2025 TACA Pop Up Grant OFFICIAL

2025 TACA Pop-Up Grant Guidelines Updated: June 16, 2025 GRANT PURPOSE TACA Pop-Up Grants are bi-monthly grants intended to encourage and reward exciting, unexpected artistic work by local arts organizations and artist collectives. These awards aim to shine a spotlight on the vibrant culture of creativity and innovation in North Texas by providing timely, flexible funding that celebrates outstanding programs as they happen. More than just recognition, Pop-Up Grants are intended to make a meaningful and lasting impact on the Dallas arts ecosystem. By celebrating and supporting local artists, those who live and create in North Texas, this grant affirms TACA’s commitment to helping artists thrive in Dallas. The program aims to retain creative talent in our city, ensuring that Dallas remains a place where bold, imaginative, and inclusive artistic work can thrive and flourish. The Pop-Up Grant Program plays a key role in TACA’s grantmaking strategy by offering frequent, responsive funding to both organizations and individual artists, amplifying the vitality of the arts community across Dallas. FUNDING CRITERIA Through Pop-Up Grants, TACA is looking to award artistic programming – live, virtual, or using other mediums – produced or presented by nonprofit 501(c)3 arts organizations or fiscally-sponsored arts organizations that take place in Dallas County. Programming must demonstrate a high level of performance in each of the program’s three evaluative criteria, which are defined and prioritized as follows: (1) Creativity & Innovation -Artistic programming is unexpected, experiments with new/different presentation formats, or takes artistic risk. (2) Artistic Impact -The number of artists and community members impacted through artistic programming is exceptional. (3) Accessibility & Inclusion -Barriers to participation are low (e.g., mediums used, diverse locations, low ticket prices, near public transit, etc.) -Programming is relevant and/or reflective of marginalized voices, current events, or timely topics. Page 1 of 5 Programs awarded through TACA Pop-Up Grants can be one-time events/projects, individual productions, or limited-time offerings that demonstrate high performance across all criteria. Programs we will not award include an organization’s full season of programming, a recurring event that has previously received a TACA Pop-Up Grant, educational programs that are not open to/accessible to the general public, non-artistic community programs. NOMINATION PROCESS Pop-Up Grants are determined through a nomination process, rather than an open-call application process. TACA has recruited an anonymous group of 60+ local volunteers to nominate arts organizations with programming that meets our funding criteria. Nominators are recruited year-round and include TACA board members, artists, arts managers and experts, and community leaders representing a broad range of artistic/cultural viewpoints and racial/ethnic diversity. Nominations are reviewed by the TACA Pop-Up Grants Committee who recommends projects for funding. If you are interested in becoming a Pop-Up Grants nominator, please click here. PROGRAMMING SUBMISSIONS Although there is no application process, arts organizations that meet the funding criteria may provide details about upcoming eligible programming for potential consideration via an online submission form. Submitted programs/events will be reviewed for eligibility by TACA Staff and forwarded to Pop-Up Grant nominators on a regular basis. To submit a program, please click here. Please note: Submission of a program through the online submission form does not guarantee a nomination or a grant award. AWARD STRUCTURE All Pop-Up Grants include unrestricted funding of up to $2,500 to be used as the grantee chooses. Grantees with annual operating budgets of $5 million or less are also eligible to receive Artist Bonus funds up to $5,000. Artist Bonus funds are restricted and are to be disbursed by the grantee to Key Artists and Supporting Artists involved in the awarded Pop-Up Grant program on a 2:1 ratio, respectively, within 30 days of receiving payment from TACA. For purposes of this grant, TACA defines “Key Artists” and “Supporting Artists” as follows: TACA defines “Key Artists” as local, North Texas-based artists whose work is central to the public-facing component of the artistic program awarded a Pop-Up Grant. This may include, but is not limited to, actors, dancers, musicians, spoken word artists, visual artists, playwrights, composers, or other program creators whose creative contributions are prominently featured through live performance, exhibition, or other visible formats. All onstage performers should be recognized equally as Key Artists. Organizations may use their discretion in categorizing other contributing Page 2 of 5 artists, such as playwrights or composers, as either Key or Supporting Artists, based on the nature and extent of their involvement in the awarded program. TACA defines “Supporting Artists” as local, North Texas-based artists whose creative, technical, or production contributions enable the development and successful presentation of the awarded program. This includes designers, directors, choreographers, stage managers, production crew, and other behind-the-scenes artists. Supporting Artists should not include administrative staff, marketing personnel, or others not directly involved in the creative execution of the awarded program. The above definitions are meant to guide the grantee in the disbursement of the Artist Bonus funds. If an artist’s role is not included in the definitions above, the grantee organization should use its best discretion. TACA will require the grantee to provide the number of Key Artists and Supporting Artists involved in the awarded program, as well other key information for reporting purposes (see the Award Administration section for more information). Fiscally sponsored recipients will be asked to provide additional detail