NYFA Partners with the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA) and Queens Council on the Arts (QCA) to Administer the Queens Arts Fund

Program Offers Project Grants to Queens-Based Artists, Artist Collectives, and Small Nonprofit Organizations

New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) has partnered with the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA) and Queens Council on the Arts (QCA) to administer the Queens Arts Fund (QAF) for Fiscal Year 2023. The City-funded program offers project grants to Queens-based artists, artist collectives, and small non-profit organizations of all artistic disciplines to support the local production of artwork and cultural programs that highlight, engage, and bolster the diverse communities of the Queens borough. While the Queens Council on the Arts, which typically administers the grant, takes a year off to restructure and rebuild, NYFA will partner with DCLA and QCA to administer this year’s fund.

“Queens is one of the most diverse, creatively vibrant communities in the U.S., and we’re excited to work with NYFA and the Queens Council on the Arts to invest in the Queens arts community this year,” said NYC Cultural Affairs Commissioner Laurie Cumbo. “We encourage the amazing artists and arts groups who call Queens home to consider applying for this support and continue your work connecting with audiences in every corner of this extraordinary borough.”

QAF offers Arts Access Grants of $1,000 to $5,000 to Queens-based small-budget 501c3 nonprofit organizations or unincorporated artist collectives. These grants support community-based organizations and collectives in their efforts to produce public arts and cultural programs in the Queens communities and neighborhoods where they are located and operate. 

QAF also offers New Work Grants of $3,000 to Queens-based individual artists, unincorporated artist collectives, or collaborations between multiple artists of all disciplines to support the creation of new work. “New Work” is defined as work that has not been produced or presented to an audience before.

Those applying for Arts Access Grants and New Work Grants must include a public component–held in-person, virtually, or combination of both–that takes place in Queens within the 2023 calendar year (January 1-December 31, 2023) and provides Queens community members with the opportunity to experience dynamic, easily accessible arts and cultural events. Public Components can include, but are not limited to: exhibitions, performances, festivals, screenings, readings, workshops. Projects may be in any artistic discipline. Preference will be given to public programs that are free or have a sliding scale fee to participate.

Applications for both QAF opportunities will open Tuesday, November 8, and close on Thursday, January 5. 

“NYFA is honored to administer the Queens Arts Fund in partnership with DCLA, and we look forward to distributing needed funds to organizations and artists who are bringing impactful programming to communities in Queens,” said NYFA Executive Director Michael Royce. “These projects will directly contribute to the cultural vibrancy of Queens while helping to support and uplift the organizations and artists who are investing and creating in the borough,” he added.

Find out about additional awards and grants here. Sign up for our free bi-weekly newsletter to receive announcements about future NYFA events and programs.