Annually, the ARTS Council distributes approximately $400,000 in grants, fellowships, and professional development funds for local artists, nonprofits, and cultural organizations. These are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA), the Community Foundation of Elmira-Corning and the Finger Lakes, and contributors to The ARTS Council’s Endowment.
The ARTS Council primarily administers grants to Cattaraugus, Chemung, Schuyler, Steuben, and Tioga counties. Browse the menu above or read below for more information about these opportunities. Visit NYSCA’s Statewide Community Regrant webpage to see which arts organization administers grants in your county.
Upcoming Grant Funded Events
| Date | Event | Grantee Partner | Type of Grant |
| October 17, 2026 | Adventures in Mudcloth | Kathye Arrington | Southern Finger Lakes Artist Fellowship |
| October 17, 2026 | Baskets with Diane Wieziolowski | Pulteney Free Library | Community Arts |
| October 20, 2026 | Needle Felted Glasses Case | Cohocton Public Library | Community Arts |
For more, please see the Regional Arts Calendar and filter by “Grant Supported Events.”
Community Arts, Teaching Artist, & Individual Artist Grants
These grants are for applicants from Cattaraugus, Chemung, Schuyler, Steuben, & Tioga counties. Applications are now open! Because of the anticipated number of requests, we will only hold one application round for 2027. The deadline to apply is 11:59pm ET on December 4, 2026.
- Community Arts grants support the activities of artists and community organizations in service to local residents. More information can be found on the Community Arts grant page.
- Teaching Artist grants support sequential, arts education projects for K-12 students through in-school or after-school projects in schools or community centers. More information can be found on the Teaching Artist grant page.
- Individual Artist grants support the creation of new work by individual artists. More information can be found on the Individual Artist grant page.
Applicants, new and returning, are strongly encouraged to discuss their applications before submitting. Contact Nate Weisenberg, The ARTS Council’s Grants Manager, at nate@eARTS.org or by phone at 607-962-1332 x204 to discuss your project or for other assistance, including review of application drafts. Please also review our list of Frequently Asked Questions here.
All applicants are also encouraged to attend an online or in-person grant info session or drop-in hour. Dates and times are here.
IMPORTANT: NYSCA has implemented changes in how applicants establish their eligibility to apply for this program. Please review the Community Arts, Teaching Artist or Individual Artist guidelines for more details. Our colleagues at CNY Arts have also created this helpful graphic that explains the changes.
This video (34 minutes) provides an overview of this program:
0:00: Introduction
1:00: About the ARTS Council
3:02: Overview of the SCR Program
5:27: What’s New for 2027 Grants
9:01: Data from 2026
11:40: Community Arts Grants
19:22: Teaching Artist Grants
22:26: Individual Artist Grants
25:27: How to Apply and Writing Tips
The ARTS Council of the Southern Finger Lakes’ Statewide Community Regrant program is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
2026 QuickARTS & Artist Development Grants
Funds for 2026 have been exhausted. Applications are now closed.
These grants are for applicants from Chemung, Steuben, & Schuyler counties.
- QuickARTS grants provide up to $500 for short-term community focused arts and cultural projects that help make arts and culture accessible to community members. More information can be found on the QuickARTS grant page.
- Artist Development grants provide up to $500 to artists to support professional opportunities as well as help to alleviate economic disparity and insecurity facing artists. More information can be found on the Artist Development grant page.
The ARTS Council of the Southern Finger Lakes administers these grants with funding from the Community Foundation of Elmira-Corning and the Finger Lakes.
2026 SFLX Artist Fellowship
Applications for 2026 now closed.
The 2026 Southern Finger Lakes (SFLX) Artist Fellowship is an unrestricted, $3,500 cash award for artists living in The ARTS Council’s service region of Cattaraugus, Chemung, Schuyler, Steuben, and Tioga counties. More information here.
The SFLX Artist Fellowship is funded and supported by The ARTS Council’s Endowment.
Professional Development Grants for Museums
In partnership with The ARTS Council, NYSCA offers professional development funding for eligible non-profit museums and museum service organizations across New York State that are open to the public.
The deadline to apply for 2026 was February 27, 2026.
Barbara Dick Poetry Fellowship
The Barbara Dick Poetry Fellowship is a new, annual opportunity for poets and public schools in The ARTS Council’s service region of Cattaraugus, Chemung, Schuyler, Steuben, and Tioga counties. This fellowship is generously supported by the estate of Barbara Dick, a longtime Campbell-Savona School District librarian and active member of the local arts community.
This fellowship program supports the work of a poet with 4th and 5th grade classrooms. The application is now closed.
Arts and Clean Energy Awareness Grant
The Arts and Clean Energy Awareness Grant supports the creation of new artwork and public engagement in Chemung, Schuyler, Steuben, and Tioga counties under the theme Our Common Clean Energy Future.
These grants are made possible by Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Smart Energy Choices program’s Regional Clean Energy Hub for the Southern Tier and are administered locally by The ARTS Council of the Southern Finger Lakes.
Applications are now closed.
