Artistic Development Grant

The Chequamegon Bay Arts Council (CBAC) offers its annual Artistic Development Grant to support continued education in the arts for residents of Ashland and Bayfield Counties in Wisconsin. CBAC, a regional arts council dedicated to enriching community life through the arts, uses this grant to promote lifelong artistic learning and development. This opportunity is available to professional, amateur, and student artists residing in the two counties who seek to grow in visual, performing, or literary arts disciplines. The grant supports a wide array of eligible activities, including short-term courses with fewer than 15 class sessions, workshops, arts-focused camps, and well-defined individual research projects with an artistic focus. Importantly, the funding cannot be used for regular college tuition, food, or equipment purchases. Instead, CBAC focuses funding on registration fees, art materials or supplies, and travel directly related to the artistic development activity. A total of $4,000 will be distributed across awarded proposals, with CBAC contributing up to 50% of the cost of each funded project. Actual award amounts may be less than this threshold, depending on available funding and merit-based evaluation. The evaluation process considers the educational value of the proposal, personal and community benefit, and financial need. Applicants who received prior CBAC funding but have not submitted final reports are ineligible. The application window opens on February 1, 2026, and closes April 1, 2026. All applications must be submitted online or emailed to the CBAC Grant Coordinator. Paper submissions are not accepted. Applicants are encouraged to first complete a downloadable preparation form to plan their responses, but this form must not be submitted. Completed applications should be emailed to Christine Lindsey at [email protected]. If submitting via email, applicants must request confirmation of receipt. Funding decisions will be made by the CBAC Board of Directors by April 11, 2026. For assistance or questions, Christine Lindsey is the main contact and can be reached at 715-209-5774 or via email. This grant opportunity is part of an annual cycle, recurring each spring, supporting artists in continued learning and the pursuit of artistic excellence in the Chequamegon Bay area.

Individual benefit, educational merit, financial need, and community benefit are key evaluation criteria.