Monthly Roundup For September: Grants For Artists

Artist grants are vital to the sustainability of Miami’s thriving cultural community. (Digital collage by Jean Blackwell Font)

Each month, Artburst highlights grant and fellowship opportunities for artists in Miami-Dade County, across South Florida and beyond. We’ve included key eligibility requirements, application deadlines, and links to learn more. New opportunities and carryover ones from last month with fast approaching deadlines are listed first. The remainder listed are from previous roundups because applications are accepted on a rolling basis or deadlines have not yet passed.

Note that all applications must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. on the deadline date.

Art in Public Places Call to Artists – Capital Improvement Program Miami International Airport

Open call for submissions to local, national, and international professional visual artists or artist-led teams for proposals for commissions in various areas of the Miami International Airport as part of their Capital Improvement Program. Multiple commissions will be awarded in the range of $100,000 to $500,000.

Click here for details. Deadline is Sept. 21, 2026.

The Hollywood Art and Culture Center

Open call for submissions for two artists in residence and two non-resident digital artists. Artists in residence receive a $3,500 stipend over a seven-month residency in a semi-private studio with an opportunity to present an exhibition and meet with other artists. During the residency, they will be required to participate in three monthly open studio visits during the Hollywood Arts Walk Tour and lead at least one educational workshop. Non-studio digital artists receive a $1,200 stipend over four months to work in a semi-private space plus, an additional $200 to lead a digital art public workshop. During their residency, they are required to work at least 20 hours per month in the space and allow the Center’s visitors to observe them at work during agreed upon hours.   Click here for details on artist in residence and click here for details on non-resident digital artist. Deadline is Sept. 28, 2026.

Funding Arts Network Grant Application Workshop
In preparation for their 2026-2027 grant cycle, the Funding Arts Network is hosting an online grant application workshop via Zoom. The workshop will provide a full overview of the FAN grant application process, highlight any changes for the new cycle and conclude with a Q&A session in preparation for the Step 1 application in October.

The workshop is at 11 a.m., Sept. 29, 2026. Click here to register.

Paint Historic Waxahachie Plein Air Paint Out
Call for artists to participate in the 19^th Annual art show in Waxahachie, Texas. Artists must display up to five paintings, all of which must be available for purchase. Awards include Best in Show $3,000, first place $2,000, second place $1,500, third place $1,000 and four Honorable Mentions at $250 each, plus merchandise and products from art supply sponsors. Early registrants can join a pre-painting period to paint locations throughout Ellis County, where Waxahachie is located, from Oct. 1-30, 2026.

Click here for details. Deadline is Sept. 30, 2026.

Coconut Grove Theatre Festival
Open submissions for directors and playwrights who reside or have a connection to South Florida. All who apply must ensure they will be in Miami on Feb. 20, 2027, for the playwright/director Match Day event and from April 19 through May 2, 2027, for rehearsal and festival weeks. Playwrights are to submit one completed full-length script or work-in-progress draft from 60-90 minutes long. No musicals are being accepted.

Click here for details. Deadline is Oct. 13, 2026.

Roy W. Dean Film Grant
Open to student filmmakers, independent producers, documentarians, or independent production companies to submit their film, digital or video projects that are new or works in progress. All film lengths are accepted. Application requirements include a cover letter, proposal or synopsis, marketing/distribution/social media plan, information on crew, estimated budget and link to sample of prior work or trailer of work in progress.

Click here for details. Deadline is Oct. 31, 2026.

Vizcaya Museum & Gardens Arts Residency and Commission
As part of Vizcaya’s effort to expand the contemporary arts program, they are hosting an open call for the museum’s first dedicated artist residency and studio. One South Florida-based artist will receive a $12,500 stipend, production budget up to $25,000, exclusive use of the on-site studio from May through November 2027 and an exhibition of their work in the museum’s Main House from November 2027 through May 2028.

Open call information session via Zoom at noon, Sept. 23, 2026, click here to register. Click here for submission. Deadline is Nov. 2, 2026.

South Arts

Southern Prize for Literature

Open to writers 18 years and older who are developing book-length manuscripts awarding one winner $25,000 and two runners-up $10,000 each. The award can provide writers with funds for research, workspace and equipment, manuscript consultation, editing, coaching, and legal consultations. Applicants are required to submit a project description, statement of intent and work samples.

Click here for details.

Literary Arts Project Grants
These grants support literary arts organizations and small presses whose focus is contemporary literary arts. Funds aid organizations in development, production and public engagement of their projects of poetry, fiction, creative or literary nonfiction, young readers literature and scriptwriting. Awards are up to $5,000 per project.

Click here for details.

Deadline for both is Oct. 7, 2026

Southern Artist Spotlight Grants
The pilot grant program provides grant opportunities to documentary filmmakers, musicians and dancers, fiction and poetry writers and all forms of visual arts. Grants are awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis and require a dollar-for-dollar cash match. Maximum request is $8,000 for dance and $5,000 for all other disciplines. Projects must take place between July 1, 2026, and June 30, 2027, and applications must be submitted 60 days before the project start date.

Click here for details; applications accepted on a rolling basis.

Arts in Rural Places Grants
Organizations in rural, isolated, or small communities are eligible for up to $3,000 in support for community engagement projects. Opportunities are open to the same groups and applications, and project windows are all the same as the Artist Spotlight Grants mentioned above.

Click here for details; applications accepted on a rolling basis.

Professional Development for Arts Organizations
Arts organizations with operating budgets of $500,000 or more are eligible for up to $1,000 for professional development support. Open to artist ensembles, producing and presenting organizations, visual and performing arts centers, museums, film festivals, arts service organizations, community arts organizations, and art councils. Projects must take place between July 1, 2026, and June 30, 2027, and applications must be submitted 60 days before the project start date.

Click here for details; applications accepted on a rolling basis

Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs
Community Grants Program
A quarterly program for non-profit organizations developing small to medium-scale community-based cultural programs, projects and events, such as fairs, parades, neighborhood festivals, conferences and publications.
Workshop: Nov. 5, 2026, click here to RSVP.
Courtesy Review Deadline: Nov. 25, 2026
Application Deadline: Dec. 3, 2026

Film Florida
Florida Emerging Filmmakers Fund
Open to Film Florida members for free, non-members must pay a $50 fee. Awards of $1,000 to $2,000 in cash to filmmakers as well as mentorship with an industry professional throughout a project. Short and long formats and all genres are eligible, demonstrate advanced and innovative skills in filmmaking and support the organization’s mission of creating jobs in Florida’s film and entertainment production industry. Projects must be filmed entirely in Florida by a Florida crew with post-production done in Florida.

Click here for details, no deadline.

Additional Links

A listing of where to check periodically for available grants, workshops, resources, and application assistance.

Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs: https://miamidadearts.org/

Florida Division of Arts & Culture: dos.fl.gov/cultural/grants/grant-programs/specific-cultural-projects/

Knight Foundation: https://knightfoundation.org/

The Jorge M. Pérez Family Foundation: https://jmperezfamilyfoundation.org/grant-opportunities/

Film Miami https://www.filmiami.org/grants.asp

Green Space Miami: https://greenspacemiami.org/

AIRIE (Artists in Residence in Everglades): https://www.airie.org/

Funding Arts Network: https://fundingartsnetwork.org/home/grants/

Broward County Cultural Division: https://www.broward.org/Arts/Funding/Pages/artistsupport.aspx

ArtburstMiami.com is a nonprofit media source for the arts featuring fresh and original stories by writers dedicated to theater, dance, visual arts, film, music and more. Don’t miss a story at www.artburstmiami.com