Applications are now open for the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod’s (AFCC) Capacity Building Grants Program, which helps artists in Martha’s Vineyard, Cape Cod and Nantucket take the next step in their creative endeavors.
Artists should apply below. Arts FoundationThe application deadline is Friday, November 17th.
“This is an incredible six-month opportunity for local artists to learn the skills they need to be financially sustainable,” said Arts Foundation Executive Director Julie Wake. “Artists leave the program with a business plan with actionable steps they can implement in their work, connect with peers who can support each other toward their professional goals, and receive funding to support their artistic practice when they complete the program.”
Artists of all skill levels, abilities and mediums are welcome to apply. Up to 15 artists will be selected for the 2024 cohort by a jury of successful local artists in their fields. The cohort will be announced in December and the program will run from January to June next year.
This is the second year the Arts Foundation has run the Capacity Development Grants program, and in September the first cohort of 11 artists completed the program’s inaugural round.
It aims to help artists think holistically about their work and focus on the business side of their practice. Participants in the next cohort will have access to several workshops, including “Taxes for Artists, Freelancers and Creative Businesses” with artist Hannah Cole and “The Art of Licensing” with illustrator Alison Cole.
Members of the group will also receive one-on-one mentoring from local experts who will help artists develop their own business plans, and each member will receive a $2,000 working capital grant to invest in their creative endeavors.
“This is the catalyst that people need to grow, and that's what the Capacity Development Grants program gave me,” says Laura Chabot, a visual artist and art teacher from Provincetown who was part of the inaugural artist cohort. “What is success as an artist? It's a fundamental question that we have to ask ourselves. It's different for everyone, but for me, this program has been so amazing.”
The Capacity Building Grants Program is funded by Massachusetts American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, as well as support from the Cape Cod Foundation, the William Loveis Estate, Cape Cod 5, the John K. and Thirza F. Davenport Foundation, South Shore Playhouse Associates, the Kelley Foundation and the Woods Hole Foundation.
