In recognizing that the work of equity, both internally and externally is an ongoing and ever-evolving commitment, WESTAF approaches grant making through an equity lens, focusing on underrepresented and rural communities and striving to connect and inspire artists, leaders, and communities, strengthening the arts field by catalyzing change and building a more inclusive arts and culture sector.
TourWest is a competitive grant program, supported by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, that provides subsidies to arts and community organizations for the presentation of touring performers and literary artists within the 13-state WESTAF region and the Pacific jurisdictions.
Relief and Recovery Grants
With the support of federal and private funding, WESTAF was able to prioritize relief and recovery funding to arts organizations and artists throughout the 13-state region and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). Largely, these were organizations that were most impacted by the pandemic but had received little or no funding support up to that point. This allowed WESTAF to build new funding relationships across the sector.
BIPOC Artist Fund
WESTAF is thrilled to share the launch of the Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) Artist Fund, a new fund designed in partnership with WESTAF’s Leaders of Color Network that provides resources to and for BIPOC artists living and working in the 16 states and jurisdictions in the WESTAF region to advance their own artistic practice and goals.
