*As of December 1, 2025, North Dakota Council on the Arts (NDCA) has awarded close to 200 grants – for a total of $1,051,570 in funding – through its FY26 grant programs, supporting eligible artists, schools, and organizations across the state. (NDCA's fiscal year begins July 1 and ends June 30 the following year.) These awards reflect NDCA’s ongoing commitment to enriching North Dakota’s cultural landscape through accessible, community-centered arts programming.
NDCA Executive Director Jessica Christy stated, “From rural school districts to regional arts centers, these grants are helping North Dakotans connect through creativity. We’re proud to support the artists and organizations who make our communities more vibrant and resilient.”
*FY26 Grant Program Totals
| Grant Program | Amount Awarded |
| Accessibility Grant | $18,800 |
| Artist Growth & Development | $10,000 |
| Artist in Residence | $65,743 |
| Arts in Education Collaboration | $52,509 |
| Community Arts Access | $91,010 |
| Folk & Traditional Arts Apprenticeship | $119,500 |
| Institutional Support | $416,000 |
| Professional Development | $15,446 |
| Special Projects | $15,260 |
| **Letters of Agreement (LOAs) | $247,302 |
*For more details about the FY26 grantees and their projects, find the Recent Grants Awarded tab located near the bottom of each grant webpage on NDCA's website.
**Here is the breakdown of LOAs: $80,000 to Arts Across the Prairie; $43,960 for the 12 Art for Life participants; $87,568 to arts in education partner programs; $35,774 for a variety of other programs including NDCA's Poet Laureate and Troubadour.
Awards Include:
- Accessibility Grants supporting 10 organizations like Northern Plains Dance in Bismarck and FM Community Theatre in Fargo, providing sensory-friendly performances and ASL/audio description services, ensuring more inclusive access to the arts.
- Artist Growth & Development grants awarded to Sarah Beck of Fargo and Callie Stadem of Grand Forks, supporting the creation of a climate fiction novel and a new song cycle for soprano and harp, respectively.
- Artist in Residence grants supporting over 20 schools across ND to bring in teaching artists like Myra Klein, leading visual arts residencies in Elgin, Kulm, and Washburn; and ND Strong Film Company, bringing film-based storytelling to students in Minot and Hunter.
- Arts in Education Collaboration grants to 9 schools and nonprofits located across the state, funding theater camps, visual arts residencies, and adaptive arts programming for students of all abilities.
- Community Arts Access grants to over 25 organizations like Badlands Opera Project in Dickinson, Growing Small Towns in Oakes, and Friends of Lindaas Barn in Mayville, supporting performances, murals, and community festivals that bring people together.
- Folk & Traditional Arts Apprenticeship grants to 68 artists (master and apprentices) in 36 communities across the state, preserving cultural traditions such as Ojibwe basket weaving, Nepali music, cowboy hat making, and Norwegian fiddle construction.
- Institutional Support for over 50 arts organizations, including the Minot Symphony Assoc., Fargo Theatre Mgmt. Corp., James Memorial Preservation Society in Williston, and ND Museum of Art in Grand Forks, helping them sustain operations and deliver year-round programming.
- Professional Development grants to 16 artists and arts administrators attending national conferences, workshops, and training programs to strengthen their skills and networks.
- Special Projects grants for 11 community-driven projects and events like the Red River Roots Festival near Fargo, a Medieval Christmas Pageant in Bismarck, a mural for the City of Casselton, and a “Meet the Artists” night in Minot.
- Letters of Agreement (LOAs) supporting initiatives such as Art for Life, Arts Across the Prairie, and Arts in Education outreach, including partnerships with schools, libraries, and community centers across the state. NDCA also manages the Poet Laureate and Troubadour programs under this category, which bring literary and musical arts to communities through performances, residencies, and public engagement.
Impact Across North Dakota
From small-town theaters to statewide education partnerships, from cultural preservation to programs reaching underserved communities, the arts in North Dakota are more than entertainment. They are a driver of jobs, a catalyst for community pride, and a contributor to well-being.
These grants will:
- Energize neighborhoods with performances, exhibitions, and festivals that make communities more welcoming and connected.
- Support local economies as audiences spend money at nearby restaurants, shops, and hotels.
- Sustain the jobs of artists, educators, technicians, and administrators who form the backbone of the creative sector.
- Provide hands-on arts experiences that build creativity, critical thinking, and confidence in students across the state.
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North Dakota Council on the Arts is the state agency responsible for the support and development of the arts throughout North Dakota, and is funded by the state legislature and the National Endowment for the Arts.