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.
Introducing Cultural Sustainability: A WESTAF Grants and Peer Cohort Program for Arts Organizations of Color. Launched with support from The Wallace Foundation and in partnership with the five other U.S. Regional Arts Organizations (USRAOs), Cultural Sustainability targets organizations with annual operating budgets below $500,000 that boast a minimum of three years of programming history. Applications are now closed.
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.
ArtsHERE is a new initiative from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), in partnership with South Arts and in collaboration with the other five U.S. Regional Arts Organizations, aimed at expanding access to arts participation in our country. ArtsHERE provides non-matching grant support for organizations that demonstrate a commitment to equity within their practices and programming. The deadline to submit a Statement of Interest has passed. Join our mailing list to be notified about new opportunities.
Questions? Contact us at artshere@westaf.org.
BIPOC Artist Fund
The WESTAF Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) Artist Fund provides resources to and for BIPOC artists living in the 16 states and jurisdictions in the WESTAF region. The program emphasizes self-determination for BIPOC artists and their communities. WESTAF will invest in the well-being and safety of BIPOC artists, cultural practitioners, and collaboratives by providing no-strings-attached funding and support.
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.
