The Lydia McCain Grant to Advance Artist Opportunities is a funding source for artists in Erie County who have a strong artistic vision and a timely opportunity present that will help advance their artistic career. Examples of such opportunities may include, but are not limited to: the creation of new work, promotion of existing work, and professional development. 

Grant funds may be used for opportunities and related costs incurred between June 1, 2025 - May 31, 2026.

Eligible use of grant funding includes, but is not limited to: 

• Portfolio development
• Professional third-party services (representation, marketing, photography, web development, accounting, etc).
• Materials/supplies
• Equipment lease or purchases
• Facilities/studio rental
• Travel
• Workshop/conference registration fees
• Fees related to artist residencies 
• Transportation/shipping of work for exhibition/display
• Grant awards may be used to reimburse expenses incurred for activities occurring within the identified activity period. 

Ineligible uses of grant funds:

• Expenses related to ANY degree granting program
• Activities that have already taken place or take place outside of the grant period 
• Living expenses not tied to a specific project or opportunity (e.g., rent, utilities)  
• Erie Arts & Culture arts-in-education teaching artist residency host site match

Applicants must:

• Be at least 18 years of age. 
• Be a practicing artist creating original work with a demonstrated commitment to advancing their professional creative career. 
• Be a legal resident of Erie County.

Questions about eligibility? Please contact Casey Corritore, Program Officer of Arts, Culture, and Creative Entrepreneurship at casey@erieartsandculture.org | 814-452-3427 x 108.

Applicants will be notified of funding decisions via email on May 31, 2025.

On behalf of Lydia McCain, Erie Arts & Culture provides financial support to arts organizations that are prepared to take a next step as it relates to its mission, operations, or programs. The Lydia McCain Next Steps Grant for Arts Organizations is designed to support arts organizations pursue strategies that help ensure their future success and impact in Erie County.

Grant funding may be used for next steps and related expenses incurred between June 1, 2025 - May 31, 2026. 

Eligible next steps include, but are not necessarily limited to:

Mission:

• Strategic planning;
• Board development and engagement;
• Creating a case for support;

Operations:

• Revising policies, procedures, and protocols through the lens of inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility;
• Organizational restructuring and recruiting;
• Accessing capacity-building consulting services;

Programs:

• Assessing and evolving existing programmatic offerings;
• Identifying and activating new relationships in the Erie region;
• Implementing new initiatives that address community needs and gaps in existing programs/services;

Ineligible Uses of Grant Funds:

• Activities that have a religious purpose
• Commercial (for-profit) enterprises or activities, including concessions, food, clothing, artwork, or other items for resale; this includes online or virtual sales/shops
• Capital improvements or land acquisition
• Establishing an operating reserve
• Hospitality, food, or beverages, including alcoholic beverages
• Lobbying, including activities intended to influence the outcome of elections or influence government officials regarding pending legislation, either directly or through specific lobbying appeals to the public
• Mortgage interest, fines and penalties, bad debt costs, or deficit reduction
• Reimbursements for expenses incurred outside of the grant activity period (June 1, 2025 - May 31, 2026).
• Rental costs for home office workspace owned by individuals or entities affiliated with the applicant organization
• Vehicle purchases
• Visa costs paid to the US government
• Voter registration drives and related activities

Questions about eligibility? Please contact Casey Corritore, Program Officer of Arts, Culture, and Creative Entrepreneurship at casey@erieartsandculture.org | 814-452-3427 x 108.

Applicants will be notified of funding decisions on May 31.

It was the wish of Virginia Vieser to annually fund one Erie County non-profit arts organization that is undertaking a new and innovative arts in education project, with preference given to projects that have committed matching funds.

Grant funds may only be used to fund initiatives and related expenses occurring between June 1, 2025 - May 31, 2026. 

Erie Arts & Culture will only consider applications and projects that are grounded in commitment to Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA).
 

Guidelines

• Requests should be in support of new initiatives. 
• Projects showing matching funds from other sources shall be prioritized.
• Projects that do not receive state or federal education grants shall be prioritized.
• Though in support of arts in education, projects can take place in any setting that exposes students of any age, whether youth or adults, to either the visual or performing arts.
• Requests for support to cover ongoing operating expenses are ineligible for funding.

Funding Criteria

The Vieser Grant strictly supports a new and innovative arts in education project in Erie County. This means grant funds should not be requested in support of recurring programs or capital improvement projects. Projects seeking funding shall meet the following requirements explicitly:

• Project deliverables must be intended to provide an artistic or social benefit to stakeholders of Erie County.
• Any events or activities supported through this grant program must be open to the public. Open to the public does not necessarily mean free to the public. 
• No activities supported through this grant program may have a religious or political purpose.
• This grant program is not designed to provide financial support as reimbursements for expenses incurred outside of the grant activity period. 

Applicants will be notified of funding decisions before May 31. 

Questions? Contact Casey Corritore, Erie Arts & Culture's Program Officer of Arts, Culture, and Creative Entrepreneurship: casey@erieartsandculture.org | 814-452-3427 x 108.

Erie Arts & Culture seeks grant review panelists to help create panels to review applications submitted to the organization for funding consideration throughout the year, including grants for individual artists as well as those for arts organizations. Panels are integral to the grantmaking process, providing a critical review, comments, and scores of all applications to a particular grant program.

We work hard to balance the composition of these panels by artistic discipline, race/ethnicity, ability, arts experience, and gender expression. Panels are composed of individuals who represent a broad range of artistic and cultural viewpoints and geographic and ethnic diversity. We welcome you to apply to share your expertise and talent as a grant panelist.

As a panelist, you will have the opportunity to develop connections with peers who share your passion for art and culture while supporting your community. Panelists are a vital force in the decision-making process, get an up-close look at the grantmaking process and learn about the many ways artists and art organizations make a difference across the community.

Panelist Responsibilities

• Attend an orientation meeting to get familiar with the grant program, review process, scoring criteria, and Submittable platform.
• Read and rate each grant application according to the review criteria. Reading the grant applications must be done in advance of the panel meeting on your own time. You should expect to spend several hours reading, reviewing, and scoring the applications.
• Attend the panel session. The panel meeting is typically 1-2 hours and is a one-time commitment where you will discuss the applications and make a funding recommendation with your fellow panelists.