WHO? 

• Artists,  artist collectives, musicians, performers, arts and culture organizations, community groups, social service organizations, local businesses. 
• Applicants DO NOT have to have a nonprofit status. 
• Applicants must be individual artists who are residents of Torrington OR artist collectives, nonprofits, private businesses who are located in Torrington, or any artists applying to bring programming or artworks to the city.

WHAT?

This funding is earmarked for arts projects representing all artistic disciplines and mediums. We hope to fund projects that: 

• Engage the community: We are requesting project proposals that are “public facing”, meaning they are visible and accessible to the public and present a clear, realistic plan for audience engagement. Furthermore, proposals should be crafted around concepts and ideas that are connected and significant to our diverse local community. 
• Encourage collaboration: Projects that draw on shared resources and strengthen connections between creative people and places are encouraged. 
• Celebrate and elevate Torrington: Projects should take steps to help revitalize downtown, celebrate the culture of the city, and/or improve quality of life for residents. 

Projects do not have to be permanent installations, though the Arts Council encourages applicants to consider the sustainability of their project. 

NWCT Arts Council recognizes the value of using diverse mediums to connect with an audience and hopes to see proposals incorporating technology/media and performance art, as well as more traditional, material modes of expression. 

All projects must center around the creation of work that is publicly free and accessible.

WHERE?

All project activities must take place in the city of Torrington.

Completed application form including: 

• A project description
• Detailed budget
• Timeline
• A resume or CV for individual artists
• A brief statement of impact 
• Any relevant paperwork demonstrating your ability to carry out the proposed activity with the necessary permissions.
• Links to relevant social media accounts and/or professional networking profiles

Applications will open and close in two cycles to accommodate for applicant's needs and busy schedules. Applicants who apply in the first cycle and are not chosen are eligible to re-apply during the second cycle. 

Cycle Deadlines: 

Spring Cycle: 

Applications Open: February 6, 2023

Application Deadline: April 7, 2023

Final reports due:  April 1, 2024

Fall Cycle: 

Applications Open:  July 10, 2023

Application Deadlinea: September 8, 2023

Final reports due: September 2, 2024

Scoring Criteria: 

READI: READI stands for Relevance, Equity, Accessibility, Diversity, and Inclusion. To read more about the READI framework for evaluation, adopted by the Connecticut Office of the Arts, click here. 

Sustainability: Will the impact of your project - if not the physical project itself - be lasting?

Planning and Practicality: Projects must be organized, detailed, and attainable. Proposals must include SMART goals, a detailed budget, and realistic timeline for completion. 

Artistic Merit: Artistic Merit refers to the quality and value of the artistic offering. This will be evaluated by weighing the quality of the artists involved, work samples provided, and the relevance of the work in relationship to your goals, the program goals, and the audience you hope to reach. 

Selection Process:

Applicants will be evaluated by a panel of local volunteers representing diverse interests, skills, and perspectives as well as members of Northwest CT Arts Council. Applicants will be evaluated based on the scoring criteria above. 

General Information:

• Grants will be awarded in the range of $500-$2,500. Applicants will be allowed to request a sum within that range according to their specific project needs, supported by a detailed budget. 
• Grants will be awarded on a competitive basis

Publicity: 

Upon acceptance of the award, grantees will be required to attribute the City of Torrington American Rescue Plan Funds and the NWCT Arts Council in all publicity efforts for their project. A media toolkit will be provided to all grantees that will guide them. 

Reporting: 

Grantees will be required to submit a final report consisting of a narrative portion and a financial report. 

If you have any questions about the grant program or the application process, please contact Steph Burr at steph@artsnwct.org or katherine@artsnwct.org. 

Grant Writing Resources: 

Developing a Grant Proposal

https://njms.rutgers.edu/research/rast/DevelopingAndWritingGrantProposals.htm

Planning and Writing a Grant Proposal: The Basics

https://writing.wisc.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/535/2018/07/grants.pdf

How to Create a Budget for Your Artistic Project

https://blog.fracturedatlas.org/art-project-budget

Applying for Grants: Creating a Realistic Budget

https://creative-capital.org/2018/07/19/applying-for-grants-presenting-a-realistic-budget/

10 Essential Grant Writing Skills 2023

https://technicalwriterhq.com/career/grant-writer/grant-writing-skills/

Grant Writing Tips: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02cpfW1j5hI&t=3s

Grant Proposal Workshopping Template: 

https://artwork-archive-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/ArtworkArchive_Grant-Proposal-Worksheet.pdf

CYLE #1 APPLICATION DEADLINE: April 7, 2023

As our application DOES NOT allow you to save and return, we highly recommend you type your answers into this Word document first, then copy and paste them into our application when you are ready to submit. 

CLICK HERE TO APPLY