New Artworks Grant

Eligible applicants for the New Artworks Planning grants may be independent artists or organizations, as outlined below. 

Eligible applicants for New Artworks Project grants must be an organization, as outlined below. 

Independent artists must be:

• An artist or collaborative group not directly affiliated with a larger arts organization or program
  • In the case of collaborative groups, having a membership comprising at least 50 percent Maryland residents, as defined below 
  • In the case that an artist(s) is fiscally sponsored, the sponsored artist(s) must be a Maryland resident, as defined below
• Maryland residents (i.e., owning or renting residential property in Maryland six months before the application’s submission and throughout the funded project or program) who are 18 or older; those experiencing homelessness are encouraged to reach out to MSAC staff for details on how to apply
• The lead artist whose original work is included in the proposed activities
• Not enrolled in any matriculated high school, undergraduate or graduate degree program at the time of application and throughout the grant activities outlined in the application.

Organizations or Art Programs must be one of the following:

• Nonprofit organization (i.e., an organization with an IRS-designated 501(c)3 status) based in Maryland
• Nonprofit, Maryland-based fiscal sponsor organization applying on behalf of a Maryland-based group, project, or artist(s) with whom it has a Model A fiscal sponsorship agreement in place (i.e., comprehensive sponsorship, in which the assets, liabilities, and exempt activities collectively referred to as “the project” are housed within the fiscal sponsor)
• Unit of government (e.g., town, city, county, state, etc., with the capacity to undertake an arts program)
• College or university (i.e., an established higher education institution in Maryland) 

School (i.e., a public or private school serving students in grades pre-kindergarten through 12)

Applicants may only submit one PAAM grant application per fiscal year.

Grantees receiving Project Grants (New Artworks and Conservation) in the prior fiscal year (FY24) are not eligible to apply for any PAAM Project Grant in the subsequent fiscal year (FY25). 

• The following organizations listed under the FY 2024 New Artworks Project grants at the link here and under the FY 2024 Conservation Project grants at the link here are ineligible to apply for any PAAM Project grant in FY 2025.

Artwork Eligibility: 

• The artworks must be considered public art as defined in the MSAC glossary-refer to glossary here
• The artwork must be designed by a Maryland artist, as well as be new, original, and specifically designed and fabricated for the Public Art Across Maryland program
• The artwork type may include, but not be limited to:  sculpture, mural/painting, tile mosaic, mixed media, photography, and digital works. The artwork may also be functional amenities such as: benches, bike racks, creative way-finding, fences, screens, gateways, light works, awnings, and trellises.
• The artwork may be temporary or permanent but must be intended for the public realm, and may be sited in or on any interior or exterior space accessible to the public, such as: parks and trails, plazas, sidewalks, community centers, libraries, schools, and local government buildings 
• Publicly accessible 
• In compliance with local jurisdiction’s regulations, permissions, and permitting requirements for siting and installing artwork(s) on public or private property. Applicants are required to do their own research in this regard.
• Artworks installed on private property must describe how the site is significant to the community and is accessible to and benefits the greater public
• For Project grants: the artwork must have been developed through a community engagement process 

The eligibility guidelines listed above provide an overview only. In some cases, MSAC staff might make eligibility determinations addressing situations not described here but in support of the mission of the agency and the Department of Commerce.

Planning Grant awards up to $10,000 to support independent artists or organizations creating public art proposals with communities.

Project Grant awards up to $30,000 to organizations to support the fabrication and installation of new public artwork. The artwork must have been developed through a community process, and be fully designed including identification of the artist(s) creating the work.

MSAC utilizes a multi-disciplinary, statewide grant panel to electronically review and score applications. 

Before submitting a completed application, refer to the FY 2025 New Artworks Planning Grant Rubric and the FY 2025 New Artworks Project Grant Rubric for the complete scoring criteria panelists use to evaluate applications.

New Artworks Planning Grants may be used to support independent artists and/or organizations developing public art project ideas and proposals with communities. Grant funds may be used for:

• Administrative fees related to community engagement activities conducting a Call to Artists to select artist(s), garnering artwork permits/approvals, and determining who will oversee and fund maintenance
• Artist fees and/or honorariums for artwork proposal design and proposal development.  
• Support for seeking and working with an organization partner 
• Consultant fee(s) such as public art consultant, design services from architects or landscape architects, engineering services, digital graphics services, etc.
• Facility/equipment rentals for community meetings
• Online application software fees
• Artwork proposal design and development including services such as digital renderings, shop drawings design/engineering reviews, permit applications 

New Artworks Project Grants may be used to support organizations that are working with an artist(s) to fabricate and install new public artwork(s). The artist(s) creating the public art must be identified and the artwork must be fully designed and have proof of permission to be installed at the time of application. The project must have been developed through a community engagement process. Grant funds may be used for:

• Artist(s) fee(s)
• Contracted services such as studio assistants, fabricators, contractors, artwork installers, photographers, etc.  
• Equipment and/or space rentals needed for fabrication and/or installation
• Artwork materials and/or tools for fabrication and/or installation
• Plaque/Interpretive signage
• Transportation of the artwork to the site
• Insurance, permitting fees
• Organization administration/project management fee (cannot exceed 10% of the total grant request) 
• Artwork dedication expenses, including signage plaque

Grants funds may not be used for:

• For Projects Grants, funds may not be used for design revisions. Project grants should have completed all community input and revisions to the design in advance of submitting an application
• Artworks previously installed
• Artworks that have not gone through a community engagement process
• On-going maintenance fees of the artwork(s)
• Premanufactured site amenities (non-artist-made) planters, benches, fences, bike racks… 
• Signage such as a business name and/or product(s) 
• Artwork planned or produced outside of Maryland
• Artworks that do not fall under MSAC’s definition of public art. Refer to Glossary here.
• Purchase, lease, or exhibition of pre-existing artwork or editions
• Ongoing operational expenses of the applicant or partner
• Capital improvements not directly related to the public artwork
• Artwork that is not publicly accessible
• Acquisition of capital assets
• Capital improvements or purchases of permanent equipment
• Activities for the exclusive benefit of an organization’s members
• Contributions to any persons who hold, or are candidates for, elected office
• Contributions to any political party, organization, or action committee
• Lobbying or activities in connection with any political campaign or referendum
• Expenses for activities or projects already completed at the time of grant application
• Expenses for which the applicant has been awarded funds through another MSAC grant program. (i.e., an applicant may only be awarded MSAC funds once for any individual project expense; contact MSAC staff with questions)
• The organization’s indirect costs over 10 percent of the total grant request. 
• Direct stipends or honorariums to youth or student participants 
• Multi-phased artworks that have received prior PAAM grant funding

Independent Artists or Organizations apply via the secure online grants application software SmartSimple. Log in or create a free account at marylandarts.smartsimple.com.

• Applicants are required to complete and submit their applications by electronic means, including the use of an electronic signature.
• Technical support for SmartSimple is available during regular office hours.
• Lost, misdirected or late applications are the sole responsibility of the applicant.
• Applicants must meet all revision deadlines after submission, as specified in writing, or the application will be withdrawn.

All grantees must file a final report in SmartSimple. The report will be added to the grantee’s SmartSimple profile as soon as the GAF is fully executed. 

The final report deadline for New Artwork Planning grants is March 30, 2026, and for Project grants, September 30, 2026. 

The final report form collects information about the grantee and grant activities, including optional demographic information, data for the National Endowment for the Arts, summary of activities and use of grant funds, and other program-specific information and documents, as relevant.

Grant funds may not be used to offset grantees’ State liabilities; as such, grantees whose grant payments were intercepted by GAD due to Maryland state taxes or other state liabilities (as outlined in the Payments section) are not exempt from submitting the required report(s). Grantees must either return the funds to MSAC or follow through with their proposed grant activities and submit report(s) accordingly. 

Failure to submit reports may jeopardize current or future MSAC grants and may result in the required return of grant funds to the State of Maryland. Before any funds are distributed, grantees are also required to submit any outstanding reports or address requirements for any other MSAC grants they have received. 

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