City skyline over Lake Monona.
Planning

Annual Grants Program

The Madison Arts Commission (MAC) provides grants to artists and arts organizations in the City of Madison. 

All grants use the same guidelines & application. You may only submit one application per year for one of the grant types. We are rarely able to fund grants at the full amount due to limited resources. Grants are not paid until the project is complete and a final report is submitted.

2026-27 Application

Applications due March 1, 2026 at 11:59 PM. 

Apply here

Project Grants: $1,000 - $5,000

Sample application for Project Grants

Project Grants support activities that enrich the lives of Madison's residents, such as:

  • Education programs
  • Events
  • Exhibitions
  • Installations
  • Performances
  • Workshops

Eligibility

  • Nonprofit organizations based in Madison.
  • Individuals, teams, or neighborhood groups based in Madison who apply through a nonprofit fiscal agent.
  • Projects must be free and open to the public or the grant must be used to support scholarships for the cost to attend paid programs.

Legacy Grants: $1,500

Sample application for Legacy Grants

Legacy Grants are for projects that have proven to be successful and are now an important part of Madison’s cultural landscape. MAC does not guarantee Legacy Grants.

Eligibility

  • Nonprofit organizations based in Madison who have received MAC grants in three of the last six years.
  • Projects must be free and open to the public or the grant must be used to support scholarships for the cost to attend paid programs.

Individual Artist Fellowships: $1,000 - $2,000

Sample application for Individual Artist Fellowships

Individual Artist Fellowships celebrate the contributions of professional artists. These grants help artists create new work, complete work, or grow artistically.

Eligibility

  • Professional artists who live in Madison and produce original work (i.e., authors, choreographers, composers, musicians, visual artists).
  • Project must be shared with the public. This could be an exhibition, workshop, performance, street performance, school or library presentation, etc.
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