2025 Creative Exchange Cohort/Capacity Building Grant Program

Individual artists are essential to a vibrant arts and culture ecosystem, but developing a successful creative career has unique challenges. That's why the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod is offering the Creative Exchange Capacity Building Grant Program, a 4-month cohort program providing Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket artists with the entrepreneurial support they need to grow and thrive in the cultural sector.

The ultimate goal of this program is to increase the long-term financial resiliency and business success of these artists. 

Through the Capacity-Building Grant Program, artists will have access to:

• $1,000 working capital grant (received at completion of the artist's written plan)
• Support in creating a required written plan outlining the artist's business/career goals and action steps with the help of mentors.
• Two (2) small group business coaching sessions with a mentor
• Priority sign-up for any Arts Foundation webinar made available to Cape Cod and the Islands artists
• Workshop: "Plan the Work, Work the Plan."
• Workshop: “Taxes for Artists, Freelancers and Creative Businesses” with Hannah Cole
• Workshop: "Write a Killer Press Release" with Chris Kazarian
• Workshop: "How to Write and Speak About Your Work" with Pete Hocking
• Other workshops determined by needs of cohort
• Access to a community cohort of creative peers
• An opportunity to showcase their work in a public setting organized by the AFCC. Not mandatory

Who is eligible for this program:

• Artists of all mediums: visual arts, writing, film, dance, music/sound, theater, performance, social practice, etc.
• Artists that reside on Cape Cod (Barnstable County), Nantucket (Nantucket County), and Martha’s Vineyard (Dukes County).
• Artists who have reliable transportation and stable housing. 

Not eligible: 

• Students (full-time) that are enrolled in a program are NOT eligible for this program.
• Artists who reside outside of Cape Cod, Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard.
• Artists who have previously been in the Capacity Building Grant Program.

This program promotes equal opportunity and seeks diversity in its applicants and participants. Those who have never received an artist grant are especially encouraged to apply.

Selection Criteria:

Fifteen individual artists will be selected for the 2025 cohort. Applications will be assessed based on the following:

• History of creative work (whether emerging or seasoned).
• Community impact. Does your work involve community engagement and/or is your work informed by the community, place, geography?
• Our program gives special priority to artists with limited access to resources. This might mean artists who are low-to-moderate income or have little savings or access to generational wealth. This might also mean an artist who lives in a rural or other under-resourced community with fewer financial or artistic opportunities, or an artist who holds an identity which has been historically undervalued or marginalized.

Timeline:

• September 30, 2024: Online application opens
• November 15, 2024: Online application closes
• November / December 2024: Review applications & select cohort
• January 2025: Cohort onboarded
• January 2025 - April 2025: Cohort workshops & meetups
• End of April 2025: Graduation/program completion/grant money released

Each participant will be required to complete a basic plan that outlines their creative business goals for the coming one to two years. After submitting this written plan and completing this Capacity Building program, grantees shall receive payment of their working capital grant of $1,000.

What to consider before starting application process:

How would you benefit from this opportunity?

• Please describe how you think you can benefit from the Capacity Building Grant Program, including possible artist-business workshop(s), one-on-one coaching, and mini-grant to help you execute your goals for your creative practice.
• What stabilization and/or growth opportunities are you pursuing as an artist, and what types of investment(s) do you envision making to achieve that?
• Why is now an important time in your career as an artist for you to take advantage of this program's business & personal finance training?

Community Connections

• Be able to briefly explain how your creative practice has engaged (or hopes to engage in the future) with communities on Cape Cod, Nantucket, or Martha’s Vineyard. How does your creative practice strengthen these communities and vice versa?

School Bus Funding from the AFCC Access Fund

AFCC School Bus funds will provide grants up to $800.00 to help schools with the transportation costs of student cultural field trips. The field trips must be in the arts, sciences, or humanities. Examples: art and science museums; historic sites; and music, theater, and dance performances.

Eligibility

• Any Barnstable County school (public, charter, parochial, or independent) serving grades K-12 can apply.
• The field trips must be focused in the arts, but trips that combine science or humanities with the arts will also be considered. 
• Types of field trips that DO NOT qualify for funding are trips to sporting events, amusement parks, or other similar outings.

FAQS

When is the application deadline?

There is no deadline, but applications must be in at least 30 days prior to the trip. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Grants will be awarded until funds run out.  Our goal is to spread the funding equitably among all Cape schools that apply.

Can an independent or faith-based school apply?

Yes, all Barnstable County schools serving grades K-12 are eligible to apply.

Someone else in my school already received a grant for this school year. Can I apply too?

Yes, the AFCC may award more than one bus grant to the same school and/or teacher.  However, the AFCC reserves the right to approve or deny application in order to distribute the funding equitably  so all schools may benefit. 

What types of trips do no qualify for funding?

Types of trips that DO NOT qualify for funding are trips to sporting events, amusement parks, and outdoor activities such as class beach trips. Field trips to performances put on by students are not eligible, as the goal of the program is to provide students with a professional cultural experience.  The trip must meet the mission of providing access to arts and culture for all students.

Can we get a grant to travel to a destination outside of Massachusetts? 

Yes. 

What is the maximum amount of money we can ask for?

$800

We want to go on more than one field trip in this school year. Can we apply for another grant?

Yes, however  you should also research funding through Mass Cultural Council as well as your local cultural council for funding for additional field trips.

How will we know that the AFCC has received our application?

Once you have successfully submitted your online application, a confirmation email will be sent.

How will we know if our application was approved or not?

Within three weeks of submitting your application, you will receive an email from the AFCC telling you whether or not your application has been approved. Be sure your email account is set to allow messages from jwake@artsfoundation.org.  All funding decisions are final.

How do we get the money?

A check will be made out to the school and will include the teacher and department along with a note stating that funds are restricted for the specific field trip.  The check will go out USPS. Applicant contact will be notified check has been sent. It is up to the applicant to follow through on receipt of funding.

Who arranges for the bus and pays the bus company?

You or your school are responsible for making all bus arrangements and payments.  The AFCC is not liable for school bus arrangements or contractual services made between the bus company and school/teacher.