Created in 1993, Emergency Grants provides speedy funding for visual and performing artists who have unanticipated, sudden opportunities to present their work to the public, or who incur unexpected or unbudgeted expenses for projects close to completion with committed exhibition or performance dates. The grants are intended to support the creation of innovative and experimental work, and are meant to assist individuals and groups when there is insufficient time to seek other sources of funding.
Requests are primarily granted to artists who are "emerging" and have few sources of financial support. Emergency Grants is the only active, multi-disciplinary program that offers immediate assistance of this kind to artists working anywhere in the United States.
Emergency Grants applications are accepted year round; there is no deadline. There is no application form; please refer to the application requirements below. Grants are determined on a monthly basis by the Emergency Grants Panel, a volunteer committee of established artists. In 2009, grants ranged in amount from $200 to $2,000; the average grant was $1,000.
In keeping with FCA's mission of encouraging, sponsoring and promoting work of a contemporary, avant-garde nature, applicants must demonstrate that they are working within this context.
Please note that Emergency Grants does NOT provide support for the following:
Emergency Grants are supported in part by: Milton & Sally Avery Arts Foundation, The Mary Duke Biddle Foundation, Bossak-Heilbron Charitable Foundation, The Cowles Charitable Trust, Dedalus Foundation, Anne and Ken Griffin and Thanksgiving Fund.
This program is also supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council.
EMERGENCY GRANTS INFORMATION SESSIONS
FCA leads two back-to-back information sessions in the month of August; one in lower Manhattan the other in Long Island City.
Tuesday, August 3
Hosted by HERE Art Center
145 Sixth Avenue (Between Spring and Broome)
C/E to Spring St.; 1 to Houston St.; N/R to Prince St.
6:30-8:00 PM
Tuesday, August 10
Hosted by The Chocolate Factory
5-49 49th Avenue, Long Island City
7 to Vernon/Jackson; G to 21st Street/Van Alst
6:30-8:00 PM
Both information sessions are free and open to the public
Come learn about this unique grant program offered by the Foundation for Contemporary Arts. Emergency Grants are available by application to artists working in all disciplines who have sudden opportunities or unexpected expenses associated with presenting work to the public. A half-hour presentation on the program will be followed by an open Q&A session.
Application Requirements:
DUE TO OUR SMALL STAFF AND THE OVERWHELMING NUMBER OF INCOMING REQUESTS, YOUR APPLICATION MUST FOLLOW THE GUIDELINES EXACTLY AS STATED. PLEASE USE THE CHECKLIST BELOW TO ENSURE COMPLETION.
APPLICATIONS ARE ACCEPTED VIA EMAIL ONLY. NO PHONE INQUIRIES PLEASE.
To confirm that your application meets program guidelines, please review our Emergency Grants F.A.Q.s.
To apply for an Emergency Grant, artists are required to email a one-to-two page request, which must be attached as a .doc Word document (Sorry, no .docx, PDF or other formats can be accepted.) The letter must include the following information:
o Artist's or group's name, mailing address, phone number and email address
o A description of the project or opportunity
o An explanation of the timeliness and/or emergency nature of the situation
o The specific amount being requested and explanation of how an Emergency Grant would assist you in achieving your goal
o How the applicant heard about the Emergency Grants program; please mention if you or your group has received previous funding from FCA and in what capacity
o A project budget, detailing both income and expenses, included within the same Word document as your request; this budget is not part of the proposal length (Excel or PDF budgets cannot be accepted)
o Supporting images or work samples in order to help the Panel gain a sense of your work
PERFORMATIVE WORK: one audio CD OR one DVD can be mailed to FCA--please indicate in your request letter that you have sent materials by post, and include a SASE if you would like the disc returned to you, OR you can indicate websites where your work can be heard or watched.
NON-PERFORMATIVE WORK: up to four jpeg files (largest dimension = approx. 800 pixels), OR one writing sample may be attached as separate files to your email. Do not embed jpeg files in the body of your Word document.
o Link(s) to relevant websites may be included within your request
o Do not send additional supporting documents. You will be contacted by FCA if supplemental information is needed.
Requests should be emailed to: ms@contemporary-arts.org, and addressed to the Emergency Grants Panel. Incomplete or ineligible applications will not be considered.
Notification:
Receipt of your application will be acknowledged in a reply email. Please do not contact FCA about the status of your application. Applicants are notified of the Panel's decision immediately following Panel monthly meetings. Grant checks are mailed to awardees the same day. Rejected applicants may not reapply for the same proposal or request.
