Dance is a vital expression of culture and possesses the ability to create community, cultivate space for reflection and dialogue, and bring awareness to social issues through a spectrum of genres and practices. Grants support organizations including companies, presenters, service organizations, educators, festivals, and more. Dance companies may be artist-led, collaborative, and include disabled and non-disabled artists. Projects may be of any size and at any stage of the process including planning, creation, implementation, and may focus on providing services that strengthen the dance field’s capacity through knowledge-sharing and resources.

In addition to the areas of interest outlined in the Grants for Arts Projects program description, we encourage applications for projects that address one or more of the following:

• Are led by and/or engage disabled artists, practitioners, and/or students in pursuit of artistic and creative goals rather than therapeutic outcomes.
• Provide opportunities for artists to research, create, or share artistic practices and works, or access professional development programs essential for career advancement.
• Document and preserve choreography, performances, and other aspects of dance history in ways that increase the diversity of artists, forms, and cultures in existing archives using archival practices that demonstrate cultural integrity.
• Represent dance forms, techniques, and histories that stem from all over the world.
• If applicable, offer direct payments to artists as part of the project.

Competitive dance projects will address one or more of the following:

• Demonstrate alignment with the NEA’s commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility.
• Involve reciprocal partnerships that advance the goals of the project.
• Make a significant impact within local or regional communities and/or the dance field.
• When applicable, clearly describe how artists/companies are selected and how those artists/companies are diverse, including in relation to audiences and the communities the project will engage.

The NEA is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, and fostering mutual respect for the diverse beliefs and values of all individuals and groups. Projects may focus on reaching a particular constituency; however, they may not be exclusionary under Federal civil rights laws and policies prohibiting discrimination. This extends to hiring practices, artist selection processes, and audience engagement. For additional information, refer to this archived webinar: Things to Know Before You Apply: Federal Civil Rights and Your Grants Application.

Applicants may request cost share/matching grants ranging from $10,000 to $100,000. In past years, the average grant size in Dance has been approximately $20,000.

For information on how to apply, see “How to Apply” on the left.

Project Types:

Dance supports a variety of projects that align with the review criteria of Artistic Excellence and Artistic Merit. Examples of project types are offered below to show the range of possibilities. Your project may include activities in multiple areas listed below, and activities may take place virtually, in person, or in a hybrid format.

Creation, development, or restaging of works that are new, existing, or historically significant; involve creative or technical residencies, restaging, or rehearsal periods; include dance films and works that involve community in the creation of the work.

Presentation and Touring locally, regionally, and nationally, and may include activities that meaningfully engage specific and identified communities.

Preservation, documentation, and archiving of diverse dance forms, traditions, techniques, and histories that demonstrate cultural integrity, and are accessible to the dance field or the general public.

Professional Development and Services that strengthen the field such as dance publications; professional training; and programs that provide resources to artist and arts workers through convenings, mentorship opportunities, and capacity-building.

Education and Community Engagement projects that use dance in civic and social practice; involve collaborative work with community members; dance classes, workshops, and other trainings; and projects that reach broader and more diverse groups through digital or emergent technology, including hybrid (in-person and digital) programming activities.

In some cases, a project that involves dance may be better suited for review in another discipline. For example, if your project is developed and managed by a local government, see the Local Arts Agencies description. If your project is for youth, see “Choosing the Right Discipline for Youth Projects” to help you in your discipline selection.

For more guidance about which discipline is most appropriate for your project, please contact us.

Deadlines

Grants for Arts Projects has two application deadlines. Dance accepts all project types at both deadlines. Generally, an organization is limited to one application per year in the Grants for Arts Projects category.

For Dance projects with a distinct technology-focused media arts component: Your organization may be eligible to submit a second application under the July deadline for Media Arts.

First Grants for Arts Projects Deadline:

Part 1 - Submit to Grants.gov	February 9, 2023 at 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time
Prepare application material so that it’s ready to upload when the Applicant Portal opens
Part 2 - Submit to Applicant Portal	February 14-21, 2023 at 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time
Earliest Announcement of Grant Award or Rejection	November 2023
Earliest Start Date for Proposed Project	January 1, 2024

Second Grants for Arts Projects Deadline:

Part 1 - Submit to Grants.gov	July 6, 2023 at 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time
Prepare application material so that it’s ready to upload when the Applicant Portal opens
Part 2 - Submit to Applicant Portal	July 11-18, 2023 at 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time
Earliest Announcement of Grant Award or Rejection	April 2024
Earliest Start Date for Proposed Project	June 1, 2024