New Hampshire: Youth Arts Project Grants

Young children cheerfully posing with violins in a classroom setup.

Students from the Upbeat New Hampshire 2022 summer program. Photo courtesy of Upbeat New Hampshire

Recognizing the important role that arts learning plays in promoting human development, creativity, critical thinking, cultural understanding and civic participation, the New Hampshire State Council on the Arts is committed to supporting arts education for young people in the state. Youth Arts Project Grants are an important part of this commitment, which aims to broaden access to diverse forms of artistic and cultural practices that can engage youth in contributing to community goals. Funding awards up to $6,000 are open to nonprofit organizations, schools and municipal agencies that provide arts education programs for young people in the state and fund programs in all arts disciplines including dance, theatre, media, music, visual arts, craft and creative writing. Funding is reviewed and approved by a volunteer 15-member advisory council appointed by the governor.

One of the key priorities of the grant is to support projects that reach youth of all abilities and reflect the racial, cultural and aesthetic background of the local community. In addition, the program encourages STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) based projects that foster strong relationships by cultivating partnerships between organizations, artists, youth and schools. Examples of past successful projects include a creative youth development organization working with guidance counselors to identify at-risk teens to participate in an afterschool program led by professional artists in dance, theatre and design, and a teen center partnering with city leadership to design and create a mural based on the cultural diversity of the community. For more information, contact New Hampshire State Council on the Arts Arts Education Grants Coordinator Allison Hawkins.