Grants for individual artists & organizations

Grant Applications

LexArts is proud to support creativity and cultural growth through a variety of grant opportunities for individual artists and arts organizations. These grants provide vital funding to help bring innovative projects to life, strengthen community engagement, and ensure the arts continue to thrive across Lexington and the Bluegrass region. Explore the options below to find the right fit for your artistic vision or organizational needs.

Thank you for your interest in LexArts support!

LexArts is proud to support creativity and cultural growth through a variety of grant opportunities for individual artists and arts organizations. These grants provide vital funding to help bring innovative projects to life, strengthen community engagement, and ensure the arts continue to thrive across Lexington and the Bluegrass region.

We are currently reviewing our grants process by engaging in conversations with previous recipients to identify best strategies for our upcoming grant cycle.

Details about our upcoming FY27 grant season will be announced soon.

Returning recipients will automatically receive updates. If you’re a new applicant or would like to stay informed, please submit your email using the button below.

Explore our Grant Opportunities

For Individual Artists

Community Arts Development (CAD) Grants

Community Arts Development Project Grants for Individual Artists provides support for artists to produce or present projects with an arts or cultural focus.

Eligibility:

  • 18 years of age
  • Artist lives in Fayette County
  • Compliance with prior LexArts grants and reporting requirements

For Organizations

Community Arts Development Project Grant

Community Arts Development Project Grants for Organizations provide support for arts, cultural, and other non-profit organizations to produce or present an arts and/or cultural project that contributes to the arts landscape of Lexington-Fayette County.

Eligibility:

  • Nonprofit, 501(c)3 or 509a organization
  • Applicants that do not have tax-exempt status (must contact LexArts by March 10, 2023 for assistance.)
  • Located in Fayette County
  • Proposed project takes place in Fayette County
  • Demonstrated history of providing community focused programs
  • Demonstrates ongoing fiscal responsibility with board approved financial statements.
  • Compliance with prior LexArts grants and reporting requirements

For Organizations

Community Arts Development Program Grant

Community Arts Development Program Grants provide an opportunity for arts, cultural and other non-profit organizations to produce or present arts or cultural programming that will benefit the community.

Eligibility:

  • Nonprofit, 501(c)3
  • Arts focused mission
  • Annual budget must have exceeded $25,000 for the three previous consecutive years
  • Paid professional full or part-time management
  • Demonstrated history of providing community-focused programs
  • Three-year history of LexArts project support
  • Located in Fayette County
  • Majority of work in Fayette and contiguous counties
  • Demonstrates ongoing fiscal responsibility by providing board approved financial statements or review by a CPA
  • Compliance with prior LexArts grants and reporting requirements

For Organizations

General Operating Support Grant

General Operating Support Grants provide unrestricted general operating funds to arts organizations that demonstrate strong arts mission fulfillment, fiscal responsibility, and sound management and operate on a year-round basis. First-time applicants must submit a formal “Intent To Apply Form”.

General Operating Support I

  • Nonprofit 501(c)3 arts organization
  • Arts focused mission
  • Annual budget must have exceeded $250,000 for the last three consecutive years
  • Up-to-date profile on guidestar.org
  • Paid professional, full-time management
  • At least three consecutive years of prior GOS support
  • Based in Fayette County
  • Majority of work in Fayette and contiguous counties
  • Provides year-round programming
  • Demonstrates ongoing fiscal responsibility through an audit conducted externally by an actively practicing certified public accountant (CPA)
  • Active participant in the annual Fund for the Arts Campaign
  • Received Kentucky Arts Council Partnership Operating Support grant in FY22 or FY23
  • Compliance with prior LexArts grants and reporting requirements

General Operating Support II

  • Nonprofit, 501(c)3 organization
  • Arts focused mission
  • Annual budget must have exceeded $50,000 for the last three consecutive years
  • Up-to-date profile on https://www.guidestar.org/
  • Paid professional full- or part-time management
  • Three consecutive years of LexArts Community Arts Development (CAD) Program Support or previous GOS support
  • Based in Fayette County
  • Majority of work in Fayette and contiguous counties
  • Demonstrates ongoing fiscal responsibility through an audit, or financial review conducted externally by an actively practicing certified public accountant (CPA) as required by the Kentucky Arts Council to apply for KAP funding.
  • Active participant in the annual Fund for the Arts Campaign
  • Compliance with prior LexArts grants and reporting requirements

For Organizations and Individuals

Arts & Health Grants

LexArts seeks partnerships with artists and organizations working within arts and health.

Funding is available for projects that impact health and wellness through the arts.

LexArts and the Arts and Health Alliance of Central Kentucky promote and integrate the arts into healthcare settings to enhance the well-being of patients, caregivers, and communities. The Alliance advocates for the use of arts in healing, providing resources and education on the benefits of arts in health, and fostering collaborations between artists, healthcare providers, and community organizations and strives to create a more holistic approach to healthcare that recognizes the importance of creativity and expression in promoting health and healing.

FY 2025-2026 Grant Allocations

General Operating Support I and II

  • Carnegie Center $50,000
  • Central Kentucky Youth Orchestra $40,000
  • Lexington Children’s Theatre $75,000
  • Lexington Philharmonic Society $75,000
  • The Lexington Theatre Company $30,000
  • The Living Arts & Science Center $65,000
  • Allegro Dance Project Inc. $12,500
  • Bluegrass Youth Ballet $20,000
  • Central Music Academy $10,000
  • Institute 193 $10,000
  • Kentucky Ballet Theatre $20,000
  • Lexington Art League $10,000

Community Arts Development, Program

  • African American Forum $10,000
  • Antagonist Production Company $10,000
  • Casa de la Cultura Hispana de Lexington $10,000
  • Chamber Music Festival of Lexington $7,500
  • GreenRoom Exchange $10,000
  • Headley-Whitney Museum of Art $5,000
  • Lexington Chamber Chorale $5,000
  • The Lexington Singers, Inc. $5,000
  • The Lyric Theatre & Cultural Arts Center $10,000
  • Voices Amplified $7,500

Community Arts Development, Organization

  • 2nd Story Inc. $2,500
  • ActOut Theatre Group $2,500
  • African American Arts Association $2,500
  • ARTISTIC HANDS SHAPING A NEW SOCIETY (AHSANS) $2,500
  • Bluegrass Film Friends $2,500
  • Bluegrass Indo-American Civic Society $2,500
  • Common Good Community Development Corp $2,500
  • Community Inspired Solutions Inc. $2,500
  • Downtown Lexington Corporation dba Downtown Lexington Partnership $2,500
  • Faulkner Morgan Archive, Inc. $2,500
  • Friends of Hemp $1,000
  • Harstad Fine Arts Series, Inc. $2,500
  • I Was Here, Inc. $2,500
  • International Book Project, Inc. $1,000
  • Kentucky Humanities Council Inc. $2,500
  • Kentucky State Poetry Society $2,500
  • Levee, llc $2,500
  • Lexington Children’s Museum $2,500
  • Lexington Writers Room $2,500
  • M’Power Rhythm $2,500
  • March Madness Marching Band $2,500
  • Movement Continuum, Inc. $2,500
  • Project Ricochet $2,500
  • SOUTHLAND JAMBOREE ASSOCIATION INC $2,500
  • Tahlsound Music Festival, LLC $5,000
  • The Well of Lexington, Inc. $2,500
  • Uniting Voices $2,500

Community Arts Development, Individual

  • Alaina Broderson $2,500
  • Andrew K Cohen $1,000
  • Austin M Zahn $1,000
  • Babita Shrestha Moreland $2,500
  • Becky Alley $2,000
  • Charles F. Moreland $2,500
  • Christine Kuhn $1,000
  • Constance Gullette Grayson $2,500
  • Daniela D’Ingiullo $1,000
  • Gary H Wright $2,500
  • Gloria Cecilia Arteaga-Hinton $2,500
  • James R Southard $1,000
  • Jeremy L Gillett $2,500
  • Joe M Mcendree $1,000
  • Jonathan M McFadden $2,500
  • Juan Trigos $2,500
  • Karissa A Arnold $2,500
  • Kathryn C Rucker $1,000
  • Maya McCutchen $2,500
  • Nick Walters $2,500
  • Rachel Moser $2,500
  • Rafael Estrada $2,500
  • Shuling Fister $2,500
  • Stephanie Say $1,000