Culture Guidelines

GENERAL

How are you defining an arts organization of color?

We define arts organizations of color as organizations whose primary practices and mission are by, for, and about artists, cultures, and communities of color. Indicators may include but are not limited to the presence of some combination of: organizational mission; executive, artistic, and governance leadership; programmatic content; artists; and audience.

Do you fund initiatives outside of Chicago?

The large majority of our Culture Program funding goes to support arts organizations located within the city of Chicago. The exception to this is the Joyce Awards where, in addition to Chicago, we fund commissioning arts and community organizations based in the following Great Lakes cities: Cleveland, Detroit, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Minneapolis-St. Paul. For more information about the Joyce Awards, click here.

What kinds of media/genres do you fund?

We value arts organizations and artistic practices across all disciplines, traditions, and genres but our funding has historically focused on supporting projects and organizations of high artistic accomplishment spanning the visual, performing, and multi-disciplinary arts.

Do you provide general operating support, or must we apply for specific project funds?

We provide general operating support through our Resilience grants to arts organizations of color (see definition above). We also provide Leadership grants to support core staff positions and Digital Initiatives grants to these same organizations, initiatives which we believe are essential to aid in the recovery and growth of the sector. Open to a wider range of organizations, Artistic Production and Professional Development grants are also available.

What is the average annual award amount for each grant opportunity?

Average annual award amounts differ depending on initiative:

• Resilience grants: $20,000–$90,000
• Leadership grants: $50,000–$80,000
• Digital Initiatives grants: $25,000–$50,000
• Joyce Awards: $75,000 (with at least $25,000 for artist stipends)
• Artistic Production grants: $25,000–$50,000
• Professional Development grants: $20,000–$75,000

What is the typical length of time covered by your grant awards?

Grant duration differs depending on initiative:

• Resilience grants: 2–3 years
• Leadership grants: 2 years
• Digital Initiatives grants: 1–2 years
• Joyce Awards: 12–18 months
• Artistic Production grants: 1–2 years
• Professional Development: 1–3 years

Do you fund arts education programs?

No, we do not support school based or K–12 curricular arts education. However, we may consider general operating support to arts organizations whose work may include, but is not limited to, providing high quality, community-based arts instruction to adults and families.

Do you fund capital development projects?

We generally do not make grants for capital campaigns.

Do you support arts journalism and criticism?

Through the Joyce Foundation’s Journalism program area, we welcome proposals that seek to (a) expand the body of arts journalism and criticism, centering the work of artists of color or (b) support early-career development and pipelines for art journalists and critics of color.

CREATIVE ORGANIZATIONS

What is the operating size of organizations you fund?

While we don’t have strict requirements for applicants’ budget sizes, we tend to fund arts organizations of color (see definition above) whose operating budgets range from under $300K to $2.5M.

What do you look for in organizations applying for support under your Creative Organizations focus area?

First, organizations applying for support under our Creative Organizations focus area should self-identify as an “organization of color” (see definition above). Second, we prioritize funding for organizations that demonstrate the following:

• Artistic excellence and creative depth and complexity at consistently high levels
• Commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion
• Explores, engages, or brings forward the stories and concerns of underrepresented communities and populations
• Resonance with timely themes, histories, or concerns
• Effective planning and demonstrated track record of achieving what it sets out to do
• Strong leadership
• Solid financial management

What types of projects do you support in the Digital Initiatives grants area?

Eligible projects include but are not limited to website improvement/refreshes, new digital exhibitions and programs, virtual programming and performances, digital collections, new revenue models, and audience building initiatives, as well as field building initiatives to establish network learning around best digital practices in the field. Applicants do not need to present a “new” idea for digital initiatives support. Funds can support an existing effort or be used as part of a larger effort that has funding from several sources. Arts organizations of color (see definition above) are eligible to apply for Digital Initiatives grants in addition to Resilience and Leadership grants.

What types of Leadership support do you provide?

Leadership grants aim to support core staff positions in arts organizations of color (see definition above), targeted support that we believe is essential to ensuring the full recovery of arts organizations and the sector. Examples include full- or part-time staff positions across program and administrative functions, such as curators, public engagement managers, fundraisers. Arts organizations receiving Resilience grants are eligible to receive Digital Initiative grants and Leadership grants and should note their request in their applications.

CREATIVE INDIVIDUALS

What type of support do you offer individual artists?

We offer Artistic Production grants to a wide range of arts organizations presenting new commissions, exhibitions, performances, presentations, publications/catalogues in collaboration with or featuring emerging and mid-career artist(s) of color. Artists can reside anywhere, but the commissioning or presenting partner organization must be located in the city of Chicago, or in one of six Great Lakes cities (for the Joyce Awards), with the goal of reaching audiences and communities in these regions.

Do you award grants directly to artists?

We do not award grants directly to individuals. Instead, we make grants to a wide range of arts organizations for programs, projects, and initiatives that support new cultural production by and professional development of individual artists of color. Also, starting in 2021, the Foundation raised the annual Joyce Award amount to $75,000 to ensure that presenting organizations would direct at least $25,000 of the total award directly to the commissioned artist.

What are the Joyce Awards?

The Joyce Awards is the only regional program dedicated to supporting artists of color in major Great Lakes cities. Since its inception in 2004, the competition has awarded over $4 million to commission over 73 new works and collaborations between artists and arts and community organizations in six Great Lakes cities: Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, and Minneapolis-St. Paul. Each award of $75,000 supports an artist or artists in the creation and production of a new work and provides the commissioning organization with the resources needed to engage audiences, new partners, and their surrounding communities at large. To learn more about the Joyce Awards and the application process, click here.

What kinds of costs are eligible for funding under Artistic Production grants?

Funds can be used towards costs, including but not limited to compensation of staff time, production costs, materials, artists stipends, and other expenses.