Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission to hold Informational Grant webinar today

TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Commerce today announced that the Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission (KCAIC) will host an informational webinar to introduce the Kansas arts community to its field representative team and provide information on grant opportunities.

Participants will be able to meet virtually with the KCAIC field team at 2 p.m. today, Fed. 24, to receive an overview of grant opportunities available through the state. Registration is required and available here.

“Arts programs and organizations are essential parts of the quality of life that makes communities vibrant and successful,” Lieutenant Governor and Commerce Secretary David Toland said. “I’m proud of KCAIC’s positive impact on the arts in Kansas, and I’m pleased we’re making sure that our partners in Kansas communities know our team and the resources we have.”

The webinar will include information on how and when to apply for various grant categories, in addition to an opportunity to ask questions of the KCAIC team. Grant categories currently open include the following:

• Strategic Investment Program: This program supports the state’s cultural infrastructure by funding a variety of professional and organizational development opportunities that impact cultural programming. Available grants include:
  • Organizational Development Grant to strengthen business practices, increases organizational viability, and promotes long-term sustainability.
  • New & Expanded Works Grant to supports new or significantly expanded productions, exhibitions, programs or events by Kansas-based nonprofit arts organizations.
  • Equipment and Technology Grant to support purchasing equipment, materials and/or technology upgrades to expand or improve the applicant’s organization.

• Arts Integration Program: This program supports the role the arts play in all levels of education, community service and workforce development. Available grants include:
  • Innovative Partnerships Grant to support programming between arts organizations and non-arts organizations to impact a variety of community and/or economic development goals.
  • Integrated Arts Education Grant to support new or expanded educational programming that integrates arts learning into non-arts curriculum and content areas to address emerging technologies, areas of skills shortages, STEM curricula, workforce readiness and increase student performance.
  • Visiting Artists & Kansas Touring Roster Grant to provide funding for organizations to engage and deepen the impact of arts programming on local and underserved audiences through exposure to and interaction with professional visiting artists.

• Pilot Program Grants: These awardsaredesigned to increase community vibrancy, public engagement with artistic experimentation, and creative capacity building. Available grants include:
  • Re-Imagined Spaces Grant to enables publicly accessible spaces to be temporarily transformed to into centers for artistic expression and public engagement.
  • Organizational Mentorship Grant to encourage established arts organizations to provide mentorship services to emerging arts organizations, councils and collectives to encourage professional development, establish peer networks and reach underserved communities and non-traditional organizations.
  • Mural Project Grant to provide support for the specific needs and best practices for public art projects.

“This webinar will be the perfect opportunity for artists and arts organizations in Kansas to see which of our grant programs are right for them,” KCAIC Director Peter Jasso said. “I would encourage any arts organization in our state to attend. KCAIC is her to assist Kansas artists, and we’d love to know how we can help your organization.”

In addition to KCAIC representatives, members of the broader Community Development team at the Department of Commerce will introduce opportunities available outside of KCAIC grants, as well.

Applications for all KCAIC grants are open now, with submissions due March 31. For more details on each individual grant program and instructions on how to apply, click here.

About the Kansas Department of Commerce

As the state’s lead economic development agency, the Kansas Department of Commerce strives to empower individuals, businesses and communities to achieve prosperity in Kansas. Commerce accomplishes its mission by developing relationships with corporations, site location consultants and stakeholders in Kansas, the nation and world. Our strong partnerships allow us to help create an environment for existing Kansas businesses to grow and foster an innovative, competitive landscape for new businesses.