DCLA Premier Grants for Staten Island Artists (United States)

All art and artistic cultural disciplines are considered, including music, dance, digital/new media, film/video/animation, folk arts, humanities and cultural studies, interdisciplinary events/festivals, literature, public art, theatre, and performing and visual arts. Arts Education programs offering arts exposure (but not instruction and curriculum-based programs) at Staten Island public schools are eligible, as are programs taking place at senior centers.

Funding Information

• Grant Request Range: $750–$3,000.

Eligibility Criteria

• To be eligible for a Premier Grant, the applicant must meet ALL the following criteria:
  • Proposals must focus on artistic or creative expression and cultural significance.
  • Clearly stated objectives.
  • Clear and realistic plan for implementation.
  • Appropriate request level and realistic budget for stated proposal.
  • Need and impact on the artistic discipline, geographic area, or local population: projects that address under-resourced communities or artistic disciplines will receive the foremost attention. Under-resourced communities have low or limited access to the means of cultural production as well as art programming/activities. Under-resourced disciplines are disciplines that have received low or limited funding from the arts council in the past.
  • Demonstrated community interest or support of project.
  • Applicant’s artistic experience, skill, and exhibition/performance history.
  • The project should be accessible to any member of the community who wishes to partake in the experience. Venues should comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act standards. Virtual programs should provide captioning, subtitles, or ASL interpretation.

Ineligibility Criteria

• Organizations receiving direct or discretionary funds from the Department of Cultural Affairs in the same fiscal year their SIA grant would be issued.
• Organizations with operating income budgets over $100,000 for two of the last three fiscal years.
• Programs that are essentially religious, recreational, rehabilitative, or therapeutic.
• Universities, colleges, primary and secondary schools and districts, school affiliates or components, in-school activities or programs/activities that exclusively serve a student audience with no public component.
• Programs serving only the applicant organization’s members.
• Operating expenses of privately- owned facilities (homes and studios).
• Deficit budgets, capital improvements, equipment purchases, fundraising events, scholarships, juror fees, prizes, lobbying expenses, entertainment, reception or food expenses, any non-arts related expenses or administrative costs unrelated to project.

Selection Criteria

• The following is the criteria used to decide on funding:
  • Work Sample: Can applicant successfully create the project they propose from the work shown in the sample or have they demonstrated readiness for the proposed project through past work? Does it have artistic merit/cultural significance?
  • Community Benefit: How will the project be available to the public? Is it accessible to the applicant’s intended audience? Projects which address communities or artistic disciplines which are under-resourced should receive foremost attention.
  • Narrative: Does the narrative leave too many unanswered questions or incomplete planning?  Does it show that the applicant has experience creating this kind of work, or that they can successfully do what they propose? Past work is taken into consideration.
  • Budget: Is the budget and timeline realistic? Is artist fee realistic, materials fee, etc.? Does adjusted budget allow for the proposal to be completed as stated? Artist fees, marketing and publicity expenses, direct administrative expenses, supplies and materials expenses are given priority.

For more information, visit Staten Island Arts.