Artists 360, a program of Mid-America Arts Alliance, provides grant funding and professional development opportunities to individual artists of all disciplines in the Arkansas counties of Benton, Carroll, Crawford, Sebastian, and Washington
Artists 360 is made possible through philanthropic support from Steuart Walton and Tom Walton through the Walton Family Foundation.
Artists 360 offers the following grants and programs:
Six annual grants of $1,500 and professional development support are awarded to individual degree-seeking artists enrolled in Northwest Arkansas higher education institutions. Grantees receive practice-based funding and participate in peer-based learning experiences, including an in-person retreat, One-On-One mentorship, and small group discussions. These experiences develop entrepreneurial skills, while expanding a network of leading regional artists.
Fourteen annual project grants of $7,500 and professional development support are awarded to Northwest Arkansas artists. Grantees receive financial support for touring, works in progress, creative research and professional advancement, or social practice projects and participate in peer-based learning experiences, including an in-person retreat, One-On-One mentorship, and small group discussions. These experiences develop entrepreneurial skills, while expanding a network of leading regional artists.
Five annual grants of $15,000 are awarded to individual artists to support collaborative projects that generate dialogue and community engagement. Projects must also provide opportunities to other artists, helping to create an active community of peer support in the Northwest Arkansas region. Grantees receive financial support for their community-based projects and participate in peer-based learning experiences, including an in-person retreat, One-On-One mentorship, and small group discussions. These experiences develop entrepreneurial skills, while expanding a network of leading regional artists.
One annual award of $25,000 is given to an artist recognized both within and outside Northwest Arkansas. The Creative Impact Award celebrates an exceptional artist that contributes to and nurtures the region’s cultural ecosystem. The Creative Impact Awardee shares their experiences and activates the Northwest Arkansas artist community through participation in grantee retreats, conversations with the Artists 360 peer network, and at the annual Full Circle Showcase.
In elevating this network of local artists, Artists 360 brings value to the greater Northwest Arkansas region overall, creating a place where artists can thrive.