New England States Touring (NEST) Grant – Nonprofit Presenters
New England States Touring (NEST) Grant – Nonprofit Presenters supports nonprofit presenters hosting regional artists for public arts events that expand access and strengthen artist-community relationships.
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 per grant, generally covering up to 60% of artist fees
Summary: Supports New England nonprofit presenters bringing touring New England artists to public performances, readings, screenings, and community engagement activities.
Key Information: Fiscal agents cannot receive funding; presenters must pay an artist or ensemble separate from their organization.
Description
New England States Touring (NEST), administered by the New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA), supports public presentations of New England artists by organizations across Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It aims to expand access to artistic excellence, compensate regional artists appropriately, build reciprocal artist-community relationships, and strengthen the region’s presenting and touring infrastructure.
NEST 1 supports a presenter bringing an artist from another New England state. NEST 2 supports paired engagements within and outside the artist’s home state. The program encourages meaningful community activities beyond the presentation, cross-sector collaboration, and partnerships that reduce barriers to arts participation. Organizations engaging rural and/or Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities are encouraged to apply. Projects offering communities new arts experiences receive priority.
