
Artist and Arts Organization Opportunities and Deadlines
Read MoreCreating Art, Building Community: How Artist INC Shaped Muralist David Maldonado’s Mission
Read MoreInterview with Photographer Jeanine Michna-Bales about Her Traveling Exhibition Through Darkness to Light
Read MoreNew Cohort of Catalyze Fellows Announced as Program Reaches 31 Arkansas Counties
Read MoreMore Art for More People
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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New Cohort of Catalyze Fellows Announced as Program Reaches 31 Arkansas Counties
Find Out MoreThird cohort of artists each receive $10,000 unrestricted funding and mentorship Twenty-five artists in Central Arkansas and the Arkansas Delta have each been awarded $10,000 practice-based fellowships to support their creative work through Catalyze, a program of Mid-America Arts…
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Interview with Photographer Jeanine Michna-Bales about Her Traveling Exhibition Through Darkness to Light
Find Out MoreThey left during the middle of the night—often carrying little more than guidance of the north star. An estimated 100,000 enslaved people between 1830 and the end of the Civil War in 1865 chose to embark on this journey in…
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Underground Railroad Photo Exhibition Opens in Kansas City June 6
Find Out MorePhotographer Jeanine Michna-Bales to Attend First Friday at Culture Lab On Friday, June 6, Kansas City audiences are invited to experience a rare visual exploration of the Underground Railroad. Through Darkness to Light: Photographs Along the Underground Railroad will be…
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Artist and Arts Organization Opportunities and Deadlines
Find Out MoreAre you an artist, creator, or arts organization seeking new art opportunities to grow your practice, expand your network, or secure funding? Our rolling roundup of upcoming opportunities is designed to help you stay informed about the latest art grants,…
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Creating Art, Building Community: How Artist INC Shaped Muralist David Maldonado’s Mission
Find Out MoreDavid Maldonado transforms communities around Houston with colorful and empowering murals that have earned him growing recognition and high-profile commissions. But back in the day, he was just a kid who made art. No pretense, no larger plan. “A lot…
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Advocacy in Action: Protect Federal Funding for the Arts
Find Out MoreUpdated May 14, 2025 Federal support for arts and culture is changing quickly, and we need a strong, united response. Many organizations are actively engaged in advocacy, working to shape policy and secure funding to preserve and support the arts,…
Header image photography:
Islamic Arts Society, a Cultural Sustainability 2025 grant recipient, features live Ebru art demonstrations at a Building Bridges outreach event. Ebru artist Nihal Sonmez creates water marbling art for a young visitor. Photo by Quiad Tinwala
It may have looked like they were making costumes for a production of the Wizard of Oz. But these makers and collaborators in Omaha were building community and resilience.
Finding your people can be a challenge, especially for military families on the move. Each relocation is a lot to manage. Thanks to a @neacreativeforces Community Engagement grant @circle.theatreomaha helped members of the military and their families find a new home.
Read the full story via the link in bio!

@exhibit_usa`s "Through Darkness to Light: Photographs Along the Underground Railroad" is on view at the CultureLab at our headquarters in KCMO.
This powerful exhibition of Jeanine Michna-Bales` photographs traces a 2,000-mile route from Louisiana to Canada, capturing the landscapes that freedom seekers navigated under the cover of night. Through evocative photographs, it brings to life the perilous journeys and the enduring spirit of those who sought liberation.
📍 CultureLab, Mid-America Arts Alliance
🗓️ May 2–June 11, 2025
Join us for First Friday on 📆 June 6. The artist will be present! @jmbalesphotography

Are you OR do you know a Missouri poet who creates extraordinary work and are interested in promoting the poetry arts statewide? Nominations for Missouri`s eighth Poet Laureate are open through June 30.
Learn more via the link in bio!
📸 Missouri`s current Poet Laureate, David L. Harrison. Photo courtesy of Nathan Papes, Springfield News-Leader

As you may know, last Friday, many active and pending grants from @neaarts were abruptly terminated. This comes alongside the administration’s proposal to eliminate the NEA and other cultural agencies in the FY26 federal budget. The US Regional Arts Organizations (@arts_midwest, @creativewestrao, @nefa_arts , @midatlanticarts, New England Foundation for the Arts, and @southartsorg) share this collective statement on the NEA with information about what you should do if your grant was terminated (submit an appeal by this Friday) and how you can get involved in national campaigns as an advocate for arts and culture at the link in our bio.

Kansas City! We have two free What Works sessions coming up, just for you! 🎉 This free, one-hour workshop shares the common behaviors of successful artists. It`s a great starting point to shift your mindset and discover what’s possible.
Join us at @charlottestreetfoundation on May 17 or June 2 at 10:30a.m.
RSVP in the link in bio!
