Here Is Yet ANOTHER Grant Program For The Individual Artist

One artist who received the $25,000 grant said, "I've been working multiple jobs to get by, so it means a chance to take more time for my personal writing. It will be huge for my development over the next year."

The grant organization has already announced $450,000 in grants to 18 literary and performing artists.

The $25,000 no-strings grant awards were designed to give artists the financial breathing room to focus on their art.

The grant recipients are also afforded professional development services to help with their career-building.

2010 Grant Recipients include:

• novelists
  
  
• poets
  
  
• an art critic
  
  
• a flamenco choreographer
  
  
• songwriters working in hip-hop and garage-punk
  
  
• a R&B, hip-hop and spoken-word performer

The organization hopes these grant awards act as a catalyst for culture by inspiring artists to do their best work. Says another grant recipient, "the grant offers some real financial independence, and at least for the next year I'll be set." Another of the grant recipients plans on investing much of his grant money into securing a permanent artistic home. He's also planning on buying his first professional-quality bass. The organization also also bestows an annual artist grant of $50,000. This year's round of grant recipients were selected from 350 applicants by panels of national and local experts. The awards were limited to artists who create their own work as opposed to interpretive artists like dancers, actors and musicians who are not composers. However, the latter group, as well as filmmakers, may be deemed eligible for future grants as the program develops. For more information about this grant program just click here.