Artists, educators and nonprofit organizations throughout the Florida Keys are being encouraged to take advantage of several grant opportunities designed to support arts programming, creative projects and community engagement.
Liz Young, executive director of Florida Keys Council of the Arts, joined Good Morning Keys on Keys Talk 96.9/102.5FM this morning to talk about helping artists.
The state’s General Program Support grants for Fiscal Year 2028 are now accepting applications, despite uncertainty surrounding final state funding allocations for the coming fiscal year.
The competitive grants are available to arts organizations, educational programs and individual artists across Florida and can be used to support a variety of programming needs.
“I encourage anybody running an arts organization, doing arts programming, arts education, and even individual artists to take a look and apply,” Young said.
Locally, the Florida Keys Council of the Arts is accepting applications through June 30 for three grant programs aimed at strengthening arts and cultural opportunities throughout Monroe County.
The council’s largest grant program, Arts Builds Community, provides funding of up to $10,000 for collaborative projects that connect artists, arts organizations and community partners while expanding audiences for arts and cultural experiences.
The program encourages creative partnerships that engage new audiences and foster community involvement through visual arts, music, theater, film and educational programming.
Examples of previously funded projects include collaborations between environmental organizations and community groups focused on ocean conservation, as well as partnerships between nonprofit organizations and cultural institutions that use film, art and educational programming to bring people together.
The Arts in Schools grant program supports partnerships between teaching artists and classroom educators to enhance learning through hands-on creative experiences.
Past projects have included archaeology-based educational programs, museum partnerships and arts-integrated lessons designed to enrich traditional classroom instruction.
The grants provide opportunities for students to engage directly with artists and cultural organizations while supporting curriculum goals.
The council is also offering Special Project Grants of up to $2,000 to support individual artists and arts organizations pursuing new creative endeavors.
Funding may be used for projects such as recording music, producing exhibits, purchasing materials for artistic work or developing innovative creative concepts.
Young emphasized that the grants are intended to support specific artistic projects rather than general operating expenses.
The Florida Keys Council of the Arts serves as the county’s official local arts agency and works closely with tourism and cultural organizations to promote the Keys as a destination known for its diverse arts scene, rich history and creative community.
“Our mission is to support artists and arts organizations living and working in Monroe County,” Young said.
Beyond grant funding, the council provides technical assistance to applicants and encourages prospective applicants to seek guidance during the application process.
All three local grant programs have a June 30 deadline, with grant recommendations expected to be reviewed later this summer.
Additional information about eligibility requirements, application materials and available funding opportunities can be found at the Florida Keys Council of the Arts website here: https://www.keysarts.com/.
Young also encouraged residents to take advantage of the many cultural events scheduled throughout the Keys this summer, including theater productions, film screenings, live music performances, youth arts programs and upcoming community festivals.