Lana Jordan Developing Artist Grants

The Lana Jordan Developing Artist Grants, part of the Horizons Grants Program, are administered by the Arts & Humanities staff under the Salina Arts & Humanities Foundation, an independent 501(c)(3) entity. The program is funded by private donors and businesses to promote cultural development within Salina, Kansas. First established in 1987, this particular grant category aims to support early-career visual, performing, literary, digital, and interdisciplinary artists. The Foundation’s board, operating separately from the Commission, gives final approval to grant recommendations and sets the program’s annual budget based on incoming donations and fund balances. The primary objective of the Developing Artist Grants is to assist artists who have demonstrated dedication to their craft but have not yet fully established themselves professionally. Program goals include encouraging the creation of new work, promoting artistic development, fostering partnerships, and implementing public engagement initiatives. Applicants must be at least 18 years old and have resided in Saline County, Kansas for a minimum of one year prior to the application deadline. Artists must skip one full calendar year between successful grant applications to the Horizons program. Artists who have previously been funded must wait a year before applying again, regardless of the category. Funding can be requested for various purposes, including the completion or presentation of significant new artistic work, artistic study and training, development of promotional materials, acquisition of equipment related to the artist’s discipline, and travel relevant to the proposed artistic project. Typical awards range from $500 to $3,000, and artists may submit up to two applications within a single cycle, though the total request cannot exceed $3,000. A cash match of one-third the project’s cost is required from applicants, ensuring a 1:2 ratio where every artist-contributed dollar is matched with two from the Foundation. This match can include direct costs and in-kind contributions like studio space or equipment use. All funded projects must include a public component, which may take the form of an exhibit, concert, studio tour, reading, or workshop. This component can occur during or within six months after the grant period with approval. Applications are judged on a 100-point scale across three categories: Artistic Merit (40 points), Artistic Growth and Community Building (50 points), and Financial Management (10 points). Criteria assess proposal clarity, project alignment with professional growth, quality of public engagement, and accuracy of the project budget, including the required match. The 2026 application cycle opens on May 1, 2025, and closes on November 1, 2025. Returning applicants must declare their intent to apply by October 4, while first-time applicants must do so by September 20. All applicants are required to meet with program staff before submitting their proposal. Applications must be submitted online and include resumes or bios of key personnel, three letters of support, promotional materials from past activities, and up to six relevant work samples. Final decisions will be communicated by the last week of January 2026. Awardees receive 90% of funds upon agreement signing and up to 30 days before the project start date. The remaining 10% is released upon submission and approval of a Final Report, which is due within 30 days of project completion or no later than December 15, 2026. For further information or to initiate the application process, contact Anna Pauscher Morawitz at sah@salina.org or 785-309-5770. All applicants must submit final documentation including high-resolution project images as part of their final reporting requirements.

Applicants must meet with SAH staff before applying. First-time applicants are required to do so. All proposals must include a clearly defined public component. Applicants must provide a 1:2 match.