The Small Business Administration (SBA) aims to reopen the Shuttered Venues Operator Grant (SVOG) portal by the end of the week of April 18, 2021. As soon as the exact date is confirmed, the SBA will provide advance notice. They are also updating the applicant user guide and FAQs to further clarify information and post those on their site in advance of the application portal opening. Applicants may continue to register for an application portal account.

SVOG was established by the Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Nonprofits, and Venues Act, and amended by the American Rescue Plan Act. The program includes over $16 billion in grants to shuttered venues, to be administered by SBA’s Office of Disaster Assistance.

Eligible applicants may qualify for grants equal to 45% of their gross earned revenue, with the maximum amount available for a single grant award of $10 million. $2 billion is reserved for eligible applications with up to 50 full-time employees.

The second series of Artists Talks has arrived! Join the Office of Arts and Culture on Thursday, April 22, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. (Arizona Time). This month, artist Bobby Zokaites discusses his new public art project at 73rd Avenue and Crittenden Lane in Phoenix, A Time ​Machine Called Tinaja.

Bobby Zokaites is an Arizona-based sculptor skilled in a variety of materials with a wealth of experience producing artworks for private and public spaces. His industrious work ethic and urban design sense enable him to create distinctive works of art that foster new and dynamic relationships between community, site, history, and the natural environment. Blurring the line between fine art, public sculpture, and collaborative practices, his work engages diverse audiences, humanizes public spaces, and often encourages participation with larger-than-life-sized artwork. Born in Virginia, Zokaites earned his BFA at New York School of Ceramics at Alfred University, NY (2008) and his MFA in Sculpture at Arizona State University, AZ (2014). He recently completed two large municipal infrastructure projects in the valley, with the City of Phoenix and Valley Metro. It is integral to Zokaites' practice that his work connects residents and their community in new ways, creating new and lasting experiences.

Frida’s Garden in Phoenix invites artists to apply for the BRACE Artists Incubator. BRACE will help artists apply the social determinants of health and business principles to grow and sustain their careers. The deadline to apply is 6:00 p.m. on Friday, April 23, 2021.

The incubator will provide health and social services education, business and legal principles education, and mentorship to allow artists to create a nurturing environment where they can succeed. This program is eight weeks and starts on April 26, 2021. All classes will be on Mondays.

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Challenge America program offers support primarily to small organizations for projects in all artistic disciplines that extend the reach of the arts to populations that are underserved. Challenge America features an abbreviated application, a robust structure of technical assistance, and grants for a set amount of $10,000.

Challenge America guidelines include important new details on eligibility requirements, as well as the program description, project types, and what the NEA means by "underserved." The deadline to apply is Thursday, April 22, 2021.

The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 recognizes that the humanities sector is an essential component of economic and civic life in the United States. The Act appropriated supplemental funding to the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) to provide emergency relief to institutions and organizations working in the humanities that have been adversely affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

The NEH currently invites applications from eligible organizations seeking support for humanities positions and projects that have been adversely impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. Through this funding opportunity, NEH will award grants to museums, libraries and archives, historic sites, independent research institutions, academic presses, professional organizations, colleges and universities, and other humanities organizations across the country to help these entities continue to advance their mission during the interruption of their operations due to the coronavirus pandemic. In keeping with Congress’s intent in enacting the American Rescue Plan, applicants may propose new humanities projects or focus on sustaining core humanities programs and activities. The deadline to apply for funds is Friday, May 14, 2021.

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) has also received American Rescue Plan Act funds. The agency moving quickly to develop guidelines and application materials for the competitive funding process. Visit the American Rescue Plan section of the NEA website for periodic updates and important information about how to apply.