Mass Cultural Council believes that creativity is crucial to a thriving society. We are proud to announce that we are now accepting applications to the Grants for Creative Individuals, a program to equitably advance creative expression throughout the Commonwealth’s diverse communities.
The program offers unrestricted, $5,000 grants to artists, culture bearers, and creative practitioners. We welcome applications from individuals in all creative fields: visual artists, literary artists, theater artists, performers, film/media artists, music artists, designers, culture bearers/traditional artists, drag artists, cross-disciplinary artists, and more.
The application process is brief and inclusive. This fiscal year (FY26), we plan to award approximately 450 grants through a review process that includes geographic distribution, funding priorities, and scores from reviewers from the Massachusetts creative/cultural sector. Reviewers will prioritize applications based on the program mission: to equitably advance creativity throughout the Commonwealth with unrestricted grants to individuals who demonstrate achievement of creative expression and commitment to their artistic/cultural practice.
Read our Tips on Applying to the Grants for Creative Individuals.
Grants for Creative Individuals is our primary funding program to support artists and creatives. It incorporates aspects of past Mass Cultural Council programs for artists and creative individuals, including the Artist Fellowships, Cultural Sector Recovery Grants for Individuals, and Traditional Arts Apprenticeships. The program was launched in FY24 as part of the Agency’s Racial Equity Plan.
If you have questions about the Grants for Creative Individuals program, check the FAQs or join us for an optional online information session on September 18, 2025, 11 AM. If you cannot attend the info session, please note a recorded version will be added to Mass Cultural Council’s YouTube Channel by late September.
You can also ask questions of staff in small group settings at optional online office hours or contact staff by email.
The deadline to apply is 11:59 PM ET on Tuesday, October 28, 2025.
Read the program guidelines and apply now.
Image: Yu Cheng (Grantee ’24), ART STUDIO (2024), oil on canvas, 24×36 in; Aquinnah Wampanoag father and son artists and Grants for Creative Individuals recipients Heath Widdiss and Donald Widdiss, at the Annual Native Artisan Market and Festival in Aquinnah.
Leave a Reply