What Can We Do?

ABOUT THE PROGRAM
What Can We Do? (WCWD?), presented by the Asian American Arts Alliance (A4), is a grant opportunity for artists looking to support the Asian and AAPI communities in NYC with engaging, creative projects rooted in care.

The lingering effects of the pandemics of COVID and anti-Asian and anti-Arab hate – including Islamophobia – continue to be felt today. In response, many mutual aid groups, direct service organizations, and community and business leaders have stepped in to take care of elders and other vulnerable Asian and AAPI community members across the city.

In addition, the ongoing genocide in Gaza has left Palestinian communities feeling unsafe and unsupported. AAPI artists, organizers, and care workers have come together to demand a ceasefire, raise awareness around the conflict in Gaza, and organize campaigns in support of Palestinian American artists and cultural workers who have been censored and banned from opportunities.

WCWD? gives artists a chance to find their place in the care ecosystem either by complementing existing services and offerings, or creating their own.

PROGRAM GOALS
For this program, a minimum of 15 NYC-based artists will be selected as project awardees by A4. Each artist will receive $1,500 to create and carry out ideas to engage, aid, and care for the Asian New Yorker community with a focus on Chinatown, Manhattan; Flushing, Queens; and/or social justice projects focused on the support of NYC-based Palestinian creators and their communities.

The project engagements must be completed within a four-month period (February 4–June 3, 2025).

Projects may take many forms such as performing music for seniors waiting in line at food pantries, leading workshops with youth to create ‘zines that reinforce positive aspects of AAPI culture, or organizing creative activities in support of the Palestinian community. While we prefer projects to be in-person activities, we understand that for safety reasons, projects might need to be virtual. You can review past projects here.

INFORMATION SESSION
An information session held on Tuesday, November 19 from 12:00-1:00 pm ET via Zoom has now been posted to our Youtube Channel here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etF_y_45TDQ

WHO SHOULD APPLY
Are you a NYC-based artist, community leader, or social justice organizer interested in exploring and/or developing a creative project with the aim to offer care for the Asian community in New York? Do you feel you want to do something about anti-Asian and anti-Arab hate and violence and its effects on the community, but don’t know how to get started? Your skills and talents can make a difference, and we want to hear from you.

What Can We Do? is seeking 15 participants with a range of artistic expression, social justice/social impact expertise, organizing frameworks, and lived experiences.

Requirements

• A resident of New York City & primarily based in New York City during the program period
• Must be at least 21 years of age
• The project must benefit communities in Chinatown, Manhattan (District 1); Flushing, Queens (District 20); and/or social justice projects focused on the support of Palestinian creators and their communities.
• All disciplines and stages of artistic exploration/developments, activism, community organizing, educational practice, and thought leadership are welcome; No prior organizing experience required
• Demonstrate a willingness or an interest in community work and care for vulnerable populations
• Create or develop an existing or new project that centers community building, healing, reflection, and joy, and not limited to being solely reactionary to moments of crisis or protest
• Preference will be given to projects that demonstrate an intention to build an ongoing relationship and engagement with the community
• Preference will be given to applicants who have not previously received the award, but anyone can apply
• The event(s) or project engagement(s) must take place within the four-month period between February 4–June 3, 2025

SELECTION CRITERIA

After an eligibility screening, the A4 Team will be evaluating and selecting the awardees based on the following criteria:

• Community Impact: Will your proposed project have an impact, and show support, and care to AAPI communities? If your project is focused on the support of Palestinian creators and their communities, how does it impact the groups most affected by the issue? Do you have existing relationships or a desire to build/deepen relationships with residents of the communities on a long-term basis? Do you have an understanding of issues facing AAPI communities?

• Outreach Strategy: Do you have a clear plan to conduct outreach to community members? If you plan to work with a community organization, does your outreach strategy align with the scope and contents of your project? If your project is focused on the support of Palestinian creators and their communities, does your outreach strategy align with the goals and values of the movement and focus on local needs?

• Project Development and Creativity: Does your project contain a clear display of innovation, imagination, and/or creativity? Will participation in the WCWD program help you realize or shape your project?

• Ability to Commit and Viability: Is your project achievable given the proposed engagement dates and four-month timeline?

We strive for a balance of geography, populations served, and disciplines. These factors will also be taken into account when the applications are evaluated.

PROGRAM STRUCTURE + TIMELINE

As part of the program, participants will:

• Carry out their event(s) or project engagement(s) anytime between February 4–June 3, 2025, providing periodical progress updates to A4
• Write and submit a simple, one-page report of their work including 2 photographs, the community they served, its impact, and any next steps
• Present their final project in-person or virtually at the end of the program in a public share out
• Receive an honorarium of $1,500 per awardee; please note that awardees will receive the first half of the honorarium ($750) upon signing the agreement and the second half of the honorarium ($750) upon completion of the final report

The program schedule is as follows:

November 12, 2024 – Application opens
November 19, 2024 – Pre-submission Information Session via Zoom (12-1pm ET)
January 7, 2025 – Deadline for all submissions (by 11:59 pm ET)
January 21, 2025 – Awardees selected and notified
February 4–June 3, 2025 – Awardees carry out their projects
June 5, 2025 – Final reports due
June 12, 2025 (Tentative) – Public Share Out

This program is presented by the Asian American Arts Alliance (A4) and is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council. Special thanks to Council Members Christopher Marte and Sandra Ung. Projects focused on the support of Palestinian creators and their communities are supported by the Ford Foundation Center for Social Justice.

Application Instructions

Click HERE to access the online application through Jotform.

If you have any questions about the application, please email programs@aaartsalliance.org.

Working with Community Organizations
In the application, we ask artists to share a project idea and a community and/or community organization you would like to work with or serve through your project.

If you are selected, there is flexibility in updating the project idea and/or community if circumstances require. Any updates will need to be communicated to A4.

If selected and you have asked to be introduced to one of the local Flushing, Queens or Chinatown, Manhattan community partners we have listed, A4 is happy to facilitate an introduction. There is a place in the application where you can select up to three organizations.

Please note, there is no guarantee that you will be matched with an organization; we will try our best. Also note, you are not required to work with a community organization.

Possible Local Community Organizations

Chinatown, Manhattan

• Chatham Square Public Library – Chatham Square Library has been an integral part of the Chinatown neighborhood since its earliest days, with a circulating Chinese language collection available since 1911. It is one of the busiest branches of The New York Public Library.
• University Settlement – University Settlement partners with 40,000 New Yorkers on the Lower East Side and in Brooklyn every year to build on their strengths as they achieve healthy, stable, and remarkable lives. For 135 years, we’ve collaborated with our communities to pioneer highly effective programs that fight poverty and systemic inequality. Established in 1886 as the first Settlement House in the United States, we bring the values of that movement into the 21st century by meeting New Yorkers where they live, listening to their perspectives, recognizing their excellence, understanding them as complete individuals, and creating space for them to organize. Joining together with our neighbors to advocate for justice and equality, we help build community strength.

Flushing, Queens

• Glow Cultural Center – With the support of NYC City Council, the Glow Cultural Center is located at One Flushing, providing arts & culture and youth development programs and serving as a hub for community activity. They aim to serve the multi-cultural population of our community, including but not limited to the under-served new immigrant, low-income households residing in Flushing and nearby communities.
• Queens Botanical Garden – Queens Botanical Garden is an urban oasis where people, plants and cultures are celebrated through inspiring gardens, innovative educational programs and demonstrations of environmental stewardship. The vision of the Queens Botanical Garden’s programming is to be a leading cultural, educational, and environmental resource that reflects the diversity of our audiences in an accessible and welcoming way, and that celebrates nature, arts, culture and the history of our community in this unique garden setting.
• YWCA Queens – The YWCA of Queens was created by the Queens community, for the Queens community and, in continuation of our legacy, strives to be of the Queens community. Today, the YWCA of Queens is recognized as an influential non-profit that meets the needs of low-income individuals and immigrants in one of the most diverse cities in the world. The YWCA of Queens now serves over 5,000 families annually through its multi-generational and cross-cultural services. With our overarching goal to address the diverse needs of Queens residents, we are able to stand as a beacon in the communities we serve and offer integral services to encourage educational, economic and personal well-being.

FAQ section:
Can I apply for the 2025 WCWD? grant if I received the microgrant in the past?
Yes, you may apply for the 2025 grant; however, new applicants will be weighted over those who have received the grant in the past.

Will the slides be made available after the info session?
Slides were sent out to all who RSVP’d. To request a copy of the slides sent to you, email programs@aaartsalliance.org.

Will the grant ever consider opening up to areas like District 25 or District 30?
A4 would love to expand the grant parameters and could use support in reaching out to Council Members who decide on funding in those areas, and advocating on funding to A4. However, just to note, if you live in District 1 or District 20, you MAY do projects in District 25 and District 30.

If the project is a ticketed workshop, can you continue for it to be ticketed even if chosen for grant?
We do prefer that programs are free to all participants/attendees. If your workshop must be ticketed, then you should make arrangements for those who cannot pay to still be able to attend.

Does A4 prefer projects that do multiple events versus just one big event?
We prefer projects that show engagement and care for the community. If there’s a one time event that will make a huge impact, then that’s great. Or if there’s a series of smaller events that serve fewer people but go in-depth and make connections, then that’s great too. It’s a balance between reach and depth but there’s no specific preference other than showing care for a community and using your creativity to do so.

Can I apply as a collective or duo?
Yes, you can. We have had duos in the past, but you will receive one flat fee.

If you’re a collective, do all of you need to live in NYC?
Yes, if you’re applying as a collective, then every single participant in the collective needs to live in NYC. If you are a collective doing a project outside of District 1 or 20, and one individual of the collective lives in District 1 or 20, then only that individual who lives in District 1 or 20 should apply. They can bring in the other members of the collective as collaborators at a later point in time.

As a collective, should we submit separate applications, or just one?
We advise that you apply with one application. While there must be one primary applicant, there are areas in the application where you can include more information about the other artist(s) involved; for example, you can upload a resume with multiple pages, include multiple links in the website section, and a headshot that includes both/all of the artists. If the project is selected, the primary applicant will receive the funds. It is their responsibility to distribute the funds from there. Credit will be given to all artists on the public-facing materials. We had several artist duos and collectives in the past. If you scroll through past projects on our program page, you’ll see duos like “Hannah Miao with Lynn Huynh” and collectives like the “CAO Collective,” which is made up of several artists.

Are there any specific guidelines on applying as a collective?
There is nothing specific to collectives, but it is important to illustrate what your project is, how you plan to work together, and how you plan to execute.

*Previous award year questions:
*

Is partnering with community organizations encouraged? Have most of the past grant awardees worked with community organizations?
Yes, especially because community organizations already have a built in audience. About half the awardees have worked with community organizations and it has been a great experience for them and they have continued working with those groups.

Is borough of residence strictly tied to borough of organizational impact (i.e. if based in Brooklyn, is there the possibility to engage Manhattan?)
No. As long as you’re a NYC resident, you can apply and you can work with any of the three neighborhoods.

How do panelists view applications with no existing ties to communities but have the desire to build connections?
We understand that people are interested in developing these connections and may not have deep-seated ties to the communities they are looking to aid. We’ll still consider applicants who are looking to develop connections.

If we’re doing a public event, can it be more than a one day event, like a series?
Yes, you can do extended and multiple events, as long as they fall within the program period (Feb 4–June 3, 2025)

Is fundraising acceptable as part of the project?
As long as participants are not being charged and if the money is to benefit the local community and not make a profit. We have had a couple of projects that were fundraisers, as in 100% of the funds go to a local organization, and there was a deeper community engagement involved as well. The point is for artists to be engaging with local community organizations.

Just to clarify - Is there a budget proposal required during application or just a budget report at the end of the cycle?
No, there is no budget proposal required. The final report will only ask how many people you’ve impacted, what you’ve learned, how you benefited, and 2 photos. The $1500 is unrestricted and can be used at your discretion.

Have there been any documentary projects done previously? Just curious about how these projects potentially worked out in terms of timeline?
No documentary film projects to date.

For past events, how many sessions were held on average per project?
In the past, with a three-month program period, awardees held about 2-3 sessions max. There is no cap though, just a minimum of 1 engagement during the program period.

Can we engage with two different organizations?
Yes, you can engage with more than one organization.

Do we have access to Material for the Arts?
Yes, A4 can provide awardees with access to Materials for the Arts.

I want the audience to be able to enjoy light refreshments and snacks. Is this something I can do with a local business as part of my event?
Yes, if the overall intent of the project is a performance that shows care for the community. However, it shouldn’t be the focus, it should be on your work as an artist engaging with the community

Community engagement beyond the timeline: how can we do this, as opposed to a one off event?
Many past grantees have used this grant as an opportunity to share a piece of work. Grantees have also continued to work with the organizations. For example, Chinatown Archive Project continues to accept photo submissions to digitize and create for people.

Does the nature of your fiscal sponsorship (i.e. individual, 501c) affect grant payment?
No. Payments will be made to the individual artists but we’ll need a Tax ID or SSN to distribute the funds.

For the community organizations focused on performance, do they have equipment in house?
A few of them do e.g. Queens Botanical Garden and University Settlement. We encourage you to look at each org’s website for more information around A/V Tech.

Can we also partner with childcare and afterschool programs?
Yes, just work with the organizations and ensure that any participants photographed have provided consent.