UMEZ Arts Engagement
UMEZ Arts Engagement supports Upper Manhattan artists, collectives, and arts nonprofits with public-facing arts projects that expand cultural access, strengthen neighborhoods, and sustain the local creative economy.
Funder: Lower Manhattan Cultural Council
Due Dates: November 12, 2026, 6 p.m. EST (Application) | January 4, 2027 (Requested edits) | January 31, 2027 (Prior-grantee reports) | April 5–16, 2027 (Appeals) | May 17, 2027 (Contract signing)
Funding Amounts: $1,000–$20,000 for public-facing arts projects taking place in 2027
Summary: Supports Upper Manhattan artists, collectives, and arts nonprofits presenting public arts projects that expand cultural access locally.
Key Information: Individuals and collectives must have a Manhattan fiscal sponsor; LMCC can serve in this role.
Description
UMEZ Arts Engagement is administered by Lower Manhattan Cultural Council (LMCC) in partnership with the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone Development Corporation. It funds public-facing performing, literary, media, and visual arts projects, including concerts, exhibitions, screenings, public art, festivals, and readings. Folk and traditional forms, contemporary work, and socially engaged practices are welcome across career stages.
The program seeks to increase the diversity and frequency of cultural presentations, strengthen Upper Manhattan neighborhoods, and sustain the local creative economy. It particularly encourages projects generated within and serving communities with limited arts access, and work rooted in the lived experiences of Upper Manhattan’s Black, Indigenous, and immigrant communities.
