Art Grant Program
The Pierce County Arts Commission supports arts activities in Pierce County through its Art Grant program. The Commission works with a limited budget to assist projects that provide arts education, art programming, or art experiences for youth or to economically challenged areas within the County that are under-served by arts and cultural activities.
The application period for the Art Grant 2023 Funding Cycle closed on January 25, 2023.
Art Grant Application Workshop Webinar Recording
Learn more about the 2023 Pierce County Art Grant program and application process by watching the virtual workshop below!
STEP 1 |
The Pierce County Art Grant program began in 1986 to increase access to the arts, develop educational programs, provide support for unincorporated and underserved areas of Pierce County and to celebrate cultural diversity.
The Pierce County Arts Commission serves the community with a mission to provide cultural enrichment for all Pierce County residents. We are committed to supporting the entirety of our community. We invite applicants to consider how their programs can help build a stronger more empathetic community with projects that are equitable and inclusive, offer opportunities for connection and relationship building, and contribute to the social, emotional, and physical well-being of our community members.
In 2021 Pierce County awarded $23,000 in grants which funded 5 projects, served 4,300 youth, and provided programming in 35 Pierce County schools.
The Commissioners
District 1 - Joyce Alvarez District 2 - Shanna Styron Sherrell District 3 - Codi Winans District 4 - Vacant District 5 - Mizu Sugimura | District 6 - Christopher Michael Escobedo Sr District 7 - Kelly Johnson At Large - Claudia Fornasiero At Large - Faaluaina Pritchard |
Eligibility:
- Your organization is a Washington State tax-exempt, non-profit corporation under Internal Revenue Service 501(c)(3) determination.
- Your organization is physically located in Pierce County with programs serving unincorporated areas of Pierce County.
- Your project will occur between January 1 and December 31, 2023.
- Your project will facilitate arts education, art programming, or art experiences to those who reside in unincorporated Pierce County or to areas of Pierce County, outside the city limits of Tacoma, which are under-served by arts and cultural activities in one of the following categories:
- Student musical instruments
- Performance arts
- Other art disciplines
- You are aware that funding is on a reimbursable basis; your organization will be required to cover initial costs and submit approved expenditures for reimbursement at the completion of your project.
- You are aware your application may be awarded only a portion of the funding requested and that funding in one year does not guarantee funding in subsequent years.
- You agree to acknowledge Pierce County Arts Commission’s funding in all appropriate publications and media with the supplied logo materials.
- Grant recipients must provide documentation of insurance coverage required by Pierce County.
The Washington State Constitution prohibits public agencies from giving gifts. The Arts Commission may only purchase specific arts services or products to benefit the citizens of Pierce County.
Pierce County Art Grants cannot support:
- Capital improvements, purchase real property, or support administrative costs not directly
associated with the project. - Costs incurred prior to the effective date of the contract.
- Events intended as fundraisers for any organization or person(s); events not commonly recognized as general public event; events expressing or advocating an opinion, position or viewpoint on matters of political or religious issues.
- Performance events for which an admission fee is charged.
- Services before they occur. Funds will be disbursed when the project is completed and the required final reports have been submitted and accepted.
- Food, alcohol, ticket subsidies, or transportation.
- Paying students for artistic services.
- Funding scholarships.
- Discrimination of any kind. Pierce County is committed to a policy of equal opportunity regardless of race, creed, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, age, disability, veteran status, the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability, or the use of a trained guide dog or service animal by a disabled person.
Updated 1/4/2023
- Virtual Application Workshop (optional): Wednesday, December 21, 2022, 10:30 - 11 am
- Preliminary Application Feedback Deadline (optional): January 9, 2023
- Application Deadline: January 25, 2023, 4:00 pm
- Notification of Funding Decision: February 28, 2023
- Contracting Process with Funded Artists: March-May 2023
- Grant reports and invoicing submitted within 30 days after project completion. If project runs full length of year, invoice and reporting due no later than December 11, 2023.
- Project Must be Completed: December 31, 2023
STEP 2 |
Application Deadline:
January 25, 2023 at 4 p.m.
Applications are available December 14, 2022 and due no later than 4:00 pm on January 25, 2023. Late applications will not be accepted. Applications may be submitted online, mailed or delivered to the Economic Development office. Late applications will not be accepted.
- Applicant must be a tax-exempt organization incorporated as a Washington State non-profit corporation under Internal Revenue Service 501(c)(3) determination.
- Physically located in Pierce County with programs serving unincorporated areas of Pierce County.
- Project must occur between January 1 and December 31, 2023. All projects must be completed by December 31, 2023.
- Projects should provide arts education, art programming, or art experiences to lower-income youth who reside in unincorporated Pierce County or to areas of Pierce County, outside of Tacoma City limits, which are under-served by arts and cultural activities in one of the following categories:
- Student musical instruments
- Performance arts
- Other art disciplines
- Funding is on a reimbursable basis; therefore, organizations must have a source of cash-flow to support their projects during the reimbursement period.
- Funding in a given fiscal year does not guarantee funding in subsequent years.
- Applications may be awarded only a portion of the funding requested.
- Pierce County Arts Commission’s funding must be acknowledged in all appropriate publications and media with the supplied logo materials.
- Grant recipients must provide documentation of insurance coverage required by Pierce County.
The Washington State Constitution prohibits public agencies from giving gifts. The Arts Commission may only purchase specific arts services or products to benefit the citizens of Pierce County.
Pierce County Art Grants cannot support:
- Capital improvements, purchase real property, or support administrative costs not directly
associated with the project. - Costs incurred prior to the effective date of the contract.
- Events intended as fundraisers for any organization or person.
- Performance events for which an admission fee is charged.
- Services before they occur. Funds will be disbursed when the project is completed and the required final reports have been submitted and accepted.
- Food, alcohol, ticket subsidies, or transportation.
- Paying students for artistic services.
- Funding scholarships.
- Discrimination of any kind. Pierce County is committed to a policy of equal opportunity regardless of race, creed, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, age, disability, veteran status, the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability, or the use of a trained guide dog or service animal by a disabled person.
To view or download a PDF version of the guidelines and sample form, click here.
Applications will be evaluated by the Arts Commission using a variety of criteria, including but not limited to the following:
- Artistic merit of proposed project.
- Reach, breadth and impact of the project.
- Provision of art programs/services to unincorporated areas of Pierce County where such services are limited or unavailable.
- Provision of art programs/services to lower-income youth.
- Proposed project is equitable and inclusive, offers opportunity for connection and relationship building, and contributes to the well-being of community members.
- Demonstrated managerial capability of the organization.
- Contributed and earned revenues beyond funding requested from Pierce County Arts Commission.
- Demonstrated community support for the project and/or organization.
Awards generally range from $500 to $5,000.
Successful applicants will be notified on or around February 28, 2023
Steps 3 & 4 information will be shared after grant selections have been announced.
Contact information
Mail physical locations to: Pierce County Arts Commission c/o Pierce County Economic Development Department 950 Pacific Avenue, Suite 525 Tacoma, WA 98402 | To submit applications via email, send to: [email protected] |
Kari Rinn, Specialist– Arts, Mon-Wed P | 253.798.7365 | Valerie Coty, Administrative Assistant P | 253.798.6150 |