Maryland Arts Council FY2027: $2,500 Grants for Maryland Media and Visual Artists
The Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC) is accepting applications for its FY2027 Grants for Artists programme. The USD 2,500 award is open across designated artistic disciplines, including media arts and visual arts, making it relevant to video, moving-image and digital-media artists who meet Maryland's strict residency and professional-practice requirements. It is a state-restricted individual artist programme, not an international open call.
Maryland residency and age requirements
Applicants must be at least 18 and have lived in Maryland for a minimum of six months before applying, with their residence continuing through the supported grant period. The fund is for individual independent artists, not businesses, arts organisations or collectives applying on behalf of their members. A Maryland exhibition venue does not by itself confer eligibility on a nonresident artist.
Who is not eligible?
According to the FY2027 guidance, people enrolled in degree-granting high school, undergraduate or graduate programmes during application and through June 30, 2027 are not eligible. Recipients of this same Grants for Artists award in FY2025 or FY2026 are also excluded. Applicants should inspect the detailed eligibility definitions rather than assuming that every professional-looking creative activity counts as an eligible independent art practice.
Purpose of the grant
Each successful recipient receives $2,500 to support their artistic livelihood, such as workspace and practice-related needs, rather than financing a commissioned public artwork against a required new-project deliverable. Awards are subject to the state arts agency's eligibility and allocation processes. The programme documentation describes a selection process for qualified applicants that is not simply an artistic jury ranking; meeting eligibility does not guarantee a grant.
Deadline and official portal
The FY2027 application deadline is November 20, 2026. Applications must be made through the official grant application service linked by MSAC, with proof of residence and the supporting information requested for the applicant's artistic practice. The published guidance describes an award period beginning after notification in 2027 and continuing into August; the full formal timeline and certification terms are in the current PDF guidelines.
About the grant maker
The Maryland State Arts Council is the state public arts agency within Maryland's Department of Commerce. It runs recurring arts grants and support programmes for residents and arts organisations. Its official site hosts the FY2027 programme guidelines and links to its application system; use those links rather than sending personal information to unrelated listing sites.
Primary-source review: October 28, 2026. This article is an independent editorial summary, not a message from MSAC, and cannot guarantee eligibility or an award. Before submitting identity or residence documents, follow the application link directly from MSAC's official site.