Applications Sought for 2021 Recover Forward Grants for the Arts

Bloomington, Ind. –  The Bloomington Urban Enterprise Association (BUEA) and the Bloomington Arts Commission (BAC) are seeking applications for funding to foster the arts and cultivate cultural experiences in Bloomington as part of Mayor John Hamilton’s initiative to Recover Forward from the COVID-19 pandemic.  

Artists, nonprofit organizations, and businesses in the arts and cultural sector may apply for funds at bloomington.in.gov/arts/grants.  Applications will be evaluated according to organizational capacity, community impact, equity and inclusion efforts, artistic quality, and programming needs. Completed applications are due Friday, October 29, at 5 p.m., with awards to be announced and distribution anticipated by late November. Projects can begin no earlier than November 30, 2021 and must be completed by December 31, 2022.  

Grant applications can be submitted under three categories: 

• Operating Support: Non-profit organizations may apply for up to 5% of their total operating budget (including in-kind operating expenses) for the most recently completed fiscal year 

• Project Support: Individuals or organizations may apply for up $2000 of project support

• Emerging Artists: Individual artists in the early stages of their career and not yet established within the field may apply for up to $500 of support for a public-facing project

A live, online informational session followed by questions from the public will be held on Wednesday October 6, at 6 p.m. Registration is available at this link.  Bloomington Arts Commissioners will hold office hours for anyone interested in discussing the application process between October 18 and October 22. Please contact Holly Warren, Assistant Director for the Arts and Staff Liaison to the Bloomington Arts Commission at holly.warren@bloomington.in.gov or 812-349-3534 to schedule an appointment with a commissioner. 

“As arts organizations develop new ways to showcase art and welcome audiences back, the City is committed to helping them carry on and flourish,” said Hamilton.  “As we continue to recover forward, it’s essential to support the artists and organizations at the center of Bloomington’s quality of place and its appeal as a regional destination.” 

The BUEA and the BAC will provide $100,000 in grant funding for the fall 2021 cycle for organizations whose programming was interrupted or otherwise impacted by the pandemic. Since March 2020, the BUEA and BAC have been working alongside the Economic Stabilization and Recovery Working Group (ES&R), convened by Mayor Hamilton to oversee the City’s response to the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, an effort that has evolved into the City’s multi-year Recover Forward initiative. This latest grants cycle is one of a series of commitments to artists and arts organizations the City has made since the start of the pandemic to this hard-hit sector.

Additional resources for arts organizations, businesses, individuals, and those wishing to provide assistance are listed at the websites of the City of Bloomington and the Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce.