13 Grants and Artist Opportunities
to Apply for in February 2025
Written by: crEATe Staff
February 5, 2025
We’ve got a little something for everybody from funding for filmmakers to art calls and writing fellowships. Here’s our list of grants and artist opportunities for February!
Table of Contents
- MacDowell Fellowship
- Catapult Development Grant
- Lower East Side Printshop – Keyholder Residencies
- Louise Hopkins Underwood Center for the Arts – Printmaking as Placemaking
- Recording Fund – Funding for Recording Artists
- Casa Lü Sur – Immersive Residency
- National Endowment for the Arts – Creative Writing Fellowship
- Sundance Institute – The Sandbox Fund
- UpMarket Gallery – Call for Artists
- The Film Fund
- National Endowment for the Arts – Challenge America Grants
- Creative Capital Awards
- Verizon – Behind the Lens
MacDowell Fellowship
Who’s this for?
Architects, film/video artists, interdisciplinary artists, writers, musicians, theatre artists, and visual artists
Award
Varies
Deadline
February 10, 2025
Description:
About 300 artists in seven disciplines are awarded Fellowships each year and the sole criterion for acceptance is artistic excellence. There are no residency fees, and need-based stipends and travel reimbursement grants are available to open the residency to the broadest possible community of artists.
MacDowell encourages applications from artists of all backgrounds and all countries in the following disciplines: architecture, film/video arts, interdisciplinary arts, literature, music composition, theatre, and visual arts. Any applicant whose proposed project does not fall clearly within one of these artistic disciplines should contact the admissions department for guidance. We aim to be inclusive, not exclusive in our admissions process.
Catapult Development Grant
Who’s this for?
Filmmakers
Award
Up to $25,000
Deadline
February 12, 2025
Description:
Launched in 2010, the Catapult Development Fund provides early-stage support to documentary filmmakers when funding is hardest to find. Catapult has two funding cycles per year, with application deadlines in the summer and winter. In 2025, we will offer fifteen (15) grants of up to $25,000 USD to filmmakers in development with a documentary feature or short. We do not support docuseries at this time.
Our flagship program is geared toward independent filmmakers who have a strong story to tell, have secured access, and are ready to unlock critical production funding. This grant can be used for a variety of development needs and must result in the creation of a fundraising piece as the final deliverable. We prioritize artful, moving storytelling and are not tied to any specific social issue agenda.
Lower East Side Printshop
Keyholder Residency Program
Who’s this for?
Printmakers
Award
24-hour access to print making facilities
Deadline
February 15, 2025
Description:
The Keyholder Residency Program offers emerging artists free 24-hour access to printmaking facilities to develop new work and foster their artistic careers. It takes place in the shared Artists’ Studio, including the solvent/etching area and the darkroom.
Keyholders work independently, in a productive atmosphere alongside other contemporary artists. Artists from all disciplines are eligible to apply; printmaking skills are not required, but some familiarity with the medium is recommended. Basic instruction in printmaking techniques is available for new Keyholders. Technical assistance is not included in the program, but is available at additional cost.
Applications are evaluated by an invited panel of artists, critics, curators, and art professionals. A total of 8 artists are awarded the residency annually. Artists based in the New York City area and without access to a studio space are encouraged to apply.
Recording Fund
Funding for Recording Artists
Who’s this for?
Recording artists
Award
Varies
Deadline
February 15, 2025
Description:
Applications are reviewed quarterly, and grants are awarded based on funding availability. Your application will remain on file for one year and be reviewed periodically for grant opportunities.
Grants are to be used to cover or supplement the cost of recording. This can include production, engineering, mixing, mastering, or studio facility costs – and will be paid directly to the service providers.
Louise Hopkins Underwood Center for the Arts
Call for Art – Printmaking as Placemaking
Who’s this for?
Printmakers
Award
Selection to Exhibit
Deadline
February 23, 2025
Description:
In an era where the environment, immigration, and cultural identity are at the forefront of our conversations, our concepts of place and placemaking have never been more significant. This open call invites artists to submit works that explore themes of place through printmaking. We seek work that delve into notions of place and examine how our environment shapes artistic practice, highlighting placemaking as a collaborative process between people and the spaces they share.
We welcome submissions that interpret printmaking in its broadest sense. This includes traditional printmaking techniques as well as works that incorporate printmaking elements in innovative ways, whether sculptural or wall-based. Join us in this exploration of place and share your unique perspective through the art of printmaking.
Casa Lü Sur
Immersive Residency
Who’s this for?
International artists
Award
– Private Studio Space
– Housing Accommodations
– Logistical and technical support
– Project feedback
– A final exhibition with an opening reception
– And more!
Deadline
February 28, 2025
Description:
Casa Lü Sur offers a residency in Mexico City for artists across various disciplines, fostering creative growth and interdisciplinary dialogue. This program provides artists with the space and resources to develop their work in a vibrant cultural setting.
National Endowment for the Arts
Creative Writing Fellowship
Who is this for?
Creative Writers
Award
$50,000 grants
Deadline
March 12, 2025
Description:
The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Creative Writing Fellowships program offers $50,000 grants in prose (fiction and creative nonfiction) and poetry to published creative writers that enable recipients to set aside time for writing, research, travel, and general career advancement. Applications are reviewed through an anonymous process in which the primary criteria for review are the artistic excellence and artistic merit of the submitted writing sample. Through this program, the NEA seeks to strengthen the literary arts ecosystem by sustaining and nurturing a wide range of creative writers at various stages of their careers, and to continue to expand the portfolio of American art available to people from all backgrounds.
Sundance Institute
The Sandbox Fund
Who is this for?
Documentary filmmakers
Award
Varies
Deadline
March 10, 2025
Description:
The Sandbox Fund offers grants, engagement events, and other opportunities for independent artists seeking to explore the intrinsic link between science and culture through innovative storytelling. The program is administered by the Sundance Institute Documentary Fund, in collaboration with Sandbox Films.
UpMarket Gallery
Call for Art – Tar Heel Art
Who is this for?
North Carolina Artists
Award
Selection to the exhibit
Deadline
March 15, 2025
Description:
From the deep roots of the state’s industries – tar, pitch, and turpentine – to the grit and resilience that earned North Carolinians their name, we’re looking for artwork that explores the heritage, culture, and identity of our state. Whether through history, landscapes, personal narratives, or bold new interpretations, we encourage artists to reflect on what Tar Heel means to them.
UpMark Gallery, Asheville’s newest contemporary art destination, announces an all-North Carolina exhibition which will take place May 1st – June 15th in our gallery.
The Film Fund
Funding for Filmmakers
Who is this for?
Filmmakers
Award
Varies
Deadline
March 4, 2025
Description:
Write one sentence that (1) describes the premise of your narrative short film and (2) explains how you’ll use the funding to complete the film if you’re chosen as a winner.
In short, pitch your narrative short film in a sentence.
We’re an alternative to tedious and expensive film grants and competitions, and we’ve created a community that supports films at every step in the process. Depending on the project, we’re there before the writing even starts all the way through submitting to a top-tier film festival. Our fund covers almost any expense you incur while making your film.
National Endowment for the Arts
Challenge America Grants
Who is this for?
Projects that extend the reach of the arts to underserved communities
Award
$10,000 grants
Deadline
March 28, 2025
Description:
The NEA Challenge America Grants offer $10,000 to support projects that extend the arts to underserved populations. These grants focus on small organizations, supporting projects that reach communities with limited access to the arts.
Creative Capital
Creative Capital Awards
Who is this For?
All artists
Award
Up to $50,000
Deadline
Spring 2025
Description:
Creative Capital provides up to $50,000 in project funding for innovative and adventurous artists in all disciplines. In addition to financial support, they offer career development services and networking opportunities to help artists realize their visions.
Verizon
Behind the Lens
Who is this for?
Photographers, videographers, video editors, social media content creators, production specialists
Award
– Practical experience capturing content in partnership with various sports leagues.
– Financial compensation
Deadline
Rolling
Description:
Behind the Lens will offer aspiring professionals practical experience capturing content in partnership with various sports leagues. This experience is meant to build participants’ portfolios and to serve as a launchpad for their career in sports content capture.The ideal candidate will have a passion for sports and knowledge / experience in the areas of photography, videography, editing, social media content capture and production during professional sporting events.
