Apply Now: Creative Youth Grants

The Arizona Commission on the Arts is now accepting applications for Creative Youth Grants (CYGs). Designed by and for young artists, CYGs support Arizonans, ages 12-17, as they develop new skills or advance their artistic practice outside the traditional school day. This may include…

private lessons,

attending a workshop, or

buying supplies and equipment.

Individuals can request between $250 and $500 based on eligible expenses.

Step 1: Read the Grant Guidelines
The grant guidelines provide all the information you need to answer questions like…

Am I eligible for this grant?

How do I apply?

How will my application be evaluated?

What can I spend my grant funds on?

Download the Grant Guidelines

Step 2: Submit an Application
The CYG application has three sections:

In the application narrative section you will tell us a little about yourself and what the grant would help your artistic practice.

In the work sample section you will share examples of your art.

In the budget section you will detail how much you need and how you would spend the grant funds.

Your application must be submitted by 11:59 pm on Thursday, December 10, 2026.

Step 3: Wait
After the December 10 due date, AZ Youth Arts Council members will review applications for eligibility and evaluate them based on the following criteria:

Quality of Proposal
Did you clearly outline your artistic form and how you will spend the grant funds?

Potential Impact
Did you describe how these funds will impact you as a young artist?

Viability
Are the expenses you describe appropriate for the grant?

Applicants will be notified in April whether they will or won’t receive a grant.

Step 4: Spend!
If your application is awarded funding, you will receive your money by mid-summer. You will then have until June 30, 2027 to spend your grant money on eligible expenses!

So what are you waiting for? Applications are due Thursday, December 10. Got questions? Reach out to our Arts Learning Coordinator Chaz Salazar at [email protected] .

The post Apply Now: Creative Youth Grants appeared first on Arizona Commission on the Arts .