Ohio Artists on Tour

March 24, 2023 | Agency Artist Fee Support for Presenters Ohio is home to a remarkable variety of talented performing artists and ensembles that contribute to the quality of life and creative economy of the state. The Ohio Artists on Tour program enables Ohio organizations to tap into the creative potential of these artists to enrich their programming and the vitality of their communities. GRANT AWARDS Applicants request one-third of an artist or ensemble’s fee. The maximum request per artist or ensemble is $10,000. Requests may be made for fee support for multiple artists in a single year, up to a maximum of $15,000. Ohio Artists on Tour grantees generally receive their full request. ELIGIBILITY To be eligible to receive fee support through the Ohio Artists on Tour program, an organization must first have been awarded another OAC grant through a qualifying program (i.e., ArtSTART, ArtsNEXT, Arts Partnership, ArtsRISE, Statewide Arts Service Organization, Sustainability, and former programs that include Artists with Disabilities Access Program or Arts Access) in either the current year or the upcoming fiscal year the artist or ensemble’s performance is scheduled to occur. Please refer to Appendix A for other OAC funding restrictions that may affect your project’s eligibility. HOW THE PROGRAM WORKS The Ohio Artists on Tour program provides awards in the form of fee support to organizations throughout Ohio that present Ohio-based artists. Presenters in search of performing artists are encouraged to consider artists and ensembles listed in the OAC’s Ohio Artist Registry, though other Ohio-based artists may be used as well. The artist or ensemble must conduct at least one outreach activity in the community (e.g., masterclass, lecture/demonstration, school performance, workshop, etc.), and performances must be marketed to the public. OAC funds must be used for artist fees, which may include travel, lodging, and outreach activity expenses. The program is designed to present an artist/ensemble’s existing work and is not designed to support the commissioning of new work. For applicants who manage and present their own performing group, guest artists/ensembles performing as part of this group do not qualify. After accepting the grant award in ARTIE, grantees may request a partial payment of 50% of their total grant award. To request a partial payment, grantees must complete an online request certifying that the grant activity has been partially completed and expenses have been incurred. No partial payments will be made within two months of the ending date on the grant agreement. Final payment of the grant will be processed once a final report is received and approved. OAC staff may request additional information regarding grant activities prior to approving the final payment. HOW TO APPLY Fully executed contracts requesting funds through the Ohio Artists on Tour program must be uploaded to the ARTIE system. No additional application is required. To receive funding, each contract must include: engagement dates contracted fee number of performances description of outreach activities signature of presenter signature of artist (or artist management) evidence that ensemble/artist is Ohio-based (unless already listed in Ohio Touring Artist Directory) e-mail address of primary contact person EVALUATION AND SCORING A panel of OAC staff evaluates each request to determine award recommendations, which are considered by the OAC Board, the only body authorized to make final funding decisions. TIMELINE The following timeline outlines the Ohio Artists on Tour fee support lifecycle. Any deadline falling on a Saturday, Sunday, or state holiday is extended until the next business day. FY 2026 Applications Deadlines for Most Qualifying OAC Grant Programs: January-April 2025 Application Available in ARTIE: March 1, 2025 Fee Support Fully Executed Contract Submission Deadline at 5 p.m.: May 15, 2025 Grant Award Announcement: July 2025 Grant Agreement Deadline: August 30, 2025 *Final Report Deadline: July 30, 2025 FY 2027 Applications Deadlines for Most Qualifying OAC Grant Programs: January-April 2026 Application Available in ARTIE: March 1, 2026 Fee Support Fully Executed Contract Submission Deadline at 5 p.m.: May 15, 2026 Grant Award Announcement: July 2026 Grant Agreement Deadline: August 30, 2026 *Final Report Deadline: July 30, 2026 *If the OAC does not receive your grant agreement and final report before their specified deadlines, your grant is in danger of immediate cancellation. Grantees who fail to submit required and acceptable final report packages may not receive any other OAC funding for five years following the due date of the final report they failed to submit. APPENDICES: IMPORTANT ORGANIZATIONAL GRANTEE INFORMATION Appendix A: Funding Restrictions for Organizations Appendix C: Legal Requirements Appendix D: Accessibility Appendix E: Fiscal Agent Projects Appendix F: Step-by-Step Applications for Organizations Launch ARTIE Login Ohio Artists on Tour. This link will open in a new window odx-additional-downloads Ohio Artists on Tour PDF Grant Guidelines Appendices PDF Grants Lifecycle Infographic Share this odx-more-information APPLICATION DEADLINE May 15 for fully executed contracts. WHO COVERS YOUR COUNTY? Use the dropdown below to select your county and find out which OAC staff member is your primary contact. Or, use the OAC county map to see who covers your county STAFF CONTACTS Brianna DanceCentral and Southeastern Regions Email Brianna 614-728-4427 Patrick RoehrenbeckNortheastern RegionEmail Patrick614-728-4413 Jim SzekacsWestern and North Central RegionsEmail Jim614-728-4449 GLOSSARY Visit our Glossary of frequently used grantmaking terms.