Emergency Grants: Cancellation Funds

Foundation for Contemporary Arts (FCA) is expanding the scope of its Emergency Grants program in July 2025. With the generous support of Jerome Foundation, Emergency Grants: Cancellation Funds begin to address the financial impact of cancelled engagements stemming from sudden, and continuing, losses of federal funding. Cancellation funds are available to early-career, NYC-based experimental artists with previously confirmed public presentations including exhibitions, readings, and performances. Recognizing that artists and venues need to rethink budgets, redirect resources, and limit or eliminate programming, cancellation funds aim to mitigate the loss of financial commitments and outlays made prior to the cancellation. The grants are accepted on a rolling basis and distributed monthly in amounts up to $3000.

Requirements

Currently, funding is available for experimental artists who:

• work within the disciplines of dance, music/sound, performance art/theater, poetry, and/or visual arts;
• have a history of 2-10 years of making their own work as an artist;
• live in one of New York City’s five boroughs and have a U.S. Tax ID Number (SSN, EIN, ITIN, or other)

Additionally:

• Applicants must be individual artists, or an artist representing a collective, ensemble, or group.
• If multiple artists are working collaboratively on a project, the artist who received the invitation to present work and/or who organized the presentation opportunity should submit the application.
• The three-year waiting period between Emergency Grants does not apply to this program. An artist can apply for a cancellation grant at any time and remain eligible for other FCA grants.
• The financial losses incurred by the artist should stem from federal government funding cuts, freezes, or reallocations.

Who is not eligible?

• Curators, producers, workshop organizers, organizations, or presenting venues
• Artists enrolled in any degree-granting program. This includes high school, undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs
• Anyone who already received an emergency grant for the same project