Lakewood Playhouse - Scene from the musical Avenue Q
ArtsWA grantee, Lakewood Playhouse's production of the three-time Tony Award-winning musical was part of the Playhouse's 77th season. Photo courtesy of Lakewood Playhouse.

Art Service Organization Support Grants


To respond to evolving organizational needs brought on by the pandemic, our grant programs for FY22 will be changing. This program will open as a recovery program. Check back soon for updated grant program information and/or sign up for our newsletter on our homepage for updates.


NOTE: Hannah Dahlke is no longer on staff. Not all links have been updated. Please reach out to Miguel Guillén, Program Manager at miguel.guillen@arts.wa.gov or Audrey Molloy, Program Assistant at audrey.molloy@arts.wa.gov.


This grant provides operating support to regional and statewide non-profit arts service organizations. These groups provide training, workshops, conferences, networking, technical assistance and other professional development to arts professionals. For complete information, please review the grant program guidelines below.

Regional Arts Service Organizations may request up to $8,000. 

Statewide Arts Service Organizations may request up to $25,000.

Program is closed for 2020 and will be available again in 2021.
Check back for details.

The following organizations are eligible to apply:

  • Regional Arts Service Organizations
  • Statewide Arts Service Organizations
    • Organization provides professional development services for arts professionals.
    • Must work with arts professionals from at least three counties in one ArtsWA defined region.
    • At least 10% of the organization’s total public program budget must be designated for professional development services for arts professionals in the region.
    • Eligible for grants up to $8000.
    • Organization provides professional development services for arts professionals.
    • Must provide services in ten or more counties, and/or:
    • Host one or more annual convening(s) of arts professionals from across the state that includes planned professional development activities.
    • Statewide ASOs do not perform, produce, preserve, present, or teach art.
    • Organization is are encouraged to work with regional arts organizations to help meet statewide distribution of services obligation.
    • A statewide ASO with an annual operating budget of $150,000 or more may request up to $25,000.

Washington State Arts and Culture Regions

“Arts professional” means an individual who has professional work experience in the arts or arts-related field, including culture and tradition bearers, and artisans. For this program, we include emerging professionals with limited experience who are 18 years of age or more.

Application Information

Arts Service Support Grant Guidelines (For reference only. Guidelines will be updated for 2021.)

All funded projects, programs, and services must be open to the public. Organizations that receive operating support must be producing publicly accessible programming.

Examples of What We Do Fund

  • Music, dance, theater performances that are part of a season of events or a stand-alone event
  • Exhibitions of visual art
  • Poetry and literary readings, literary publications
  • Traditional or folk arts performances/festivals
  • Fees for professional guest artists
  • Royalties
  • Rentals of equipment
  • Broadcasts of the arts (i.e. via radio or webcasts)
  • Films, videos, digital arts, web-based arts projects
  • Professional development training, workshops, conferences, etc.
  • Residency programs
  • Youth arts programs that occur outside of school and are not offered for school credit
  • Travel expenses for contracted arts professionals from out of state (artists, technical staff, etc.)

What We Don’t Fund

Certain Types of Activities at Schools, Colleges, and Universities

  • Events, activities, projects, or performances that are part of, or involve, academic or course credit
  • Tuition assistance for college, university or other formal course of study that generates course credit
  • Events that take place on campus that are not easily accessible by the general public and primarily attended by matriculated students

Individuals

  • Grants to individuals
  • Expenses for an individual to attend contests, conferences, seminars or workshops
  • Grants to students
  • Student scholarships
  • Payments to individual board members of the applicant, unless made in compliance with Internal Revenue Service 501(c)(3) regulations that limit such payments to professional services

Certain Types of Projects or Programs Conducted by Other State Agencies

  • State agency programs or projects that receive state appropriations for the same project

Private Purpose and Restricted Events

  • Events that are not open to the public
  • Activities primarily benefiting the organization membership
  • Activities financed by artist entry fees, particularly those involving cash prizes
  • Events not commonly recognized as a general public event, are an integral part of a specific religion, or promote a religious observance
  • Conferences benefiting a small group of people
  • Hospitality expenses such as food, flowers, receptions and similar items
  • Fund-raisers or benefit concerts

Certain Types of Capital Expenses

  • Renovation, remodeling, restoration, or new construction of buildings
  • Purchase of permanent equipment, software, or real property
  • Public art installations

Certain Types of General Expenses and Deficits

  • Activities or expenses outside the current grant period
  • Activities that have occurred prior to the period designated by the contract
  • Requests to cover previous losses incurred by the organization

Out-of-State Travel

  • Grants cannot be used to fund travel outside Washington
Apply Online Via Zoomgrants

The Zoomgrants application process is simple and easy to use. Please use the following browsers: Firefox, Chrome, or Safari. We do not recommend using Internet Explorer. Link will be available when grant program opens.

Contact Us

Miguel Guillén, Program Manager: miguel.guillen@arts.wa.gov, 360-252-9970