Alaska arts council sets Sept. 1 deadline for first FY27 quarterly grants

Alaska artists and arts organizations have until Sept. 1 to apply for the first quarterly round of fiscal 2027 grants from the Alaska State Council on the Arts. Applicants who want staff feedback on a draft must submit it by Aug. 15.

The round covers two tracks. Grants to Individuals includes the Master Artist and Apprentice Grant. Grants to Organizations includes Workshop Grants and Community Arts Development Grants, a program the council describes as aimed in part at underserved areas of the state. Applications are due before 11:59 p.m. on the deadline, and support materials must be uploaded separately through the council's online system.

Funded activities cannot begin before the first day of the month after the deadline and must end no later than June 30, according to the quarterly guidelines.

The council runs the same cycle four times a year, with deadlines on June 1, Sept. 1, Dec. 1 and March 1. Three programs stay open year-round: the Harper Arts Touring Fund, established by the Rasmuson Foundation in 2002, along with Cultural Collaborations Excursions and Access Grants and Youth Cultural Heritage Fast Track Grants. Harper applications must be filed at least 90 days before the planned activity. The other rolling programs require 30 days notice. Excursion Grants pay up to $600, or up to $1,000 for eligible Title I schools.

The grant cycle continues as state lawmakers weigh a formal nod to the sector. Testifying before the Senate State Affairs Committee on May 7 on House Bill 221, which would establish the first Friday of each October as Alaska Arts and Culture Day, Rep. Carolyn Hall said the measure "will encourage celebration of the many artistic cultural treasures that bring economic prosperity, beauty, and meaning to Alaska communities."

Patti Lillie, the council's Indigenous arts and culture program director, is the contact for Master Artist and Apprentice applicants. Charlie Sears, community arts development director, handles organization grants at 907-269-6608.

Staff from the National Endowment for the Arts and the council will hold free application workshops in Anchorage and Wasilla. The Anchorage session runs from 2:15 to 3:15 p.m. Aug. 13 at The Nave, 3502 Spenard Road. The Wasilla session runs from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Aug. 14 at the Valley Performing Arts Fred Machetanz Theatre, 251 W. Swanson Ave. Both are in person, and no RSVP is required.

The council is also recruiting its next executive director, a statewide leadership post for Alaska's public arts agency. Applications for that job are due at 4:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 21.