Funding Categories

Creative Support Funding

Through Creative Support Funding we support arts organizations and other presenters for program activities in the performing arts, visual arts, literary arts, media arts, multidisciplinary arts (involving more than one discipline), and interdisciplinary arts (relating to two or more artistic disciplines). Funding can be used for a single event, several events, or an organization's entire season.

The following application categories are available for Creative Support Funding: Community Arts, Arts Projects, Major Cultural Organizations, and Colleges, Universities, and Government Entities.

Community Arts funding supports arts organizations statewide with small budgets for arts presenting activities. The activities are aimed at serving the general public in the community in which they are located. Community Arts is designed to help small organizations continue, strengthen, and expand current programs and audiences.

Arts Projects funding supports organizations statewide with medium-sized budgets for arts presenting activities.

Organizations with actual last completed fiscal year unrestricted income of $100,000-$749,999, excluding in-kind should apply in Arts Projects.

Major Cultural Organizations funding supports larger organizations statewide for arts presenting activities.

Organizations with actual last completed fiscal year unrestricted income of more than $750,000, excluding in-kind should apply in Major Cultural Organizations.

Colleges, Universities, and Government Entities funding supports colleges and universities, local and county governments, and Indian tribal government entities for arts presenting activities especially those who serve as a primary arts presenter and/or key provider of arts services in their local community. Programs must be marketed and accessible to the general public in addition to students, faculty, and staff.

Arts in Social Service

Arts in Social Service funding supports arts organizations or social service organizations for arts-based projects that focus on addressing social issues with a primary purpose of reaching specific populations (people who are incarcerated, homeless, abused, ill, etc.) or fosters artistic activity that formally encourages civic dialogues on important social issues (the environment, crime, etc.).

Arts Learning: In Schools & In Community

New Mexico Arts offers two grant categories for arts education projects with K-12 school-age children: Arts Learning in Schools and Arts Learning in Community. Charter schools and 501 (c) (3) private schools and 501 (c) (3) organizations may apply for themselves. Public schools must apply through the parent-teacher organization if that organization is a 501 (c) (3) or through the school district.

Arts Learning in Schools supports a wide range of programs taking place in K-12 schools either during school hours or during after-school programs. The programs may focus on creative process arts activities, arts activities integrated into other content areas, art history, or arts education professional development. In school residencies with individual artists are also included in this category (note: applicants for residencies cannot be individuals and the applicant must be a charter school, 501 (c) 3 private school, school district, or 501 (c) 3 organization.

Arts Learning in Community supports arts learning for K-12 school-age children outside of a school setting. These programs focus on creative process arts activities or the development of specific artistic skills and take place in 501 (c) 3 arts organizations. (Projects that take place in a K-12 public or a private school should apply in Arts Learning in Schools. Organizations whose primary purpose is the education of K-12 school-age students should apply in this category. Examples of these organizations include youth symphonies, teen performing arts organizations, visual arts education providers, and dance institutes.

Local Arts Councils and Service Organizations 

Local Arts Councils and Service Organizations are incorporated tax-exempt organizations or agencies of government or Indian tribal entities and tax-exempt service organizations that provide services to artists, arts organizations, or in the field of arts education.

New Mexico Arts defines a local arts council as “a community organization or an agency of local government that supports cultural organizations, provides services to artists and arts organizations, and/or presents arts programming to the public.” A service organization is defined as “an organization with a membership or constituency that spans a city, region or the state; that offers services to artists, arts organizations, or in the field of arts education; that promotes the arts through advocacy efforts; and/or provides arts information services to the public.” Please contact New Mexico Arts to determine if this is the correct funding category. 

Traditional Folk Arts Projects

Traditional Folk Arts Projects funding supports organizations, Indian tribal government entities, local governments, and universities whose programs further, showcase, and help to perpetuate folk and traditional arts being practiced in New Mexico.

Folk and traditional arts are the culturally specific traditional, functional, and expressive arts practiced and passed down within a community. Folk arts reflect the values and worldviews of the groups that create them and are part of a rich and valuable heritage for all New Mexicans. 

Please see the FY25 Guidelines here for complete program descriptions and eligibility criteria.