Speak Up for the Arts: Your Guide to Arts Advocacy Events in 2025
Read MoreQ&A with EunKyung (E.K.) Jeong: Oklahoma Artist, Educator, Leader
Read MoreIntroducing Future Pathways: A New Virtual Workshop Series for Arts Leaders
Read MoreBridging Military and Civilian Life Through the Arts: Lessons from the 2025 Creative Forces Convening
Read MoreMore Art for More People
Photo courtesy of Salvage Vanguard Theater.
Artist INC participants.
Photo by RJ Muna.
Photo courtesy of Forklift Dance.
Photo courtesy of Turtle Bay Exploration Park.
Programs & Grants Serving Artists and Organizations
Click the images below to learn more about our programs.
- Grants and fellowships for artists
- Grants for arts organizations and presenters
- Traveling exhibitions at nonprofit prices
- Professional development training for artists and organizations
- Peer connections in the arts
- Opportunities across the lower Midwest and the USA
Mid-America Arts Alliance works with artists and organizations across our region to support, elevate, and celebrate the arts.
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Bridging Military and Civilian Life Through the Arts: Lessons from the 2025 Creative Forces Convening
Find Out MoreIn February, Creative Forces Community Engagement grant recipients and leaders gathered at the National Endowment for the Arts in Washington, DC, bringing energy, passion, and shared purpose. It was the third annual convening—a powerful meeting of minds and hearts. Over…
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Upcoming Free Workshops to Build Your Art Career
Find Out MoreArtist INC Express announces upcoming free professional development workshops in Kansas, Missouri, and Arkansas. Key benefits Open to artists and creatives of all disciplines Short time commitment Essential business skills for artists Led by a team of experienced, working artists,…
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Introducing Future Pathways: A New Virtual Workshop Series for Arts Leaders
Find Out MoreThe arts and culture sector thrives on creativity, vision, and passion. However, the demands of leadership, sustainability, and navigating an ever-evolving landscape can be overwhelming. That’s why Mid-America Arts Alliance (M-AAA) is launching a new, three-part virtual workshop series designed…
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ExhibitsUSA Explores the Legacy of Kente Cloth in New Exhibition
Find Out MoreMore art for all people—that’s the vision that drives ExhibitsUSA and its touring exhibitions program. At Mid-America Arts Alliance, our ExhibitsUSA program is dedicated to bringing diverse cultural experiences to communities across the United States, rural and urban. Since 1988,…
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Artist Leadership Fellows Present WorkShare Showcase on March 24
Find Out MoreJoin us for WorkShare, a virtual showcase featuring the sixth cohort of Artist Leadership Fellows as they conclude their eight-week program. These talented artists will present brief five-minute presentations highlighting their creative practices. WorkShare Event Details: Date: Monday, March 24,…
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Q&A with EunKyung (E.K.) Jeong: Oklahoma Artist, Educator, Leader
Find Out MoreWhat does it mean to be an artist, an educator, and a community leader—all at once? For EunKyung (E.K.) Jeong, it means using creativity not just as a form of personal expression, but as a powerful tool for social change,…
Header image photography:
Art as Mentorship’s Rebel Song Academy students performing. Art as Mentorship, based in Kansas City, Missouri, received a 2024 ArtsHERE grant. Photo by Scout Tufankjian
Remember @neacreativeforces grant recipient @blixt_arts_lab?
"Not Too Far Distant", by BLIXT and playwright Becky Boesen, tells the story of a Nebraska veteran, staff sergeant Clarence Williams in WWII—and they`ve performed for several rural communities so far.
A NEA Creative Forces grant is helping to share this story with communities in Nebraska like Red Cloud, Albion, and Sidney. Learn more about this touring performance in our link in bio!
Image captions:
BLIXT Not Too Far Distant performance tour in Red Cloud, Nebraska at the Red Cloud Opera House. After the show featuring veterans, cast members, BLIXT staff, and Wayne Gerlach pictured in the white t-shirt next to Becky Boesen, playwright. Photo courtesy of Rachel Olsen, 2024
BLIXT Not Too Far Distant performance tour in Albion, Nebraska at Boone Central Performing Arts Gym. The show featured an exhibit of local veteran uniforms and artifacts before the show. Photo courtesy of BLIXT, 2024
BLIXT’s Not Too Far Distant performance tour Q&A after the show in Sidney, Nebraska, at Sidney High School Performing Arts Center. Pictured holding the microphone is Larry Nelson, a local 80-year-old veteran from the Disabled Army Veterans chapter 40. Photo courtesy of Tyler Bailey, 2025.
The 2025 State of the Arts in Education Symposium presented by @artsconnecthouston is April 24!
This annual convening of advocates, educators, policymakers, and community leaders celebrates Houston`s achievements in arts education and asks what can be strengthened going forward.
Tap the link in bio to register for free!
Calling all Kansas creatives!
We`re partnering with the @kansasartscommission to bring you a virtual statewide Artist INC Express. Facilitators Nick Carswell (@nickcarswell), Alex Kimball Williams (@badalaskanlfk), and Kim Brook (@kimbrookceramics) will guide you exercises on goal-setting, marketing, funding, and more.
Register for a free spot by March 27 via the link in bio!
Recent years have underscored the need for stronger support systems within the arts community. Now arts leaders are seeking sustainable ways to continue their work without compromising their health and creativity. 💪
Future Pathways: Managing Sustainability and Burnout with Alice Berry—taking place April 10—will address tactics to mitigate stress. Share this with a nonprofit manager that you know!
🚨 Urge your Senators and Representatives to protect IMLS funding. Share this alert with your network.
Every voice counts! 🚨
On March 14, the current administration issued an executive order that would cut funding to the Institute of Museum and Library Services (@us_imls), the only federal agency that supports museums and libraries in communities large and small—across America.
The $30 million in proposed cuts threatens vital library, museum, and community services in our region and across the nation.
For example, IMLS funding:
◼️ Ensures access to books, newspapers, and digital content
◼️ Supports technology classes for jobseekers
◼️ Provides resources for people with disabilities
◼️ Delivers books to older adults
◼️ Funds summer reading and arts programs for families
◼️ Helps museums preserve local history and treasures
◼️ Offers educational programs
◼️ Creates community spaces for learning and engagement
These funds make a real difference in people`s lives every day.
Here’s what the cuts could mean for museums, libraries, and communities in the lower Midwest. In 2024, IMLS awarded 61 grants totaling $31 million to the Heartland states of Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas.
Among those 61 museum and libraries, IMLS grants support community-driven museums and institutions, such as:
◼️ The Mid-America Science Museum | Hot Springs, AR
◼️ The Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation | Mayetta, KS
◼️ The Cass County Historical Society | Harrisonville, MO
◼️ The Willa Cather Foundation | Red Cloud, NE
◼️ The Oklahoma City National Memorial Center Museum | Oklahoma City, OK
◼️ The Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo | El Paso, TX
Museums and libraries are essential hubs for learning, connection, and community support. People of all ages throughout our region rely on libraries for early literacy programs, workforce assistance, internet access, small business resources, and veteran services.
#SaveLibraries #SaveMuseums
