3131 S Central Ave, Phoenix AZ 85040
The Artists to Work Program supports the creation and presentation of original, new, or in-process artistic work by practicing Phoenix artists. Awarded artists will be required to complete a public presentation inside the city of Phoenix boundaries that primarily benefits Phoenix residents.
Due to the pandemic, the arts and culture sector was hit hard, with nonprofit arts organizations reducing their workforce with furloughs, layoffs, and eliminating artist contracts. Individual artists make their living from sales and commissions to individuals, from work at nonprofit arts organizations or creative businesses, or working jobs outside of the arts. Artist grants and fellowships are scarce in Arizona, and several arts funders have put their programs on hiatus. The Artists to Work program will help support individual artists who have lost income due to cancellations, budget cuts, closures, and lack of access to project support to funding due to the pandemic.
This program is part of the funding the Phoenix Department of Arts and Culture (POAC) received from the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) through the Phoenix City Council.
In the second cycle, our office received over 149 letters of interest from artists. Out of those, panelists reviewed over 126 artists' letters of interest, and only 48 artists were selected to move to Step Two and submit a full application. For the year 2024, only 21 artists were recommended funding.