ArtsKC Inspiration Grants 2025-2026

The Inspiration Grants are a program of ArtsKC, a nonprofit organization serving the five-county Kansas City metropolitan area. ArtsKC is dedicated to supporting the arts and artists within the region, providing funding and advocacy for creative initiatives that benefit both individual artists and the broader community. The Inspiration Grants specifically support ambitious projects that promote artistic risk, professional growth, or community impact, and are open to individual artists and small artist groups across multiple disciplines including visual art, dance, music, theater, literature/poetry, fashion, film, and interdisciplinary art. These grants are competitive and designed for artists residing in Jackson, Clay, and Platte counties in Missouri and Johnson and Wyandotte counties in Kansas. Applications from artists in adjacent counties may also be considered if their proposed project will take place within the designated five-county area. To be eligible, applicants must be adults over the age of 18 with a demonstrated professional record in the arts. Artists may only apply for one Inspiration Grant per calendar year and must skip one round between applications. For the 2025–2026 Round I cycle, the grant application opens on June 20, 2025, and closes on September 4, 2025. An informational session will be hosted via Zoom on August 20, 2025. Projects funded in this round must occur between September 5, 2025, and March 25, 2026. Grant decisions will be announced in late October 2025, and impact reports are due by March 25, 2026. Artists who received a grant in the previous round are only eligible to reapply after submitting a completed impact report and waiting out the next cycle. Applicants must submit their proposals through the ArtsKC Grant System. First-time users must create a new account, while returning users can access the system with their existing credentials. ArtsKC offers a draft review option for applications submitted at least 30 days before the deadline. The review is non-binding and allows applicants to revise and improve their applications based on staff feedback. Each application must include a balanced project budget that accounts for all income and expenses, including in-kind support and the grant request amount. Budget templates are available in both Word and Excel formats. Evaluation is carried out by a rotating committee of community members with expertise in the arts and knowledge of local needs. Applications are assessed on artistic merit, the potential for career or community impact, and feasibility of the project plan and budget. Grants are awarded at a fixed amount of $3,500 per recipient. Payments are made in two installments: 80% upon submission of the signed grant agreement and W-9, and the remaining 20% upon submission and approval of the final Impact Report. Applicants are encouraged to recognize ArtsKC in their promotional materials and to stay in contact about any changes to their projects. For additional support or questions, artists can contact ArtsKC at (816) 221-1777 or email info@ArtsKC.org. In-office hours are Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with other times available by appointment. More details, including the full application form and budget template, are accessible via the ArtsKC Grant System online.

Start early, use draft review, match budget and narrative, include strong work samples.