In 2026, $2 million dollars in grant funds will be distributed to the community, with new applications open for Boulder Vision projects, arts education projects, professional development scholarships, grant writing support, and more. Grants are available for organizations, individuals and classrooms. Review the 2026 funding structure.
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View recordings of informational sessions about this year's grant process in English and in Spanish.
Log on to the Boulder Arts Commission online system to apply for grants, submit a report, review open applications, and more.
Artist Hiring Incentive Grants: This grant is a hiring incentive for businesses or nonprofits to employ Boulder-area visual, performing, and literary artists to perform or create new work.
Arts Education Project Grants: Increase exposure of students to unique experiences that may shape their future in cultural participation and creative careers.
Lifelong Learning Grants: Increase opportunities for inter-generational programming and/or safe ‘third spaces’ for youth to engage in arts and culture.
Boulder Vision Grants: Encourage innovation and exploration in order to achieve progress on broader City of Boulder initiatives.
Cultural Field Trip Fund: Funding for children who attend a Title 1 school to visit Boulder’s arts institutions and cultural destinations.
The Grant Writing Fund provides opportunities for first-time applicants and those who have not received a grant through the Boulder Arts Commission to get grant writing assistance.
Professional Development Scholarships: Encouraging leadership and the sharing of good practices through professional development will advance our creative economy, support professionals and businesses, and enhance cultural dialog.
Rental Assistance (Boulder Venues): To facilitate and assist community cultural groups with access and affordability of performance venues.
Macky Auditorium Fee Waiver: 16 rent-free days to facilitate and assist cultural groups performing at Macky. For supplementary funds to support your event, apply for the Venue and Online Event Affordability Fund.
eTown Hall Fee Discount: To facilitate and assist community cultural groups with access and affordability of performance venues, the Boulder Arts Commission and eTown offer up to 12 days per calendar year of discounted rental space at eTown Hall.
Roots Music Project Fee Waiver: To facilitate and assist community cultural groups with access and affordability of performance venues, the Boulder Arts Commission and Roots Music Project offer up to 11 days per calendar year of rent-free space at Roots Music Project.
The Spark Boulder Fee Waiver: To facilitate and assist community cultural groups with access and affordability of performance venues, the Boulder Arts Commission and The Spark Boulder offer up to 12 days per calendar year of rent-free space at The Spark Boulder.
General Operating Support Grants: To bolster the sustainability of the community’s cultural organizations, a system of operating grants is a priority for the cultural grants program. This system of institutional funding supports the Boulder Arts Blueprint. Operating Grants cover day-to-day activities or ongoing expenses such as administrative salaries, utilities, office supplies, technology maintenance, etc., as well as for project costs, technology purchases, and professional development.
Please note that the 2026 application window will open on Jan. 7, 2026.
Grant report forms are on the Boulder Arts Commission grants software. Log in with the same user name and password utilized to submit the application. After logging in, go to the ‘Dashboard’, then you’ll see a ‘Follow Up’ section for the grant. On the far right is the ‘Edit’ button. That will take you to complete the final report.
After you submit the report you’ll receive email confirmation and copy of the report via the email that you have included in the report. Contact culturegrants@bouldercolorado.gov if you do not receive email confirmation.
If you can’t complete a grant project on time, you must email a letter to the Boulder Arts Commission at culturegrants@bouldercolorado.gov to ask for an extension before the report due date. Send this email before the report due date with these details:
Staff will review your extension request email and provide a response. If a report extension is not approved, staff will notify you about how you could revise or add more information.
Failure to follow these procedures will jeopardize your eligibility to apply for future Boulder Arts Commission grant awards. If you have questions, contact information for staff is on the Office of Arts and Culture website, or you may email culturegrants@bouldercolorado.gov.
