Bailey Opportunity Grants

Important FY2025 dates:

  • Open Zoom meetings for applicants (all times EST):

    Monday, February 5, 2024, 3:00-4:00 PM
    Tuesday, February 6, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
    Wednesday, February 7, 9:00-10:00 AM
    Thursday, February 8, 6:00-7:00 PM
    Friday, February 9, 12:00-1:00 PM—-
    Join Zoom Meeting: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/8653826742?pwd=Q1UwOG9FQXc4ZHdSNUhJbzlaVlJ3Zz09
    Meeting ID: 865 382 6742
    Passcode: 379020
    —-
  • Video recording of helpful application tips is available on YouTube at https://youtu.be/0PVGgItJ2pA or watch below.
  • Sunday, March 17, 2024 at midnight: Bailey Opportunity Grants Receipt Deadline. Electronic submissions to grants@knoxalliance.com are required.
    • Applicants are strongly encouraged to speak with Liza Zenni, Executive Director of the Arts & Culture Alliance, prior to submitting an application. Email LZ@knoxalliance.com to request a phone or Zoom meeting if you are unable to attend a meeting time posted above.
  • Mid-May 2024: Awards announced
  • Monday, July 1, 2024: Grant funds available for use

The Arts & Culture Alliance (ACA) is pleased to announce Ann and Steve Bailey Opportunity Grants, a funding program that provides training and technical support to individual artists and small, professionally-oriented arts and culture organizations (whose budgets are under $100,000).

ELIGIBILITY – INDIVIDUALS
1. Artist must have lived within approximately 50 miles of downtown Knoxville for at least the past six months and must remain a resident during the grant period (July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025).
2. Artist must be at least 18 years old.
3. Artist must have exhibited, performed, presented and/or published artistic work in a public context in Knox County within the last 36 months (2021-2024).
4. Artist must not be enrolled in a full-time degree-seeking program.
5. Artist must be a member of the Arts & Culture Alliance at the time of the application and throughout grant period (see www.knoxalliance.com/join-renew). Applications from non-members will not be considered.
6. Staff, board members, and relatives of staff or board members of the Arts & Culture Alliance are ineligible.
7. Previous grantees are eligible to apply.

ELIGIBILITY – SMALL ORGANIZATIONS
1. Organizations must be legally domiciled within about 50 miles of downtown Knoxville and must remain in the Greater Knoxville area during the grant period (July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025).
2. Organizations must have exhibited, performed, presented and/or published artistic or historical work in a public context in Knox County within the last 36 months (2021-2024).
3. Applicant organizations must have attained 501(c)(3) status or be non-profit in nature. No applications from nonprofessional (pastime/hobby) organizations will be accepted at this time.
4. The organization’s annual budget may not have exceeded $100,000 in any of the past five years.
5. The organization’s main mission must be directly concerned with arts or history.
6. Established as well as emerging organizations are eligible to apply. Work which pushes and expands the boundaries of your field is particularly sought.
7. Organization must be a member of the Arts & Culture Alliance at the time of the application and throughout grant period (see www.knoxalliance.com/join-renew). Applications from non-members will not be considered.
8. Organizations managed by staff, board, and relatives of staff or board members of the Arts & Culture Alliance are not eligible to apply.
9. Previous grantees are eligible to apply.

The grants are designed to spur continued artistic and administrative growth in innovative, entrepreneurial artists and organizations at any stage in their development.

Projects that allow for the exploration of new avenues of creativity, wrestling with new ideas that can advance one’s creative work, and strengthening business practices are especially encouraged. Most awards in the past have gone toward training and equipment, but all qualifying projects are considered.

Grant Period: July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025. Funds may be spent only during this period.

Applicants may apply for a maximum of $30,000 in support, although most organization grants have ranged in size from $1,000 to $15,000 and most artist grants range from $1,000 to $7,500. The entire Bailey Opportunity Grants budget for FY2025 for both Individuals and Organizations combined is $100,000.

The goal of Bailey Opportunity Grants is to create a more vital creative community in Knoxville by: encouraging contributions to the city’s economy and quality of life by artists and arts and history organizations; positioning Knoxville as a community that honors its creative industry and supports the efforts of artists and organizations to achieve excellence; and raising public profiles of artists and organizations within the city and beyond.

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