, with the working artist in mind. The program is open to individual artists who have identified a Client they want to work with.
The program is open to eligible applicants located within the Arts Foundation’s service area, which includes counties and Tribal Nations that reside between the southern edges of the Gila River to the US-Mexico international border. All complete and eligible applications will be part of a competitive peer-panel review process.
Only individual artists can apply directly through this program. The awarded funds will be made directly to the applicant, in exchange for arts services provided to the Client identified in the proposal. Arts services are defined as services informed by the artist’s creative practice, in any discipline.
Artists may request funding to provide arts services like, but not restricted to:
- Consultation (advising and strategy)
- Creation of Artwork in any medium (visual, literary, performance, etc.)
- Design of Artwork in any medium (installation, animation, social media design, etc.)
- Facilitation
- Mentorship (peer to peer mentorship, career development, artistic technique development, portfolio consultations, etc.)
- Other types of tangible artistic services
- Presentation (Delivery of arts programming, performance, etc.)
- Training (workshop, arts education, instruction of other kinds)
Clients may include but not be limited to:
- Artist peers
- Businesses
- Community groups
- Community/civic partners
- Entities/partners outside the arts sector
- Government agencies
- LLCs
- Non-profit 501(c)(3) organizations
- Presenting venues/entities
- Schools
Upon completion, the artist’s profile will be promoted as a vetted business service provider in our online Arts Directory for Southern Arizona. This workforce investment advocates for an environment of mutual respect between artists, community, public and private institutions.
If you have any questions regarding submission of the application, please reach out to Gabriela Muñoz, Director of Grants and Programs at grants@artsfoundtucson.org