UMass Arts Council Grants
Grants may be used for funding of a wide range of arts-related projects or events (including series) that involve or benefit other members of the UMass community. Projects are generally funded at no more than thirty percent of the total project budget. Projects that are managed or co-managed by students are accorded priority. This provides students with opportunities to learn about all aspects of arts programming from program design and grant writing to publicity and program presentation. Council grants support programs in virtually every arts discipline: music, dance, theater, interdisciplinary performances, visual arts, film and video, literary publications, and lecture series. Because grants are competitive, the quality of presentation, innovative programming, well-prepared budgets, and citation of matching funds play important roles in the funding decisions. The arts council's ability to fund these projects is contingent upon accurate reporting of the number of students participating in and attending these events.
The UMass Arts Council offers the following types of grants
Single Project/Event Grants
-
Support a single arts-related project, event or series
-
Maximum award of $2,000 per event
-
Please note, individuals are not eligible
Mini-Grants
-
Support small art events on campus
-
Maximum award of $750
-
Individuals may be eligible to apply if they meet all other requirements
Eligibility
Grants are awarded to
-
Groups and organizations that are affiliated with the University of Massachusetts Amherst and involve UMass students through program management, participation and/or as an audience in arts-related events
-
Applicants with a general operating fund or revenue-accepting fund
Examples of eligible organizations include registered student organizations, academic departments, and cultural centers.
Although individuals are not eligible to apply for grants, those who are sponsored by academic departments, registered student organizations, and other campus groups that meet all other criteria may be eligible for mini-grants (though not single projects/events grants).
The arts council is not able to support fundraising and profit-making events.
Funding criteria: The council prefers to fund proposals that
-
Demonstrate strong artistic merit
-
Originate with student groups
-
Are held on campus, except in unusual circumstances
-
Involve several different organizations
-
Demonstrate good organization and planning
-
Have realistic budgets that have multiple funding sources
-
Have the support of an academic department, RSO or other campus group
-
Have a high impact to the UMass/arts community and/or contribution to the art form
-
Take accessibility into consideration (could include approachability, access, and/or ability)
-
Speak to the mission of the arts council
-
Accurately measure the number of students attending/visiting the event/exhibition
Restrictions
-
Council funds may not be used to support wages, salaries or honoraria for UMass students, staff or faculty; hospitality, such as transportation, receptions, and hotel accommodations; and fundraising activities.
-
Applicants may not apply for the same program or event in both the single projects/events category and the mini-grant category unless referred by the council.
-
Grants are awarded to groups and organizations that are affiliated with the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and have a GOF or revenue accepting fund (speed type, department ID, and fund numbers are requested on cover sheet). Funds are processed and dispersed only through the University accounting system.
-
Incomplete applications are unlikely to be funded.
-
Applications must be received by noon on the due date to be considered. Late proposals will be considered at the next funding cycle, provided the project does not begin before the notification date of that cycle.
-
Council funds may not be used to support events associated with Fine Arts Center presentations/exhibitions.
Application Process and Deadlines
Determine your eligibility
-
I represent a UMass group/organization whose project involves UMass students
-
I represent a UMass group/organization that has a GOF or revenue-accepting fund
-
I am an individual applying for a mini-grant who is sponsored by an academic department, RSO or other campus group and who meets all other criteria
Note the application deadline. Applications must be received by noon on the due dates listed on this page.
Complete the on-line application. Make sure to have:
-
Completed online form (incomplete applications are unlikely to be funded)
-
Project narrative
-
Accurate and balanced budget (must use provided form)
-
Letter(s) of support
-
Faculty or Center for Student Development advisor approval
-
Business manager approval
***The deadline is noon on the specified date***
Previous Grant Recipients: Mini Grants
2024-2025
|
You Won't See This On Social Media / Anna C. Kefalas
|
$750 |
|
Dentata / Antigone J. Brandel-Iuliano
|
$550 |
|
UMASS Dance Group - Carmen Suite / Caroline Ball
|
$518 |
|
Bernd Sahling Film Screening with Q/A / DEFA FILM LIBRARY
|
$750 |
|
Dandiya Night
|
$238.24 |
2023-2024
|
Gutenberg! The Musical! / UMass Department of Theater
|
$750 |
|
AUDIENCE / UMass Department of Theater
|
$363 |
|
The New Albion Radio Hour / UMass Department of Theater
|
$300 |
|
Spring Awakening the Musical / UMass Department of Theater
|
$750 |
|
Art for Community Sake / UMass Art Department
|
$750 |
|
Measurement of Well-Being / UMass Art Department
|
$750 |
|
Costume Design for Unconformity / UMass Department of Theater
|
$660 |
|
Fly By Night / UMass Department of Theater
|
$401 |
|
Tracks / UMass Department of Theater
|
$570 |
|
Clay Tells All / UMass Department of Theater
|
$450 |
|
A Space For Us / UMass Department of Theater
|
$750 |
|
Clothes Upcycling Event / UMass Art Club
|
$225 |
|
UMass Animation Film Festival / UMass Animation Collective
|
$230 |
|
Tafannun: The Interplay of Handicraft, Art, Governance / UMass Art Department April 24, 2024. Herter Gallery |
$600 |
2022-2023
|
Beatrice's Dragon: A Tavern Tale for the Theater Department Fringe Festival / Department of Theater
|
$750 |
|
The Dolls of New Albion / Department of Theater
|
$750 |
|
Redefining Resilience / UMass Theater Department
|
$350 |
|
The Insanity of Mary Girard / UMass Theater Department
|
$510 |
|
Alternate Reality Game / Department of Theater
|
$500 |
|
Meraki Studio’s Spring ‘23 UMass Animation Film Festival / Meraki Studio |
$177 |
|
Performance and Recording of Sandor Jemnitz's Sonata for Saxophone and Banjo / Pantelis Lykoudis
|
$750 |
|
Massachusetts Flute Festival / UMass Flute Studio
|
$750 |
|
Wall@SAB Opening / Henry Prentiss
|
$210 |
|
Department of Art Open Studios / MFA and BFA students
|
$436 |
|
Undergraduate Exhibition Herter Gallery / ART 401 Professional Practices Undergraduate Students
|
$280 |
2021-2022
|
A Midsummer Night's Dream / Theater Department |
$650 |
|
24 Hour Play Festival / Department of Theater |
$500 |
|
it's about feeling: A Senior Thesis Concert / Stephanie Schramm |
$300 |
|
Bending Dimensions / Lily Tejeda |
$250 |
Previous Grant Recipients: Single Project/Event Grants
2024-2025
|
The Mark Roskill Symposium in Art History / Gengwei Guo
|
$2000 |
|
Tabletop Roleplaying: Community Performance, Design, and Development / Cameron D. Hoskins
|
$750 |
|
UMass Theatre Guild's production of Murder on the Orient Express / Kasper J. Mcininch
|
$2000 |
|
WMUA 91.1FM / WMUA
|
$2000 |
|
mOthertongue: A Multilingual Journal of the Arts / UMass Amherst Comparative Literature Program and the Edwin C. Gentzler Translation Center
|
$1000 |
|
Umass Theatre Guild’s production of Heathers the Musical / Ryan D. Carrigan
|
$1000 |
|
Cape Verdean Awareness Night / Nina S. Medis
|
$2000 |
|
UMass Dance Junior Choreography Projects / Sadie R. Arundale
|
$2000 |
|
42nd Annual New England Saxophone Symposium / Sarin Ritter-Raven
|
$2000 |
|
UMass Dance Senior Thesis Showcase / Madison Farmer
|
$2000 |
|
Western Massachusetts Flute Festival / Kaitlyn E. Burns
|
$2000 |
|
Umass Theatre guild's production of Jesus Christ Superstar/ Rena Marthaler, Olivia Soolman, Ryan Carrigan
|
$1000 |
|
UMass Theatre Guild's Production of Romeo & Juliet / Rena Marthaler, Olivia Soolman, Ryan Carrigan
|
$1377 |
|
Diwali Celebration / Priyadharsini Manivannan
|
$1890 |
|
Academia de Bachata / Wilma Crespo
|
$2000 |
2023-2024
|
DEI Workshop & Collaborative Art / UMass Art Department
|
$2000 |
|
Art & Science Residency & Exhibit / UMass History Department
|
$2000 |
|
AWOOGA / UMass Dance Department
|
$471 |
|
mOthertongue: A Multilingual Journal of the Arts / Comparative Literature May 1, 2024, 6pm. Commonwealth Honors College Events Hall |
$500 |
|
HASA CASA / Haitian American Student Association
|
$500 |
|
Western Massachusetts Flute Festival / UMass Flute Studio
|
$2000 |
|
Paperbark Magazine Issue 05 Launch / UMass English Department
|
$1000 |
|
Mindfulness and Wheelthrowing / UMass Art Department
|
$605 |
|
Senior Thesis Concert / UMass Dance Department
|
$2000 |
|
Junior Choreography Project / UMass Dance Department
|
$2000 |
|
CLARIconNEcT 2024, Play with the Pros / UMass Amherst Clarinet Studio February 18, 2024, 8am. Bromery Center for the Arts |
$2000 |
|
Multicultural Night / Student Government Association
|
$2000 |
|
Production of Pippin / UMass Theatre Guild
|
$1600 |
|
Afro Ball 2023 / African Students Association
|
$2000 |
|
Rumors Performance / UMass Theatre Guild
|
$1400 |
2022-2023
|
Vietnamese Summer Art Program / UMass Studio Arts Students
|
$2000 |
|
Here, Life is Beautiful–Culture, Community & Chaos in Cabaret / UMass Department of Theater
|
$1000 |
|
Speaking from Experience - Junior Choreography Projects / UMass Dance Department
|
$2000 |
|
Seussical The Musical / UMass Theatre Guild
|
$1755 |
|
mOthertongue: A Multilingual Journal of the Arts / mOthertongue Editorial Board May 2023. |
$500 |
|
Asian Night / Asian American Student Assocition
|
$2000 |
|
New England Saxophone Festival / UMass Amherst Saxophone Studios
|
$2000 |
|
Picasso at the Lapin Agile / UMass Theatre Guild
|
$1704 |
|
Mural Restoration Project of The Good Friday Agreement @ 25: An Art of Conflict Transformation Event Series / Art of Conflict Transformation Event Series, Legal Studies Program, Department of Political Science, UMASS Amherst
|
$2000 |
|
CLARIconNEcT 2023 / UMass Amherst Clarinet Studio
|
$2000 |
|
Paperbark Magazine Issue 04 Launch / Paperbark Magazine
|
$1760 |
|
Diving Inward, A Senior Thesis Dance Concert / UMass Dance Department
|
$2000 |
|
Encouraging Social Change through Art / Leila Rahnamanoabadi and Cima Khademi
|
$1050 |
|
The Rocky Horror Show / UMass Theatre Guild
|
$1489 |
|
Diwali Night / Indian Student Association
|
$750 |
2021-2022
|
Half in Dream / The Department of Art |
$750 |
|
Webgirl / Theater Department |
$2000 |
|
The Other America / Department of Theater |
$368 |
|
Urinetown / UMass Theatre Guild |
$1923 |
|
New England Saxophone Festival / UMass Amherst Saxophone Studios |
$2000 |
|
Taylor Rose Mickens Senior Concert and Srts Mutual Aid Exhibit / Department of Theater |
$900 |
|
mOthertongue: A Multilingual Journal of the Arts / mOthertongue Editorial Board |
$500 |
|
Red: Passion and Patience in the Desert / Department of Theater |
$1200 |
|
A Space In-Between MFA Thesis Show / Cima Khademi |
$750 |
|
The Moors / UMass Theatre Guild |
$1149 |
|
The Name is a Guest of the Substance / Jessica Scott |
$750 |
|
Graduate Student Production of "Late: A Cowboy Song" / UMass Department of Theater |
$418 |
|
Creative Sustainabilities / Paperbark Magazine |
$2000 |
|
Clariconnect! The Clarinet Day / UMass Amherst Clarinet Studio |
$2000 |
|
Streets of Seoul / Korean Students Association |
$2000 |
|
University Dancers and Percussion Ensemble: "Fire, Air, Earth, and Water" / UMass University dancers and UMass percussion ensemble |
$2000 |
Tips for applying for funding from the UMass Arts Council
-
Make sure you submit all of the required information
-
Double-check that your budget is balanced and you are using the correct form
-
References are recommended, even if not required
Do
-
Focus on the impact of the project/event (instead of just logistics)
-
Highlight how the project impacts the UMass/arts community
-
Clarify the quality of the arts experience
-
Carefully review your complete application before submitting it
-
Use the budget form provided
-
Describe how you will count the number of students attending/visiting your event/exhibit/performance
Don't
-
Ask for funding for food or receptions.
-
Ask for funding for fundraisers.
Resources
A well-crafted grant application can be the key to determining whether you receive funding. Whether you are considering applying for funding from the UMass Arts Council or you are looking to apply to other funding sources, we hope these resources can be helpful in guiding your process.
-
Tips for writing artist grant applications (Source: IndyArts Council)
-
How to talk about your art in a grant application (Source: Fractured Atlas)
-
How to get artist grants & funding (Source: Artwork Archive)
-
Write a better artist grant application in 15 steps (Source: Format)
-
Top 5 tips for successful grant proposals (Source: Grantspace)
Application Deadlines
FALL 2025:
9/23/2025
10/28/2025
SPRING 2026:
3/3/2026
4/7/2026
All applications are due at noon on the day of the deadline
More Information
Contact Information:
Fax: (413) 545-0132
Email: acouncil@acad.umass.edu
The Arts Council does not have full-time staff. Please leave your message or send an email and a staff member will contact you.
Mailing Address:
UMass Arts Council
10 Curry Hicks - 100 Hicks Way
University of Massachusetts Amherst
Amherst, MA 01003-9267
Please note that the Arts Council is only staffed during the academic year!
