Quad City Arts Launches 2026 Arts Dollars Grant Cycle

Quad City Arts has launched the 2026 Arts Dollars grant cycle, offering a total of $129,150 in funding to support local artists, K-12 schools, and nonprofit organizations that collaborate with artists. This initiative continues a long-standing tradition of investing in the creative vitality of the Quad Cities region.

Since its inception in 1990, Quad City Arts has allocated over $1.75 million to the regional arts community. The program has consistently empowered creativity and fostered meaningful connections through the arts. In 2024 alone, Arts Dollars funded 33 projects that reached more than 136,856 people across the Quad Cities, showcasing the program’s wide-reaching impact.

Grant Overview

Arts Dollars grants are open to all artistic disciplines and aim to enrich the Quad Cities region through community engagement, arts education, and organizational development. The application process is competitive, and Quad City Arts staff are available to provide guidance and support to applicants throughout the process.

Grant Categories

Project Grants
These grants are designed for arts projects or programming that emphasize community engagement. Individual artists may apply for up to $2,500, while nonprofit organizations and schools may apply for up to $5,000.

Education Grants
This category supports initiatives that provide K-12 students with meaningful arts education experiences. Individual artists may apply for up to $2,500, and nonprofit organizations and schools may apply for up to $5,000.

Capacity-Building Grants
These grants are intended for activities that enhance the capacity, strength, and long-term impact of nonprofit organizations. Nonprofit organizations may apply for up to $5,000.

Important Dates

• Application Deadline: February 1, 2026
• Recipient Notification: No later than March 17, 2026

How to Apply

Detailed guidelines, category descriptions, and application materials can be found on the official website.

Impact

Arts Dollars is more than just a grant program—it is one of the most direct ways to invest in the people, stories, and creative ideas that shape the Quad Cities. Each year, these grants empower artists, teachers, and nonprofits to bring projects to life that might not otherwise have the resources to move forward.

In 2024, Arts Dollars supported 33 projects that reached more than 136,856 people across the Quad Cities region, highlighting the program’s broad community impact and reach.

The funding from Arts Dollars strengthens the region in three key ways:

• Expanding access to the arts: Arts Dollars ensures that meaningful arts experiences reach every part of the region, including both rural and metro areas, for all demographics.
• Supporting local artists as working professionals: By funding artist-led projects and collaborations, these grants provide tangible support for creative workers to develop new work and engage local audiences.
• Creating community connection through shared experiences: Funded projects—such as murals, performances, workshops, festivals, and more—bring people together and celebrate the voices and stories that make the Quad Cities unique.

For Quad City Arts, the goal is simple: to keep creativity thriving across the region through opportunities that strengthen artists, schools, and communities year after year.

Funding

The 2026 Arts Dollars cycle is funded by the Hubbell-Waterman Foundation, the Illinois Arts Council Agency (a state agency), and the Quad Cities Community Foundation–Isabel Bloom Art Education Fund. All Quad City Arts programs are also supported by Festival of Trees, individual donations, and operating grants from the Illinois Arts Council Agency, a state agency.

For more information or assistance with Arts Dollars applications, contact Ben Gougeon here or call 309-793-1213, extension 100.

To apply, visit the official website.