The Surdna Foundation is issuing a request for proposals to individual artists, culture bearers and nonprofit arts organizations. These funds are designed to support projects developed in response to communities’ specific challenges and to support artists and organizations whose long-term, deeply-rooted work has increased social engagement without necessarily being explicitly “activist.” The foundation will consider all artistic disciplines, including cross-disciplinary work.

Successful applicants will receive grants ranging from $25,000 to $150,000 over one or two year periods, with a maximum total award of $150,000. The Request for Proposals is on the Surdna Foundation website: www.surdna.org

The deadline for submitting a proposal is November 12, 2014 at 11:59 pm EST. Grants will be announced in April 2015.

Surdna’s Artists Engaging in Social Change program works to promote the potential of artists to be catalysts for social change and to promote the cultural traditions of their communities. The foundation values artists and culture bearers who nurture, sustain, and grow our communities’ cultural traditions. We therefore support projects that help artists and culture bearers deepen our cultural understanding or help communities achieve social change.

Proposals will be judged on the quality of the project concept in relation to social change; on each project’s aesthetic rigor and artistic excellence; the artist’s (or organization’s) commitment to a particular community and; and the artist’s (or organization’s) ability to complete the project and use the financial support effectively.

The Surdna Foundation will offer two webinars to answer questions. The first of these calls will take place on Tuesday, September 23 at 4:00 p.m. (EDT). The second will take place on October 21 at 1:00 p.m. (EDT). For more information go to: www.surdna.org/rfp

About the Surdna Foundation

The Surdna Foundation seeks to foster sustainable communities in the United States — communities guided by principles of social justice and distinguished by healthy environments, strong local economies, and thriving cultures.