CNY Artsgrant
CNY Arts Statewide Community Regrants: Artist Commissions
- Who Can Apply: Individual artists aged 18 or older who are residents of Cortland, Herkimer, Madison, Oneida, Onondaga or Oswego County, New York. In this category only individual artists may apply: the guidelines' eligibility table does not allow organizations or unincorporated entities (collectives) to apply for Artist Commissions. Students enrolled in a full-time degree program and direct NYSCA 2027 applicants are not eligible.
- The Focus: Creation of new work by local artists, with a required public community engagement component (exhibition, performance, reading, screening, workshop, artist talk, or community participation in the creative process) in the artist's home county during 2027.
- The Funding: Up to $5,000 per commission, with no match required. Partial funding is common. Payments are expected in June 2027.
- Key Requirements: Attend or view a mandatory CNY Arts grant seminar, then apply in Submittable with proof of county residence, a 250-word artist statement, project narratives, a project budget, a resume or CV document, and artistic samples (up to five files plus links; visual artists up to 8 images).
DeadlineSunday, October 25, 2026
AwardUp to $5,000 per Artist Commission. Partial awards are common: CNY Arts notes that in 2026 the majority of grantees received less than their full request.
Program datesJanuary 1, 2027 to December 31, 2027
LocationSyracuse, NY
ParticipationRemote
Career stagesAll Stages
Disciplinesvisual arts, music, performance, dance, film/video, literature
Age range18–
Application notesApply online through Submittable (cnyarts.submittable.com/submit), in the form "2027 Statewide Community Regrants | ARTIST COMMISSION". Before applying, you must attend a CNY Arts 2027 SCR grant information seminar or view the recorded webinar (sign up through CNY Arts; attendance is checked and applications without it are not considered). The live seminars ran from September 10 to September 28, 2026, so the recorded webinar is now the way to meet this requirement: sign up through the seminar registration form linked on the CNY Arts page and follow the instructions in the video to confirm you watched it in full. The applicant must be an individual artist; the form asks for your legal name, legal address and Social Security number. Required: applicant legal name and legal address; county; proof of residence (one of: telephone bill, utility bill, first page of a credit card or bank statement, current lease or mortgage agreement, NY State driver's license or ID, or voter registration card); Social Security number (for payment only); primary artistic discipline; artist statement (250-word limit); social media or web presence; brief project summary (75-word limit); project start and end dates for the public activities; primary venue/location; number of public activities; expected in-person and virtual audience and how you estimated them; admission costs if any; total project budget and grant request (maximum $5,000); project budget form completed in Submittable; budget summary and notes (suggested 250 words or less); choice between accepting partial funding or full funding only; detailed project description (suggested 500 words or less); artistic and cultural merit (suggested 500 words or less); one document with resumes, CVs or bios of the artists and key personnel; artistic samples (required, as links or attachments, up to five files, with a separate field for permanent, non-password-protected links); service to the public (suggested 500 words or less); marketing and engagement strategy (suggested 500 words or less); project timeline; NY State reporting data; digital signature. Work sample limits in the guidelines: visual artists up to 8 images, each with title, date, dimensions and media; musicians, performers, dancers and filmmakers up to five minutes of audio or video; poets and writers up to six double-spaced manuscript pages. Optional: 1 to 3 letters of support; additional support materials (up to 10 files or links). If applying with a fiscal sponsor (optional), also upload a fiscal sponsorship agreement, the sponsor's proof of nonprofit status, most recent financial statement and board member affiliation list. Not eligible: student projects, juried shows and competitions, events in private residences, and public art such as murals installed on private property. Recipients must sign the funding agreement by June 30, 2027 and submit a final report within 30 days of completing the project.
Contactgrants@cnyarts.org
CNY Arts