Youth Arts Engagement Grants
Forecasted
Youth Arts Engagement Grants support organizations offering young people hands-on arts learning outside school hours to develop artistic skills, processes, and creativity while honoring youth voices.
Funder: Arizona Commission on the Arts
Due Dates (Anticipated): April 2027 (Application deadline)
Funding Amounts: $2,500–$5,000; no cash match required
Summary: Supports sequential, hands-on arts learning for young people ages 24 and under outside traditional school hours.
Key Information: Applicants may apply to only one Arts Commission grant program per funding period.
Description
Administered by the Arizona Commission on the Arts, Youth Arts Engagement Grants support arts learning outside traditional school hours, including before and after school and during holidays and breaks. Projects develop artistic skills, processes, and creativity through sequential, hands-on participation. Disciplines may include dance, literary arts, media arts, music, theatre, traditional and folk arts, visual arts, and other artistic or cultural practices.
The program emphasizes safe, nurturing environments that honor youth voices, narratives, and perspectives while drawing on community assets. Learners should have a voice and agency in developing and implementing the project. Activities may take place in arts venues, community centers, school sites, or other youth-oriented settings. Active participation takes priority over passive exposure, with clear learning objectives, outcomes, and evaluation methods relevant to participants.
