Who funds Arts, Culture & Humanities in New York

If you work in arts, culture, or humanities in New York, you already know that funding is fragmented. Money comes from individuals, earned revenue, government agencies, and foundations. This briefing focuses on the foundation side. The funders below have made real commitments to arts and culture in New York, and their giving patterns tell you where they actually spend their time and money. Knowing them before you need them is the whole point.

Creative Capital

Creative Capital is one of the largest arts funders in New York. They distribute over $9 million annually across performing arts, visual arts, film and media, writing, and literature, with some funding flowing to human services work that has a cultural component. Their typical grant is around $30,000, which puts them in a different weight class from many regional arts funders. They are serious institutional players. If your organization is doing innovative work in any of these disciplines, Creative Capital is worth knowing. See their profile

Joan Mitchell Foundation

The Joan Mitchell Foundation is a smaller, more specialized funder focused on visual arts. They distribute roughly $900,000 annually, and their grants tend to run around $4,000. This is not a foundation for major project funding, but for supporting individual artists and smaller visual arts initiatives. If you are running a visual arts program or supporting emerging artists, Joan Mitchell is worth researching. See their profile

The ARTS Council of the Southern Finger Lakes

Based in Corning, The ARTS Council of the Southern Finger Lakes funds interdisciplinary arts work across their region. They distribute roughly $837,000 annually in grants of around $500 each. Their smaller award size reflects their role as a regional convener and supporter of grassroots arts activity. If you are in the Finger Lakes region and doing arts work, this is a funder to build a relationship with. See their profile

Funding relationships are built over time, not in the moment you need money. If you want Funding Findr to keep an eye on a specific funder relationship for you, or if you have questions about any of the funders above, reply and let us know.

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