*Bartol’s 2019 micro-grant application is open online through Sunday, August 25. Learn more about how to apply: https://bartol.org/our-grantees/ta-microgrants/.
In early 2018, the Bartol Foundation partnered with Small But Mighty Arts (SBMA) to award micro-grants to teaching artists working on community-based projects. Although it may be called a “micro-grant,” the impact on teaching artists is anything but small! Keep reading to learn more about the TAs who have benefitted from this program.
Throughout 2018, Bartol/SBMA awarded 10 micro-grants totaling $5,000 to teaching artists in a range of artistic disciplines, including creative writing, dance, fabric and textile, film and video, music performance, interactive design, printmaking, and theater, among more. These teaching artists have been working in Philadelphia for an average of 18 years in communities ranging from West Philadelphia to Germantown to South Philadelphia.
Of our 2018 micro-grantees, 30% had never received a grant before. (In fact, this number is unusually low for SBMA’s grantees; typically, around 60% of their grantees are first-time grant recipients.) Around 80% were funding project expenses out of pocket—either with personal savings or money earned from a job—at an average of $483 spent per month for creative expenses. These micro-grants provide important support for teaching artists, making these projects financially feasible.
Micro-grantees have used their awards to fund various project expenses. The majority (70%) have used their grants to pay for supplies and materials, and half have been able to pay for staff support on projects. For artists who are in the middle of a project, the most important resources needed are equipment, space, and online support.
To learn more about this program, be sure to check out interviews with some of our past micro-grantees: