NEST (New England States Touring)
NEST (New England States Touring) supports New England presenters bringing regional artists to communities for public arts events and engagement that expand access and strengthen regional touring.
Funder: New England Foundation for the Arts
Due Dates: December 1, 2026 (December cycle) | April 1, 2027 (April cycle) | August 2, 2027 (August cycle)
Funding Amounts: $500–$5,000, generally up to 60% of artist fees; full fees may be requested when under $2,000
Summary: Supports New England presenters bringing professional regional artists to communities through public performances, readings, screenings, and community engagement.
Key Information: The presenter must pay a separate, NEST-eligible artist; fiscal agents and self-produced presentations are ineligible.
Description
New England States Touring (NEST), administered by the New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA), supports public presentations and community engagement with professional New England artists. NEST 1 supports an artist visiting a presenter in another New England state. NEST 2 supports a two-presenter tour spanning the artist’s home state and another New England state.
The program aims to expand access to artistic excellence, provide appropriate artist compensation, build reciprocal artist-presenter relationships, and strengthen regional touring infrastructure. Supported disciplines include dance, folk art, interdisciplinary work, media, music, musical theater, opera, poetry, storytelling, and theater. Organizations engaging rural and/or Black, Indigenous, and People of Color communities are encouraged to apply. NEST 3, supporting broader regional, national, and international touring, is now the separate Crossroads: Touring New England program.
