Resources for Maryland's Arts Sector
The MSAC Online Resource Bulletin, maintained by the Maryland Art Place, includes regional, national, and international exhibition opportunities, grants, fellowships, residencies, and information on available studio spaces in the area. The Resource Bulletin is updated on a weekly basis and maintains hundreds of listings of arts opportunities, organized by subject and deadline date. If you have information that you wish to have included in the Resource Bulletin, please email caitlin@mdartplace.org. Click here to view the Resource Bulletin.
MSAC offers a variety of professional development offerings throughout the year in response to your needs in the arts sector. Click here to read more.
Coming soon!
Beginning in April 2022, all organizations (including nonprofit orgs, government entities, and schools/universities) applying for funding from MSAC will be required to have a Unique Entity ID (UEI) from SAM.gov in alignment with requirements from the National Endowment for the Arts. This UEI will take the place of a DUNS number, which will no longer be required. You can register for a UEI number by reviewing the information below.
Webinar Video (~57 min)
Once you obtain the UEI, you will need to add it to your SmartSimple profile:
Select “Organizational Profile” from your dashboard homepage
Enter UEI in the appropriate field
Click “Save”
Please note: Independent artists do not need a UEI.
Beware of SAM scams! If your organization is registered with SAM.gov—the U.S. Government’s System for Award Management—you might receive phishing attemps (via links in email/mail) or correspondance from third parties claiming or implying affiliation with the government and offering to “help” you. However, you do not need to pay a fee to register or to keep your entity registration active.
SAM.gov will never:
- Ask for personal information anywhere except within the SAM.gov system itself
- Ask for money or threaten legal action or liability
- Ask you to call or text anybody
- Send a link that doesn’t end in .gov
- Advertise on social media
SAM.gov will send you several email reminders before your registration expires. They may also update you on the status of your registration or SAM.gov security issues. Legitimate emails from SAM.gov will come from a .gov email address.
More information on this matter can be found in a notice from the GSA. Click here for more information.
Click here to view resources for A&E Districts, including legislation, contact lists, and FAQs.
Greater Baltimore Cultural Alliance’s Baker Artist Portfolios and Awards and Ruby’s Project Grants for Baltimore-area artists
County Arts Agencies of Maryland - visit your local arts council to find what opportunities they offer for individual artists
MSAC Resource Bulletin for Artists - find local, regional, national, and international opportunities for artists updated weekly
Maryland Arts Directory - showcase your work on MSAC’s website
Maryland Independent Artist Awards - annual awards with grants of $2,000-$25,000 that recognize achievement by Maryland artists making work independent of an institution or organization
Maryland Office of Statewide Broadband - Resources for individuals and families to assist with internet connectivity
Maryland Serves application portal - a pathway to new service opportunities for eligible adults seeking a living wage, professional development, and mentoring, including in the arts
Candid Foundation Directory - find grants matched to your organization's needs
Department of Commerce Resources - find resources to help start and grow your business
Maryland Business Express - search the clearinghouse of all State of Maryland resources for businesses
Maryland Incentive Programs - browse Maryland's financial incentive programs
Maryland Nonprofit, Interest-Free, Micro Bridge Loan Account (NIMBL) - loan program that supports the operations of nonprofit entitites
Maryland Serves application portal - a resource for organizations to learn about being a host partner for a program supporting eligible adults seeking service opportunities, professional development, and mentoring
University of Maryland Small Business Development Center - free and low-cost training and funding strategy resources
Funding and Support Programs for Maryland Communities - learn about resources available from the Department of Housing and Community Development
Maryland Office of Statewide Broadband - Resources for communities to assist with internet connectivity
MSAC recommends exploring each organization’s website for specific guidelines, eligibility criteria, and application instructions. The information provided here is not comprehensive and may be outdated; please consult each organization for the most up-to-date information and details.
Artist-specific resources:
- CERF+: provides a safety net to materials-based craft and folk/traditional artists to support strong and sustainable careers. CERF+’s core services are education programs, advocacy, network building and emergency relief.
- Emergency Relief Funds: grants to support significant medical emergencies, natural disasters, and accidents
- Get Ready Grants: grants to conduct activities that will help safeguard their studios, protect their careers and prepare for emergencies
- Studio Protector: guide provides info on emergency preparedness, business continuity planning, and wellness.
- Rauschenberg Dancer Emergency Grants: Offers one-time grants to professional dancers who are in dire financial emergency due to the loss or lack of recent or current live performance work, because of circumstances outside of their control.
- Rauschenberg Foundation Medical Emergency Grants: offers grants for unexpected medical emergencies. Supports various disciplines such as choreography, visual arts, film/video/electronic or digital arts.
- Foundation for Contemporary Arts Emergency Grants: offers emergency grants for artists who have sudden and unanticipated opportunities or financial needs related to their work. Supports artists of various disciplines, primarily visual and performing arts.
- Gottlieb Foundation Emergency Grants: offers financial assistance to painters, printmakers, and sculptors facing unforeseen circumstances such as medical emergencies, natural disasters, or accidents.
- The Haven Foundation: offers interim financial assistance to freelance professionals in the arts who are experiencing a specific career-threatening emergency.
- Musicians Foundation: supports professional music performers, composers/arrangers, and educators in a specific time of need caused by an unexpected hardship (e.g. medical or dental situation, natural disaster, or certain housing crisis.
- Entertainment Community Fund: Social Services and Emergency Financial Assistance: supports entertainment and performing arts professionals unable to pay their immediate basic living expenses (housing, food, utility bills or health care)
- Hero Initiative: offers a safety net for comic creators who may need emergency medical aid, financial support for essentials of life, and an avenue back into paying work.
- Jazz Foundation Musicians’ Emergency Fund: provides musicians making a living playing blues, jazz, and roots music with housing assistance, pro bono medical care, disaster relief and direct financial support in times of crisis.
- PEN America Writers’ Emergency Fund: provides direct financial support to writers facing short-term emergencies or acute financial need.
- Sweet Relief Musicians Fund provides financial assistance to all types of career musicians and music industry workers who are struggling to make ends meet while facing physical or mental health issues, disability, or age-related problems.
State/Local Resources:
- Francis Scott Key Bridge Collapse Response: this website serves as the central location where all programs and resources will be shared as well as the locations where workers and businesses may receive in person assistance.
- Key Bridge Collapse Impact Community Resources: offers a comprehensive list of available resources, services, and assistance programs that can be mobilized to aid those affected by the Key Bridge collapse.
- MD Department of Human Services: offers various forms of support and financial assistance for varying needs.
- Maryland Community Action Partnership: provides various services such as energy/emergency assistance, health services, employment/education. Local agencies can be found here.
- MD Department of Housing and Community Development
- 2-1-1 Maryland: provides information and referrals for emergency assistance, including food, housing, utilities, healthcare, and more. They can help connect you to relevant resources based on your specific needs.
- Baltimore City Mayor’s Office of Employment Development: provides job seeker and other career services to Baltimore residents
- Call 988 Helpline: offers high-quality emergency emotional support to residents in Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Howard County, and Carroll County. Anyone who calls the national 988 phone number from this region will immediately be connected to local call centers for safe, supportive and confidential mental health services.
MSAC recommends exploring each organization’s website for specific resources/opportunities offered. The information provided here is not comprehensive and may be outdated; please consult each organization for the most up-to-date information and details.
Cultural Placekeeping Guide: How to Create a Network For Local Emergency Action
dPlan | ArtsReady: provides a comprehensive online tool for emergency preparedness and response, designed with arts and cultural organizations in mind, regardless of their size, scope, or discipline.
Foundation for Advancement in Conservation (FAIC)
National Coalition for Arts’ Preparedness and Emergency Response (NCAPER): a voluntary task force of national, regional, state, and local arts organizations, public agencies, and foundations, the Coalition helps ensure that artists, arts/cultural organizations, cultural funders, and arts businesses have the capacity and ability to respond effectively to disasters and emergencies affecting the arts and culture sector. Of note is NCAPER's Arts Field Guide for Federal Disaster Relief, which can be found here.
Performing Arts Readiness (PAR): provides outreach/community engagement to raise awareness of the values of emergency preparedness in performing arts organizations, best practices/resources for planning, and grants to support the creation of institutional emergency preparedness plans for organizations.
Smithsonian Cultural Rescue Initiative HENTF
Working with Emergency Responders: Tips for Cultural Institutions, Heritage Preservation, 2009
Emergency Preparedness - State/Local Resources:
City of Baltimore “Disaster Preparedness and Planning Project (DP3),” 2018
Maryland Department of Emergency Management
Evacuation Plans and Procedures eTool, United States Department of Labor
Key Bridge Collapse Impact Community Resources: offers a comprehensive list of available resources, services, and assistance programs that can be mobilized to aid those affected by the Key Bridge collapse.
Francis Scott Key Bridge Collapse Response: this website serves as the central location where all programs and resources will be shared as well as the locations where workers and businesses may receive in person assistance.