Marks the first increase in grant awards for artists in nearly 20 years
Artists can now apply for up to $10,000 in grant funding
Announcement also includes free art supplies from Materials for the Arts for grantees starting this month
Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani, Deputy Mayor for Economic Justice Julie Su, and New York City Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA) Commissioner Diya Vij today announced that — for the first time in nearly 20 years — the city will increase the size of city-funded grants for individual artists and small nonprofits from $5,000 up to $10,000.
Each year, DCLA provides funding to local partners in each borough who, in turn, distribute the funding to artists, collectives, and small nonprofits. These grants provide vital financial support to a wide range of artists — including filmmakers, dancers, writers, painters and more — across all five boroughs.
While the cost-of-living in the city has increased dramatically over the last two decades, the grant funding available for artists has not. With today’s announcements, artists will be able to apply for up to $10,000 in grant funding each, double the previous amount.
Grants will be distributed through local “regrant” partners in each borough through funding provided annually by DCLA. Applications are now open in Brooklyn, the Bronx, Manhattan and Queens; Staten Island’s grant cycle will open in November.
“Artists are working New Yorkers with the same costs as everyone else. But while rent, grocery bills and child care costs have skyrocketed in New York City, the funding artists rely on has stayed flat,” said Mayor Mamdani. “Doubling these grants is a critical step towards making sure that the painters, musicians, filmmakers, and other artists who bring life to this city can afford to call it home.”
“Artists are not only an essential part of our city's culture, they are an essential part of our economy as well. Yet we know that too many artists cannot afford to live, work, and create here in the five boroughs,” said Deputy Mayor for Economic Justice Su. “With the grant increases we are unveiling today, we will help change that. We will make sure that more artists can work in our city and reaffirm our administration's commitment to protecting and growing the arts in New York.”
“New York is a city of artists, but too many of them are struggling alongside all New Yorkers to afford to stay in the neighborhoods they helped create,” said DCLA Commissioner Vij. “I’ve spent the past six months in town halls and listening sessions with working artists across every borough, hearing just how difficult it has become for them to live and work here. These increased grants and free resources from Materials for the Arts represent our first step to deeper, more meaningful support we're committed to providing so artists can stay in the city we love.”
For details on eligibility, grant guidelines and more, artists should visit the website for the regrant partner serving their borough:
To bolster its support for working artists, DCLA’s Materials for the Arts (MFTA) program will also launch a new, dedicated shopping day for artist grantees to access free materials on the first Monday of each month — starting in October.
Each year, MFTA collects 4 million pounds of donated materials and makes them available, free of charge, to nonprofits, public schools, and city agencies with cultural programming around the city.
For this new initiative, MFTA will only be open to artists who are current grantees of one of the five local arts councils. Artists should visit nyc.gov/artistgrants for more information on how to book their MFTA appointment.
Since coming into office, the Mamdani administration has worked to make sure that every New Yorker — regardless of income — can enjoy the city’s arts and culture. Last month, Mayor Mamdani announced a long-term partnership with the Met Opera to provide 70,000 free tickets to New Yorkers who have never attended the Opera before. Earlier this year, Mayor Mamdani and the Theatre Development Fund unveiled a new initiative to offer thousands of free and low-cost Broadway tickets to New York City students across the five boroughs.
Under Mayor Mamdani, DCLA’s FY27 budget is also the largest in city history, supporting neighborhood cultural life in all five boroughs.
