TranslateAnnual Arts Program Grants
For over 30 years, the City of Alexandria has provided arts grants to numerous arts organizations, artists, and service providers to ensure that all residents of Alexandria have access to quality arts experiences in their community. The Office of the Arts staff are stewards of the Arts Grant program. Annually, a Grant Task Force is established, comprised of Arts Commissioners, arts administrators, and grant professionals. The Task Force reviews and scores the eligible grant applications.
The amount of grant funding is based on the annual budget. Please be sure to review the grant application and guidelines carefully before applying.
Annual Arts Program Grants Goals:
- To strengthen Alexandria's creative capacity by providing its residents with diverse opportunities to meaningfully engage with the arts.
- To improve the capacity and stability of Alexandria-based organizations to create, perform, and present works of artistic excellence and innovation through organizational support and program funding; and
- To create a vibrant urban environment by supporting diverse individual artists, organizations, and other entities in the creation, performance, and presentation of high-quality works of art across the City of Alexandria.
Fiscal Year 2024 Annual Arts Program Awardees:
The City of Alexandria’s Annual Arts Program is designed to support artistic excellence in the city by assisting arts and nonprofit organizations to provide affordable local artists with opportunities to create, perform, and present their works. Each year, approximately $170,000 in City funds are awarded on the basis of a competitive grant evaluation process and require a 1:1 cash match from the applicant. For Fiscal Year 2025 Annual Arts Program information, email arts@alexandriava.gov or visit: alexandriava.gov/arts.
The Alexandria Commission for the Arts and the Office of the Arts joins everyone in Alexandria in congratulating the Fiscal Year 2024 Annual Arts Program grantees. Throughout the year, Alexandrians are enriched by the works of these groups and many other arts groups in the city.
Armed Services Arts Partnership
Ethiopian Community Support and Advocacy Center
Washington Metropolitan Philharmonic Orchestra
Business and the Arts Collaborative Grant
The City of Alexandria's Office of the Arts offered a second round of the Business and the Arts Collaborative Grant Program. This grant was for business to support and sustain the local arts economy in the City of Alexandria by providing support to local arts organizations whose programming and/or operations that have been impacted by COVID-19 and provide support to arts and culture organizations to focus on their missions and engage with their audiences.
Business and the Arts Collaborative Grant 1st and 2nd Round Awardees:
The City of Alexandria Energizes Three Neighborhoods with New Creative Neighborhood Grants
City of Alexandria’s Office of the Arts was able to place 13 arts organizations into three neighborhoods - West End, Arlandria and Old Town - who have not had equitable access to City-funded arts programs and to provide a more equitable redistribution of City resources with the Creative Neighborhood Grant Program.
Funding for the Creative Neighborhood Grant Program is made possible by City of Alexandria and an Arts Project grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. To learn more about how National Endowment for the Arts grants impact individuals and communities, visit www.arts.gov.
The Office of the Arts would also like to extend its appreciation for the honorable Mayor Justin Wilson, members of the Alexandria City Council, collaborating partners including Alexandria City Public Schools, Department of Teaching, Learning and Leadership, Office of Fine Arts; ACT for Alexandria; Alexandria Redevelopment Housing Authority; Alexandria’s Race and Social Equity Office; the West End Business Association; and Casa Chirilagua and various community stakeholders for their strong support of the Creative Neighborhood Grant Program and the arts in the city.
Creative Neighborhood Grant Programs were offered between July 1 and December 15, 2022.
Arlandria
Del Ray Artisans, MakersFEST,” a free art making day with local artists.
Alexandria Citizens Band, Band Concert and Interactive Music Activities for Children, Four Mile Run Conservatory, 4109 Mt. Vernon Avenue.
Old Town
Arts on the Horizon, “Balloon Project,” creative interactive workshop for children ages 0-3 and their families, Durant Art Center, 1605 Cameron Street.
Ethio Global Arts, "Zema Felega" (Searching for Melody), Music Contest, Finale Program with local, regional, and global participants, Durant Art Center 1605 Cameron Street.
Momentum Collective, “Creative Workshops”- poetry, monologues, short stories, and acting, Charles Houston Recreation Center, 901 Wythe Street.
Northern Virginia Fine Arts Association, "Faces" Film installation/art exhibition and videography workshop, Durant Art Center, 1605 Cameron Street.
NOVA Connections, “Made in Ethiopia DMV Trade Fair” showcases traditional music and dance, Durant Art Center 1605 Cameron Street.
Running Strong American Indian Youth, “Native American Cultural Beading Workshops,” Durant Art Center, 1605 Cameron Street.
West End
Network of Family Service, “Ethiopian Film and Art Festival,” photo exhibition, and panel discussion with Ethiopian cinema directors, actors, and actresses, Patrick Henry Recreation Center, Black Box Theater, 4653 Taney Avenue.
QuinTango, “Tango Concerts and Music Workshops for Families,” Patrick Henry Recreation Center, 4653 Taney Avenue.
QuinTango, "Concert with Student Dancers," William Ramsay Recreation Center, 5650 Sanger Avenue.
Raeye Children Aid, Inc., “Enkutatash Fest in Alexandria 2022” Ethiopian new year celebration showcasing traditional music, dance, fashion, and arts, William Ramsay Recreation Center, 5650 Sanger Avenue.
Sound Impact, “Musicpalooza,” an interactive concert and instrument petting zoo, Patrick Henry Recreation Center, 4653 Taney Avenue.
Washington Metropolitan Philharmonic, “Musical Tales for Kids!” Three family orchestra concerts., Patrick Henry Recreation Center, 4653 Taney Avenue.
Fiscal Year 2023 Annual Arts Program Grant Awardees
The Fiscal Year 2023 Annual Arts Program Grant awarded, $163,000 to the following organizations (in alphabetical order):
- Alexandria Choral Society
- Alexandria Citizens Band
- Alexandria Film Festival
- Alexandria Harmonizers
- Alexandria Symphony Orchestra
- Armed Services Arts Partnership
- Arts on the Horizon
- Eclipse Chamber Orchestra
- HEARD
- Local Motion Project
- MetroStage
- QuinTango
- The Art League
- Sound Impact
- The Thirteen Choir
- UpCycle Creative Reuse Center
- Young Playwrights Theater
Fiscal Year 2022 Annual Arts Program Grant Awardees
The Fiscal Year 2022 Annual Arts Program Grant awarded $130,250 to the following organizations (in alphabetical order):
• Alexandria Symphony Orchestra
• Armed Services Arts Partnership
• HEARD
• Northern Virginia Fine Arts Association
• UpCycle Creative Reuse Center
• Washington Metropolitan Philharmonic
Arts Program Sustainability Grants are funded by the American Rescue Plan Alexandria, $70,000 was awarded to the following organizations: