Cultural Development Fund Panelist Open Call

The Department of Cultural Affairs is currently seeking panelists to review CDF applications!

DCLA is seeking panelists with a broad range of expertise within the cultural workforce including artists, teaching artists, board members, executive leaders, education staff, and marketing and community engagement professionals. Panel service includes independent review and scoring for approximately 20 applications, followed by participation in a secondary review with other panelists in a single-day virtual panel held from spring to fall of 2026. This is a paid opportunity, with a stipend of $480 for participation.

DCLA is committed to recruiting panelists who reflect the diversity of experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds of NYC residents. If you are interested in serving on a panel please fill out the Panelist Submission Form. Submissions will be considered on a rolling basis. Please note that DCLA considers a variety of factors when appointing each panel and may not be able to utilize the services of all qualified applicants this year.

Requirements

In the weeks leading up to the panel service day, each panelist should allot at least 15 to 25 hours of preparatory time to review, score, and generate written feedback for approximately 20 proposals. These initial evaluations will be due one week prior to the panel meeting day.

Each panel meeting will be held virtually over the course of one day from appoximately 9:30am to 4:30pm EST (with 45 minutes for lunch and additional scheduled breaks). Panelists will be expected to use their own hardware (including camera) and internet to access the panel materials, training session, and virtual panel via Zoom.

Participation in the panel meeting will require attentive engagement and analytical dialogue with peer experts, as well as additional written and quantitative scoring on each proposal.

Application Instructions