The New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) is offering FY2027 “Support for Artists” grants, providing $10,000 in direct support to individual artists for the creation and development of new work across a wide range of disciplines.
Artists must apply through a fiscal sponsor, and Arts Services Inc. (ASI) is available to support applicants through the process. As a fiscal sponsor, ASI submits applications to NYSCA on behalf of artists, provides administrative oversight, and handles required grant reporting for funded projects. An administrative fee of 5% is deducted from the total award. If your application is not funded, there is no fee.
Eligible artistic disciplines include:
- Choreographer Commissions
- Composer Compositions
- Film, Media, and New Technology
- Folk and Traditional Arts
- Interdisciplinary
- Literature
- Theater Commissions
- Visual Arts
This opportunity is designed to support artists who are developing new projects and seeking funding to invest in their creative process.
Additional Considerations for FY2027 Applicants
Due to an unexpected applicant cap in FY2026, some eligible applicants were not able to be considered for funding. ASI successfully advocated for those artists to remain eligible this year and will prioritize those applicants for FY2027 consideration.
Per NYSCA’s guidelines, ASI cannot accept FY2027 applications from artists who applied in FY2026, regardless of funding status.
Remaining application opportunities will be limited to artists who:
- Live within ASI’s service area (Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie & Niagara Counties)
- Demonstrate strong project readiness, including clear plans, established partnerships where applicable, and preparedness to complete the proposed work within the grant timeline
How to Apply with ASI as Your Fiscal Sponsor
To apply with ASI, you’ll need to complete an intake form and schedule a pre-application meeting so we can determine your eligibility and provide guidance.
Important Deadlines:
- By Wednesday, June 24, 2026: Read NYSCA’s Support for Artists Guidelines AND complete ASI’s intake form to schedule your required pre-application meeting with a member of our team. After you submit the intake form, an ASI team member will review your materials and follow up within three business days with next steps regarding a pre-application meeting.
- By Wednesday, July 1, 2026: Submit all final grant materials to ASI. This is a hard deadline – ASI must then review and upload your application to the NYSCA portal on your behalf.
- July 8, 2026: NYSCA’s “Support for Artists” deadline. ASI will submit all necessary materials on your behalf in advance of this date. You will receive conformation from ASI when your materials have been submitted.
Please note: You must complete a pre-application meeting with ASI in order to use us as your fiscal sponsor.
We’re here to guide you through the process — reach out any time with questions at [email protected].
