Northampton Arts Council announces that 15 project will receive ArtsEZ micro-grants

NORTHAMPTON — The Northampton Arts Council has announced the recipients of its latest round of ArtsEZ micro-grants.

The grants will go to 15 projects that span theater, music, dance, visual arts and multidisciplinary community collaborations.

According to the city, every project will receive a $500 direct grant to support creative work.

The micro-grants are designed to provide direct, flexible funding to local creators, ensuring that vibrant cultural experiences remain accessible to everyone in the Northampton community. From intergenerational storytelling to public street theater and inclusive art-making workshops, this year’s grantees reflect the depth and diversity of the local creative economy, according to the city.

“We’re incredibly proud to support these 15 diverse projects,” said Director of Arts and Culture Brian Foote. “These grants represent a direct investment in the artists, performers, and grassroots organizations that keep Northampton’s cultural landscape so uniquely vibrant, dynamic and inclusive.”

The Arts Council introduced the micro-grant model this year in an effort to decrease barriers to entry for local creators. Foote told Reminder Publishing earlier this year that following last year’s grant cycle, the council received feedback from artists who highlighted the importance of the council’s endorsement and how it leverages further support and credibility. The feedback motivated the council to find the best ways of connecting local artists with community funding for artists’ work.

“By restructuring the pool into 15 $500 flat-rate grants, we aren’t just trying to be ‘efficient’ — we are intentionally breaking down those barriers. We found that our official endorsement and validation as an Arts Council often carries immense weight, allowing artists to leverage this initial $500 to secure further support and credibility down the line,” said Foote. “It allows us to spread a wide, equitable safety net and actively invest in the ‘seedlings’ of our local culture, ensuring funding isn’t just concentrated among a few large, established organizations.”

The city has a unique history in community arts funding, as the Northampton Arts Council was the first local cultural council in the state to raise independent funds to offer a second round of community funding every spring. While the council’s fall funding relies on state allocations, the ArtsEZ round is entirely locally funded, powered directly by the proceeds from their signature community events like First Night Northampton, the Silver Chord Bowl and Transformance.

“Over the years, this funding avenue has served as a vital launchpad. For many individual creators and grassroots groups, an ArtsEZ grant is often the very first professional funding they receive. It provides the initial seed money to cover materials, venue rentals, or artist fees, giving local projects the visibility they need to establish roots in Northampton, Florence and Leeds,” said Foote.

He added, “From the Arts Council perspective, this initiative is essential for validating the incredible work happening right here at the grassroots level. It tells our local creators that their work is seen, valued, and critical to the fabric of our city. When artists feel supported by their community, it generates a massive boost in collective morale. It fosters an environment where people feel safe taking creative risks. It also expands opportunities by actively prioritizing accessibility, pushing for projects that happen in accessible spaces and offer free or discounted admission so that everyone can participate.”

Awardees of this latest round of funding include Jay Sefton, Trudy Williams, and Mykell Walton in Theater and Performance; Joey Baron, Carolyn Abbe Smith and Edo Mor in Music; Tori Lawrence, Mikayla Archambeau and Francesca Baron in Dance; Courney Fappiano and Gayla Berry in Visual Arts; and A.C. Weaver, Kiran Jandu, Kimberly A. Keough and Diane Procella in Multidisciplinary Arts & Community Alliances.

The full list, along with more information about each artist’s projects are available at www.northamptonartscouncil.org/news/northampton-arts-council-announces-2026-artsez-mirco-grant-recipients.

“This batch of applicants was incredibly inspiring because of its sheer diversity and deep commitment to community connection. We have everything from site-specific contemporary dance in public libraries and intergenerational creative writing to large-scale public street theater and inclusive printmaking workshops designed specifically for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities,” said Foote. “What stands out most is how these projects place community dialogue and inclusivity at their center. From an artist’s perspective, an opportunity like this goes a long way because it provides upfront, flexible funding right when they need it most, giving them the momentum to bring a vision to life over the next year.”
For more information about upcoming events, grant cycles or how to support local public art initiatives, visit www.northamptonartscouncil.org.

“For our team, it is incredibly rewarding,” said Foote on what it means to be able to offer these microgrants. “The ecosystem we work to maintain is vital because it sustains the independent, vibrant spirit that defines Northampton. Being able to hand over direct, flexible funding to fifteen exceptional creators – knowing that these projects will directly enrich our public spaces, sidewalks, libraries, and stages – is exactly why we do this work. It keeps our cultural landscape dynamic, inclusive and uniquely our own.”