National Endowment for the Arts Invites Proposals for Creative Placemaking Projects

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is soliciting proposals for creative placemaking projects that “contribute toward the livability of communities and help transform them into lively, beautiful and sustainable places with the arts at their core.” Through the Our Town program, the NEA will award a limited number of grants ranging from $25,000 to $200,000 to support projects that bring together arts and design organizations with local communities to improve quality of life, encourage greater creative activity, foster stronger community identity and revitalize economic development.

Creative placemaking includes a diverse array of arts engagement, cultural planning and design activities. For instance, in the 2013 round of Our Town funding, the Detroit Economic Growth Association received a grant to use vacant retail storefronts as sites for arts and creative entrepreneurship. The Groundswell Community Mural Project in Brooklyn, New York received a grant to engage young adults on probation in reclaiming vandalized walls. The Parks and Recreation Department of Laramie, Wyoming received a grant to create a public art plan.

While Our Town projects vary in focus, they are united in having:

• A systemic approach to civic development and a persuasive vision for enhanced community livability. 
• Clearly defined civic development goals and objectives that recognize and enhance the role that the arts and design play at the center of community life. 
• An action plan aligned with the project vision and civic development goals. 
• A funding plan that is appropriate, feasible, indicates strong and wide community support, and includes a well-conceived strategy for maintaining the work of the project. 
• Artistic excellence of the design and/or arts organizations, designers, or artists involved with the project. 

To be eligible, Our Town proposals must come from a partnership with two lead organizations—a nonprofit organization and local government entity. One of the primary partners must be an arts or design organization. Additional partners from the public, private and nonprofit sectors are encouraged. Only one project per local jurisdiction can be submitted, and the application must include an endorsement level from the highest ranking official of local government.

Our Town applications must be submitted through Grants.gov no later than 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, on January 13, 2014. A pre-recorded workshop on the Our Town grant guidelines can be found here. For more information on all aspects of the Our Town program, click here.