Massachusetts artists, culture bearers, and creative practitioners can now apply for unrestricted $5,000 grants through Mass Cultural Council’s FY27 Grants for Creative Individuals program. Applications opened September 10, 2026, and are due October 27, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern.
For creatives across Essex County, this is an opportunity to receive funding you can use where you need it most. The grants have no restrictions on how the money is used.
Who can apply?
The program welcomes people working across creative disciplines, including community-based arts, crafts, dance, design, digital media, film and video, folk and traditional arts, Native and Indigenous arts, literature, music, performance, photography, theater, and visual arts.
Applicants must meet the full FY27 eligibility requirements. Among those requirements:
- Be at least 18 years old.
- Be a full-year Massachusetts resident for calendar year 2026 and remain a resident through June 2027.
- Not be enrolled as a full-time undergraduate or a graduate student in the arts.
- Not have received a Grants for Creative Individuals award in 2024, 2025, or 2026.
Additional restrictions apply to Mass Cultural Council members, staff, and family. Check the complete guidelines before starting your application.
Key dates and application support
- Applications open: September 10, 2026
- Online information session: September 22, 2026, at 11 a.m. Eastern
- Application deadline: October 27, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern
Register for the information session to hear program staff explain the application and answer questions. ASL interpretation and live captions will be provided, and a recording will be posted afterward.
Una sesión informativa virtual en español estará disponible próximamente.
More funding for individual creatives
Mass Cultural Council’s FY27 spending plan allocates $2.45 million to Grants for Creative Individuals. The program supports creative expression across Massachusetts communities and is the agency’s primary funding program for individual artists and creatives.
Review the guidelines and apply
Start with the official guidelines for eligibility, required materials, and instructions for submitting through Mass Cultural Council’s grants portal.
Read the FY27 guidelines and apply
Questions about the grant? Contact Mass Cultural Council at creative.individuals@mass.gov.
Creative Collective shares opportunities that support our region’s creative community. Meet local artists and creative organizations in our arts directory.
Source: Mass Cultural Council’s September 10, 2026 announcement, FY27 program guidelines, information-session listing, and FY27 spending plan.
