Resources for Artists

For more opportunities, latest updates from the field, and conversations with peers, join our resource sharing group and check out the resources section of our monthly newsletter.

Featured Resources

Lead Artist | Dancer/Collaborator Contract Template
Crowdsourced List of Dance Spaces south of Cermak and west of Western
City of Chicago Creative Worker Rights

Upcoming Deadlines

FUNDING / FELLOWSHIPS

Illinois Arts Council Creative Catalyst Grant (open deadline) – individual artists and non-profits – Info Session on Tuesday, Aug 6 at 12pm.

National Endowment for the Arts – Our Town Grant (Aug 1)

Artists Run Chicago Fund (Aug 5)

Dance/USA Fellowships to Artists $31,000 (Aug 15)

Arts Work Fund (Aug 15)

Foundation for Contemporary Arts Emergency Grants (rolling)

The Awesome Foundation $1,000 grants (rolling)

Chicago Dance Health Fund

GATHERING AND LEARNING

Newberry Library “Colloquium: The Dancer Portrait Project” with William Frederking (Aug 7)

Experiencing Time/Embodying Rhythm Symposium – The Dance Center at Columbia College Chicago Call for Proposals (Aug 9)

Nutrition for Dancers (Aug 10)

Midwest Arts XPO (Sep 16-19)

DCASE SummerDance

From the Current Newsletter

ARTIST RESIDENCIES AND SPACE

Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts in NE (Aug 1)

Foundation House in CT (Aug 4)

La Porte Peinte Centre pour les Arts in France (Aug 15)

Truro Center For The Arts At Castle Hill in MA (Aug 15)

Trillium Arts in NC (Aug 16)

Vashon Artist Residency in WA (Aug 23)

Khecari Resource Share Residency 2025 (Sep 1)

OTHER RESOURCES AND OPPORTUNITIES

Tips for Captioning and Audio Description

Creative Worker Rights

Contract Template

Chicago Dance History Project’s Preservation Station

Chicago Dancer Pay Transparency Project: Company Survey | Dancer Survey (surveys close Aug 30)

Grounding Justice: Toward Reparative Spatial Futures in Land and Housing 

Creative Capital Curriculum

Connecting & Learning

Chicago Black Dance Legacy Project
Entertainment Community Fund: Licensed mental health clinicians, Meditation, Budgeting, Tax Prep, and More
Creative Capital: Workshops and resources on artist finances, documentation, digital communication, and more
Pentacle nextSteps: Educational website for artists in need of infrastructural support
ArtistsU: Free workbook and materials for you to start a peer working group / book club. One-on-one support is also offered.
Artists Thrive: A growing initiative offering activities, practices, language, visions and values of what it means to succeed and thrive as an artist
Creating New Futures: Templates for equitable contracting and more
Arts Midwest: Ideas Hub with free, curated site with articles and tools for artists

Other Resources

Chicago Dancers United’s The Dancers’ Fund: Financial support to dance professionals diagnosed with a critical health need, as well as one-time grants to cover additional medical expenses
Americans for the Arts – COVID-19 Resources and Response Center
Dance/USA Resources: Equitable contracting, dancer health, building audiences, copyright, and more
Dance/USA Funding List: List of field-wide funding opportunities
Pentacle Financial Urgent Care: pro bono financial assistance for artistic entities with annual operating budgets under $125,000
Red Clay In the Making Program: $25/month membership fee with affordable creative space and a supportive infrastructure

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    Image Captions and Credits: Anna Martine Whitehead, 2017_ProductionMode_HPAC | Photo: Sara Pooley