Project Grants provide up to $3,000 to nonprofit arts organizations for performances, exhibitions, installations, art, concert series, and events or other projects that enrich the cultural lives of Madison’s residents. There must be a significant component of the project that is free and accessible to the public. Typically, these projects are participatory, educational, and can involve professional or non-professional artists.

Eligibility: Nonprofit organizations or individual artists, teams of artists or neighborhood groups who apply through a nonprofit fiscal receiver are eligible for Project Grants.

Project Grants will be made for projects that do one or more of the following:

• Facilitate the involvement of Madison residents in arts and cultural activities;
• Expand individual artists’ work;
• Provide an opportunity for community members to participate in the creative process;
• Are targeted to children, adults, and/or families; or provide arts and cultural programs that celebrate or enhance the identity of a specific neighborhood, ethnicity, organization or community.

Art in Public Places (AIPP)

AIPP funds permanent public art projects that are designed to last 10 or more years and cost $15,000 or more (including MAC funds). MAC leverages community funding and attention for major public art projects that have artistic merit and will make a positive, long-term impact on Madison.

Eligible applicants include recognized Madison neighborhood associations, organizations with tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code (organized in the City of Madison), or City of Madison agencies or their associated non-profit foundation or friends group. Individual artists or ad hoc groups of artists interested in applying must partner with a neighborhood association, nonprofit organization, or City agency.

BLINK Temporary Public Art Commissions

BLINK commissions support experimental, ad-hoc, temporary public works of art that sprout up throughout the community and vanish, leaving residents and visitors eager to see what is next. Madison neighborhoods and urban areas are open canvases. Creations in open spaces, construction sites, and public parks provide a glimpse of how the world looks through an artist's eyes.

Proposals for the BLINK program are due three times per year: Feb 1st, June 1st, and October 1st. At the MAC meeting following each deadline, commissioners review proposals and decide if they want to purchase the artwork for the City's BLINK program.

Artists should propose ideas for a temporary public art project that is modest in cost and is feasible, yet unique, bold and ambitious in impact. This is an accessible grant for short term projects. Some notable temporary opportunities may arise outside of the City of Madison where participation would benefit the Madison artist as well as the City of Madison community. In that case, MAC will periodically consider proposals outside of its geographic bounds.  "Opportunity" BLINK grants will be considered on a case by case basis, and will likely be rarely distributed.

Calls for Artists

Through the Percent for Art Ordinance and selective municipal exhibitions, the Madison Arts Commissions occasionally issues calls for artists or requests for qualifications. All calls will be posted below when available.

Artists At Work Creative Workforce Development Grant

The Madison Arts Commission (MAC) awarded $450,000 to local arts organizations through a special grant program called “Artists at Work.” MAC designed this grant opportunity to encourage non-profit organizations to generate, reinstate, and create arts industry jobs. Artists at Work subgrants are made possible by an American Rescue Plan grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to help the arts and cultural sector recover from the pandemic. Grants of $10,000, $15,000, and $25,000 were awarded to the following organizations and positions:

• Arts & Literature Laboratory Inc - Public Programs Coordinator
• Bayview Foundation Inc - Placemaking and Community Arts Specialist
• UW Madison [UW Community Arts Collaboratory Teaching Artist] - Arts Collab Teaching Artist
• Center for Black Excellence and Culture Inc - Director of Visual and Performing Arts
• Dane Arts Mural Arts Inc - Executive Director
• GEEX Inc - Social Media Intern
• IP Ministries Inc - Arts Administration Assistant
• Kanopy Dance Theatre Inc - Company Dancer and Outreach Teacher
• LunART Inc - Operations Manager
• Madison Ballet Inc - Artistic Director
• Madison Children's Museum Inc - Summer Outreach Coordinator
• Madison Circus Space Inc - Circus Arts Programs Coordinator
• Madison College, School of Business and Applied Arts - Exhibition Coordinator
• Madison Contemporary Dance Inc - Artistic Director
• Madison Public Library Foundation Inc - Wisconsin Book Festival Communications Creative
• Madison Youth Choirs Inc - Director of Education & Community Programs
• Make Music Madison Inc - Musician-in-Residence
• Overture Center Foundation Inc - Lullaby Project Lead Teaching Artist & Community Facilitator
• Preschool of the Arts Inc - Art Specialist
• Synergy Ventures Foundation Inc - Artist at Synergy
• Urban Community Arts Network Ltd - Artistic Innovation Coordinator
• Wisconsin Academy of Sciences Arts & Letters Inc - Exhibitions Coordinator