Historical Information

For more than 30 years, the City of Chicago has been committed to providing grants to support the local arts and culture community, investing more than $38 million since 1987. The Cultural Grants Program has continued to grow and develop each year with the arts community it serves. In 2020 the Cultural Grants Program budget was increased by $1 million, bringing the total budget to $2.7 million – the highest budget in the program’s history.

Released in 2012 by DCASE, the Chicago Cultural Plan – the first of its kind in more than 25 years – created a framework to guide the City’s future cultural and economic growth. The updated Cultural Grants Program is focused on supporting the implementation of Cultural Plan goals and filling gaps in the local philanthropic infrastructure, including expanded support for artists, continued investment in general operating support for arts organizations, and funding for projects in alignment with DCASE’s annual themes.

The Individual Artists Program provides grants of up to $5,000 for artists and creatives to create work and to seek out high level professional advancement opportunities. CityArts, a grant program offered by the City of Chicago or/and its affiliates for more than two decades, provides general operating support and project grants to Chicago-based organizations of all sizes.  

View a comprehensive list of recent grant recipients and awards.