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 Office of Arts and Culture (POAC) received from the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) through the Phoenix City Council.
In this first cycle, our office received over 150 letters of interest from artists. Out of those, only 137 artists were eligible to be reviewed by panelists in step one of the application process, and only 49 artists were selected to submit a full application in step two. Only 20 artists were recommended funding.
View the 2023 awarded artists here