(TRENTON, NJ) -- The New Jersey State Council on the Arts offers Individual Artist Recovery Grants (IAR grants), which are awarded to practicing New Jersey professional artists to assist with financial recovery from the COVID-19 crisis. These grant awards are based solely upon demonstrated financial need, and awardees will be randomly selected from all eligible applications received. The deadline to apply is December 15, 2020 at 4:00pm EST.
Artists may use IAR grant awards for basic living expenses, like housing, groceries, and bills; or to pursue work in their artistic discipline, including purchasing supplies, studying in a workshop situation, or renting studio space. Artist recovery funds may not be used for travel out of the country, study as a matriculated student in either a graduate or undergraduate program, or to purchase permanent equipment (equipment with a resale value exceeding $350 or having a life span over three years).
The Individual Artist Recovery grants will be for $5,000. The Arts Council expects the need in the field to be extremely high, and for this program to be highly competitive.
Successful application for Unemployment and/or Pandemic Unemployment benefits are a requirement of this program, demonstrating the applicants’ financial need and history of arts-based income. Artists who have maintained other employment during the COVID-19 crisis (for instance, College or K-12 Teachers) and do not therefore demonstrate high financial need resulting from the loss of art-generated income are not eligible for this grant program.
Guidelines are available in both English and Spanish. Click here for the guidelines.
The Council staff are currently all working remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Virtual Office Hours are offered for drop-in help with your questions about the process and the application. These meetings will be held via Zoom on December 1st, 2nd, and 4th. For details on joining Virtual Office Hours, click here.
The New Jersey State Council on the Arts, created in 1966, is a division of the NJ Department of State. The Council was established to encourage and foster public interest in the arts; enlarge public and private resources devoted to the arts; promote freedom of expression in the arts; and facilitate the inclusion of art in every public building in New Jersey. The Council receives direct appropriations from the State of New Jersey through a dedicated, renewable Hotel/Motel Occupancy fee, as well as competitive grants from the National Endowment for the Arts.
