About Arts Creation Grants

Arts Creation and Spark Grants Funded by the Mellon Foundation, Global Arts + Humanities Discovery Theme (GAHDT) and the Office of the Vice Provost for the Arts, Spark Grants and Arts Creation Grants are designed to provide seed funding for community-engaged arts projects and foster new, impactful, arts-led research and creative work. Interested in applying for a Spark Grant? Applications will be judged on multiple criteria: (i) the innovative and cross-disciplinary nature of the proposal, (ii) its intended impact on a well-defined community or demographic, (iii) the geographic scope of the project and (iv) its potential for scalability or sustainability with outside funding. Spark Grant Application About Spark Grants Funded by the Mellon Foundation, Spark Grants provide seed funding for community-engaged arts projects. The competition is open to faculty, students and staff members on any Ohio State University campus for projects that center the arts and that are done in partnership with community organizations. Proposals involving communities served by our regional campuses are especially welcome and will receive priority consideration.Grant applications are judged on the following multiple criteria:Innovative and/or cross-disciplinary nature of the proposalProposal’s intended impact on a well-defined community or demographicProject’s potential for scalability or sustainability with outside fundingBasic alignment with the goals of the Mellon Foundation’s Arts and Culture programConsideration is also given to the geographic range of the funded projects.Proposals for funding up to $25,000 will be accepted every spring through 2026. 2025 Spark Grant recipients: Schooled on Poetry (E. Hewitt, N. Arnold, C. Penn)Black Feminist Film Festival (T. Lindsay) Laura Da’: Walking the Scioto (R. Fletcher, E. Washuta, M. Chaatsmith) Mansfield/Guitar Instruction for Everyone (M. Das)Lima/Allen-Oakwood Correctional Institute Theatre Program (M. Anich, M. Thomas)Imagining Abolition: State Blues Exhibition (T. Morris, K. Shannon, C. Winant) 2024 Spark Grant recipients: Weinland Park/A. Sophie Rogers School mural project (S. Simpson)Mansfield Mobile Performance Lab (J. Fahey) Lima/Mercy Health St. Rita’s Drumming for Wellness (A. Thomas)Making Good Trouble (N. McCarthy-Brown) About Arts Creation Grants Arts Creation Grants ($5,000-$50,000) are jointly sponsored by the Global Arts + Humanities (GA+H) and the Office of the Vice Provost for the Arts. They are designed to foster new, impactful, arts-led research and creative work.Priority consideration is given to individuals and projects that align with GA+H’s current Society of Fellows theme, though open proposals are also welcome and will be considered. Proposal teams whose composition reflects interdisciplinary breadth will be prioritized, as will those who have previously not been supported by GA+H or prior Spark Grants.ApplyFaculty (including lecturers) and staff may apply. Proposals must be submitted by teams of two or more collaborators. A tenure-track faculty leader or PI from an arts or arts-affiliated unit in the College of Arts and Sciences (Art; Arts Administration., Education and Policy; Dance; Design; History of Art; Music; or Theatre, Film and Media Arts) must be identified. If the project involves human subject research, all collaborators should have PI status through the Office of Research, and the proposal must include verification that IRB approval has been secured (or is being sought).Applications must be submitted online; follow the links through the current Global Arts + Humanities Funding Brochure. Impact of the Arts The Power of Poetry: Schooled on Poetry Empowers Columbus Students Sustainable theatre aims to inspire environmental options in entertainment Charles O. Anderson named 2026–27 Artist Laureate View All Stories