Take Notice Fund for BIPOC Artists in Louisiana

The National Performance Network (NPN) administers the Take Notice Fund, a grant initiative specifically supporting artists of color who reside and work in the state of Louisiana. NPN is a nationally recognized organization that envisions an equitable world where artists, especially those from communities of color and those based in the Southern United States, have the power, resources, and opportunities to thrive. The Take Notice Fund is an extension of this mission and was established with seed funding from the Ford Foundation’s Creativity and Free Expression program. The initiative reflects NPN’s commitment to promoting racial equity, cultural preservation, and visibility for underrepresented creative voices in Louisiana. The Take Notice Fund awards $5,000 in unrestricted grants to individual artists or artist collectives. These funds are intended to support an artist’s creative practice or overall wellbeing. The program highlights and honors the work of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) artists and culture bearers whose contributions are shaping cultural dialogue and embody artistic excellence. Each year, 30 recipients are selected through a competitive application process. This round marks the fourth iteration of the program and reinforces NPN’s ongoing recognition of the importance of artists who live and work outside of major arts centers. Eligibility is limited to BIPOC artists and culture bearers who have lived in Louisiana for at least five consecutive years at the time of application and throughout the grant period. Applicants must be at least 18 years old and be generative artists or culture bearers—those currently active in creating new original work. Artists focused on interpreting or performing works created by others are not eligible. The program supports individuals, ensembles, collectives, and collaboratives, with the requirement that collective members must independently meet all eligibility criteria and share funds equally. Members of collectives may not apply separately for the same project. Eligible disciplines include dance, music, theater, performance art, spoken word, film/media, literature, visual arts, and folk/traditional arts, including culture bearers of Louisiana’s Black Masking Indian tradition. However, nonprofit organizations, current students in degree programs, and previous Take Notice Fund recipients are not eligible. Also excluded are individuals associated with NPN as staff, board members, or panelists, and those who have received funding from NPN’s Creation Fund in the past three years or from the Southern Artists for Social Change award in the most recent cycle. The application guidelines and deadline for the 2025 Take Notice Fund have not yet been announced. As such, the current application window is forecasted rather than active. Interested artists are advised to monitor the NPN website for future announcements regarding application availability. Since the fund is awarded annually, the next anticipated application period is expected in 2026, with further details to be confirmed closer to the launch date. For more information or inquiries about the program, applicants can contact Stephanie Atkins, the Director of Southern Programs. While specific contact details are not provided in the source material, applicants are encouraged to consult the NPN website for updated guidelines, contact information, and to stay informed on upcoming deadlines and announcements.