Community Arts Grants

1. Applicants who live, work or have a history of performing or presenting arts events in Asbury Park, Atlantic City or Newark, NJ. 
2. Non-profit or religious organizations, individual artists, unincorporated artist groups, incorporated nonprofit organizations or small businesses can apply.
3. Applicant organizations with an annual operating budget under $1 million.

Applications will be reviewed by a panel of arts and culture leaders with specific knowledge of the cultural landscape in each host city. Committee members will make recommendations to the Festival regarding the applications to be accepted for funding. The Festival will determine funding amounts for each application and notify grantees of their awards in late-December.

Note: committee members will fill out conflicts of interest disclosures and will not participate in the judging of any applicant organizations with which they are affiliated.  

1. Funding is intended to assist in the production of self-produced arts events and, this year, also for individual artists looking for opportunities to perform on a Community Showcase Stage.
   
   For self-producing applicants, panel members will want you to show that you have the ability to self-produce and promote a live arts event in Asbury Park, Atlantic City or Newark during the Festival dates. To produce an event, you must be able to secure a venue, provide all necessary production equipment, staff and permits, and have the means to promote your proposed event.

    

   For independent performing artists seeking a showcase opportunity, panel members will want you to show what an audience can expect at your live performance. They will be looking for you to show the quality of your artistry at a live performance, a show that has a special theme or concept that is relevant to your community, and evidence of how you will promote your show.

    

   Festival dates are as follows:
   Asbury Park: June 10 -16
   Atlantic City: June 17 – 23
   Newark: June 24 – 27
   
   
2. Panel members will be looking for events and independent performing artists that showcase local, under-recognized talent and highlight the unique cultural character of a host city. Remember to emphasize why your event or artistic offering may be important to your home city.
3. If you are applying to self-produce an event, panel members will want to see a realistic budget for your proposed event. If your total budget is more than $5,000, clearly explain how you will cover those additional costs.
4. If you are applying to self-produce an event, panel members will be looking at how realistic your program is to implement, based on the details you provide and your program history/experience.
5. Panel members will also want to make sure that a producer or independent artist has a significant following and the ability to market to that following to deliver an audience for your event.

If you are applying to self-produce an event, you may apply for a minimum of $1,000 and a maximum of $5,000. If your event only requires $1,500 to produce, do not apply for more than that amount. You will be required to account for how funds were spent after the event is completed.

If you are applying as an independent artist, NJPAC will determine the amount of funding depending on the size and scope of your proposed performance.

If you are applying to self-produce an event, you will have to have a venue/location or a realistic proposed venue/location, when you apply. Applications with secured venues will be looked on more favorably than those without a venue. If you have a venue/location secured it is required that you include proof of the venue/location you have secured in your application (for example, an upload of an agreement, letter of understanding, or email correspondence from the venue, etc.) Our panels will be looking at how realistic your program is to implement, based on the details you provide and your program history/experience. Projects proposed without a definite space will be viewed as incomplete. Please note that this year the festival encourages self-produced events to take place in or within walking distance to centrally-located venues in each city such as: 

• The Boardwalk or Springwood Park in Asbury Park
• The Orange Loop, O’Donnell Memorial Park and Kennedy Plaza in Atlantic City
• The Central Ward including Military Park, Harriet Tubman Square and the Newark Museum of Art in Newark 

If you are applying to self-produce an event, no; you will need to secure your own venue. Please note that, this year, the festival encourages self-produced events to take place in or within walking distance to centrally-located venues in each city such as:

• The Boardwalk or Springwood Park in Asbury Park
• The Orange Loop, O’Donnell Park and Kennedy Plaza in Atlantic City
• The Central Ward including Military Park, Harriet Tubman Square and Newark Museum in Newark 

If you are applying as an independent performing artist, there will be limited slots on a Community Showcase Stage in each city that the Festival will provide.

If you are applying to self-produce an event, no. The grant funding should be used to cover some or all of your production costs.

If you are applying as an individual artist, yes. NJPAC will provide basic backline, PA and lighting for community showcase stages in each city.

If you are applying to self-produce an event and your venue is NJPAC, it will require that you sign a rental agreement and cover the rental costs. Please see the following information regarding rental space at NJPAC.

If you are applying to self-produce an event, examples of potential venues include: your front porch, a restaurant, an art gallery, a school auditorium, a school football field, a senior citizen center, the boardwalk, a public park, a municipal building, a yoga studio, a coffee shop, a sneaker store, a Boys and Girls Club, a local music school or shop, a parking lot. We encourage you to get creative and use your local networks. For example, partnering and collaboration with local businesses and organizations is a great idea.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Check with local city agencies regarding any required permits or application fees you may be responsible for your self-produced event in public spaces.

Yes. Partnering and collaboration is encouraged with other local artists, businesses and organizations, however, only one application should be submitted per event. You should mention your partners as “additional applicants” in the application, indicate whether they are confirmed or proposed, and tell us how they will be involved. A letter of support uploaded to the “Background Materials” section of the application from your partner is also highly recommended.

If you are applying to self-produce an event, no. You can charge admission to your event and retain all revenue. However, in order to ensure accessibility to the majority of the communities served, we highly encourage applicants to keep ticket prices to $20 and under.

No. This application process is intended to serve the community so all events must be open to the public

Festival dates are as follows:

Asbury Park: June 10 – 16
Atlantic City: June 17 – 23
Newark: June 24 – 30

Yes! In addition to financial assistance, the Festival will include your event on the Festival website alongside headlining talent, in statewide and regional marketing campaigns, and assist with creation of promotional assets including logos and instructions for how to properly credit the Festival as funder after the award is given. 

No. This application is intended for people or organizations that want to self-produce an event or appear on a Community Showcase Stage on the North to Shore Festival only.

No. This application is intended to fund performing and visual arts events only.

Grantees will receive funding to assist in the production of their event or as a performance fee between $1,000 – $5,000, have their event included on the Festival website alongside headlining talent, inclusion in statewide and regional Festival marketing campaigns, and assist with creation of promotional assets for grantees to use in their own promotional efforts.

Awardees will begin to be notified starting late-December 2023.

No. Grants must be used to fund an event during the Festival dates.

Questions can be submitted via eventapplicaitons@northtoshore.com. However, the Festival does not provide edits to texts or budgets.

You must reside, have a business, or have a history of performing or producing work in a host city in order to be eligible to apply for this grant. Organizations/artists not from a host city can, however, find a local partner to apply with.

No. NJPAC employees cannot apply for this grant.

Major changes to your project (such as population served, funding, timeline, location, partners, staffing) must be approved prior to proceeding. You must submit a written request for approval explaining the proposed changes before moving forward with your project. If the alteration to your project changes the initial scope/benefit/impact of your awarded proposal, you may not receive your funding.

Grant funds will be distributed by company check. You may not spend grant dollars until you have received an official award letter, provided a W9, signed a grant agreement and provided all of your event information and marketing materials to the Festival by January 16, 2024. Grant letters and agreements will be sent out in late December – early January.

Following the project’s completion, you must submit a final survey (which will be provided), describing the project, how grant funds made a difference, the number and demographics of the participants and audience and a completed final budget form. Failure to submit a complete final report in a timely manner will affect future funding possibilities.

Grantees self-producing their event, must execute it as described in the final event information they provide to the Festival, promote their event using Festival logos and assets, acknowledge the Festival and sponsors at their events verbally, keep provided Festival signage visible throughout the event. Following the event’s completion, grantee’s must submit a final survey describing the project, how grant funds made a difference, the number and demographics of the participants and audience, and a completed final budget form.  

Grantees appearing on a community showcase must perform as described in the event information they provide to the Festival, promote their appearance using Festival logos and provide assets, and, following the showcase, submit a final survey.

Grant funds are not transferable. Funds may be spent only on those activities specified in the event information provided by the grantee or approved in a project or budget revision. Applicants must submit a written request to the Festival prior to implementing any project, budget or performance revisions. If the project or performance cannot, for any reason, be implemented as described, the grant check must be returned to the Festival.

Please contact Jennie Wasserman at eventapplications@northtoshore.com