About this Event
Artist Sustainability Workshop Series (ASWS): From Application to Award: A Grant Strategy Series for Artists | Presented by the Bronx Council on the Arts (BCA)
BCA's ASWS is back this fall with a FREE three-part workshop series that supports artists in developing a strategic approach to grant seeking—from building a compelling application and creating a financially sound project budget to managing a grant award and cultivating funder relationships. Through practical tools, strategic guidance, and an artist-led case study, participants will strengthen their ability to articulate their work, plan for resources, successfully execute funded projects, and position themselves for future funding opportunities.
Join us in person in BCA's Flex Space (2700 East Tremont Avenue, Bronx, NY, 10461) for this free workshop series on Thursdays, October 8, 15, and 22, 2026, from 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM.
Workshop #1: Thursday, October 8, 2026 | 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
Strategic Project Budgeting — Aligning Your Vision with Financial Strategy
Instructor: Chanelle Aponte Pearson
Develop a project budget that clearly communicates the scope, value, and financial needs of your artistic work. Participants will explore how funders assess project budgets and learn to build comprehensive, realistic budgets that align with their project descriptions and demonstrate thoughtful financial planning. The workshop will cover projecting diverse income sources, researching and accurately estimating expenses, establishing appropriate rates for labor and materials, accounting for overhead and contingency costs, and developing ideal, middle-ground, and bare-bones budgets. Participants will leave with strategies for using their budgets not only as grant application requirements, but as tools for project planning, resource development, and long-term sustainability.
Workshop #2: Thursday, October 15, 2026 | 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
Building a Strong Grant Application — Project Details & Artist Background
Instructor: Tracey O’Reilly
Learn how to strengthen the core components of your grant application and present your artistic practice with clarity and intention. Participants will develop strategies for articulating project details, including the project summary, description, timeline, and target audience, and positioning their artistic background through the artist statement and resume/CV. The workshop will place particular emphasis on selecting, organizing, and presenting compelling work samples that effectively communicate an artist’s practice and align with grant requirements and funder priorities.
Workshop #3: Thursday, October 22, 2026 | 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
From Award to Impact — Managing Your Grant & Building Funder Relationships
Instructor: Alethea Pace
Learn how to turn a grant award into a successful project and a foundation for future opportunities. An experienced grantee will share their firsthand experience bringing a funded project to life, navigating project management, meeting grant requirements, documenting project outcomes, and adapting to challenges along the way. Participants will gain practical strategies for building and maintaining strong funder relationships, tracking project progress, and capturing the information and materials they’ll need for future applications. The workshop will also explore how to leverage a completed grant to strengthen your artist profile, demonstrate impact, and position yourself for the next funding opportunity.
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About the Artist Sustainability Workshop Series (ASWS)
Through ASWS, the Bronx Council on the Arts (BCA) seeks to provide resources for artists seeking to build out their skill sets and create sustainable careers. Artists learn how to structure their artistic practices as a business, with workshops in business planning, intellectual property, marketing, fundraising and more
Questions? Contact [email protected].
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About the Bronx Council on the Arts (BCA)
A pioneering advocate for cultural equity, the Bronx Council on the Arts (BCA) nurtures the development of a diverse array of artists and arts organizations and builds strong cultural connections in and beyond The Bronx.
We seek to strengthen the cultural ecosystem of The Bronx by nurturing its artists and arts organizations, and by serving the field at large and the public through programs that build connections, provide resources, and advocate for equitable practices.
Learn more at www.bronxarts.org.
Event venue & nearby stays
Bronx Council on the Arts, 2700 East Tremont Avenue, Bronx, United States
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