The Houston Arts Alliance (HAA), an organization that is contracted through the City of Houston to disburse city grants to the arts and culture sector, has opened a new round of applications for its Let Creativity Happen! (LCH) and City Initiative (CI) Grants. The deadline for submitting applications to both grants is June 30 at 11:59 p.m. local time.
The LCH Grant offers awards of up to $2,500 for projects that, according to a press release from HAA, “amplify artistic creativity and vision taking place in Houston.” The CI Grant awards $5,000 to $10,000 to nonprofits for special projects which fall outside an organization’s regular programming. Successful LCH Grant applications will include elements of community engagement, measurable tourism or neighborhood impact, social media presence, and support of local artists.
The CI Grant covers three funding areas. First, projects which address, according to HAA’s guidelines, “the awareness and preparedness for environmental risk such as climate crisis, flooding, food deserts, hurricanes and tropical storms, environmental justice, electricity disruption and for other similar topics using the arts.” Second, works which “identify a tangible or intangible art or cultural asset of a local neighborhood.” Finally, work that is “in partnership with a significant conference to provide conference participants, residents, and visitors with an activity featuring Houston artists or arts and culture attractions in Houston.”
To be considered for either grant, projects should take place after September 30, 2023. HAA recommends interested parties set up a meeting with their Grants team in advance of the deadline. Information on this process can be found on HAA’s website.
To qualify, applicants must meet select criteria. All projects and artists must reside within the city limits of Houston. Organizations must be 501(c)3 certified, and individual applicants must be at least 18 years old. There must be a clear public presentation component to the application, and only one application may be submitted per project and per year.
Motivated applicants may use the HAA grant application portal to apply for either grant. Learn about past awardees here.
A show by Let Creativity Happen! Grant Recipient Erica Lee
In addition to the aforementioned opportunities, HAA also offers community members the opportunity to serve as panelists to help review grant applications. Selected panelists will receive a $300 stipend to review approximately 25 applications. As HAA tells it, “panelists amplify the voices of the Houston arts community, get a chance to network with other creatives, and empower resilience by reviewing city-funded grant applications.” To apply to be a panelist, follow this link.
Lastly, applications will soon open for the 2024 Festival Grant and the 2024 Support for Organizations Grant; submissions for both programs are due on July 30, 2023, at 11:59 p.m. To learn more about those programs, go here.
