BOPA works with public and private funders to provide grants to artists and arts organizations through various programs.
Lots Alive – BOPA and the Baltimore Office of Sustainability’s Growing Green Initiative welcome proposals from visual and performing artists, designers, and architects for the second cycle of the Lots Alive grant program. Lots Alive supports the creation of temporary public art projects sited on vacant lots within the Baltimore City limits. For this grant cycle, five neighborhoods have identified potential sites for artist activation. Those neighborhoods include: Broadway East, Coldstream Homestead Montebello, Park Heights, Druid Heights and Upton. Winning proposals will be eligible for grants ranging from $2,000 to $10,000. To apply, view the RFP HERE. The deadline for proposals is Friday, June 24, 2016.
For those interested in submitting an application, there is a Lots Alive Info Session taking place on Saturday, June 6 from 6-7pm. The info session will be held at Jubilee Arts, 1947 Pennsylvania Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21217.
Photo credit: Magic Garden Portal by Kim Loper & Jubilee Arts; photo by Dave Friskey, spoticusphotography.com
Free Fall Baltimore – Free Fall Baltimore was developed in 2006 as part of BOPA’s celebration of National Arts and Humanities Month taking place in October. Free Fall Baltimore was launched as an initiative to develop interest in and audiences for the arts by providing free access to cultural programs and financial and marketing support to cultural organizations. Throughout the entire month of October, Free Fall Baltimore responds to four community needs:
- Audience Development: Arts organizations face difficulties in retaining and increasing their audiences.
- Eliminating Accessibility Barriers: Due to cost, audiences are frequently deterred from trying new arts experiences or revisiting venues.
- Public Relations & Marketing: Limited public relations and marketing budgets for paid advertising reduce arts organizations’ abilities to build audiences.
- Visibility: General public is often unaware of Baltimore’s diverse arts and cultural opportunities.
- Organizations with operating budgets under $300,000 can apply for small grants to help underwrite expenses for presenting free programming during Free Fall Baltimore. Applications for Free Fall 2017 Coming Soon! For more information, contact rvega@promotionandarts.org
PNC Transformative Art Prize– The PNC Transformative Art Prize awards funds to qualified neighborhood associations and community-based, nonprofit groups for the purpose of strengthening neighborhoods by producing major art projects. Communities are required to partner with artists and/or arts organizations to reinvent community spaces using art. The Transformative Art Prize focuses on bringing the arts community and community development together to create a dramatic impact that will attract visitors to your neighborhood. For more information on the PNC Transformative Art Prize, contact Maggie Villegas at mvillegas@promotionandarts.org for more info. Check back for announcement of 2016 winners soon!