The Artist Entrepreneurial Grant offered by the New Hampshire State Council on the Arts (NHSCA) is a competitive funding opportunity aimed at supporting individual professional artists, creatives, and makers who are residents of New Hampshire. Recognizing the critical role that the creative workforce plays in the state’s economy, this grant is designed to assist artists in expanding their business capabilities, enhancing their artistic skills, and increasing exposure to new markets and audiences.

Eligible applicants include individual artists aged 18 and older who have been New Hampshire residents for at least one full year prior to the grant award and who devote a majority of their time to practicing, performing, or teaching an arts discipline. Artists on the NHSCA juried rosters living within ten miles of the state border may also be eligible if they can demonstrate that over 50% of their work serves New Hampshire audiences. Artists who have received three consecutive Artist Entrepreneurial Grants must take a one-year hiatus before applying again. Undergraduate and graduate students, organizations, and those who have already received this grant in the current fiscal year are ineligible.

Applicants may request funding from $250 to $2,000. No matching funds are required for FY2026, but applicants must present a complete project budget that reflects the total cost of the opportunity, including expenses beyond the amount requested. Ineligible expenses include equipment purchases, creation of new work, publishing or recording costs, framing, international travel, and activities occurring outside the grant period (July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026). This grant does not support therapy, retreats, apprenticeships, or activities that are not accessible to the general public.

Applications are due by 11:59 PM ET on one of four deadlines: April 25, August 1, and October 31, 2025, or February 6, 2026. All submissions must be completed via the Submittable online application platform. Drafts of narrative responses and budgets may be emailed to the grant coordinator at least two weeks before a deadline for review. Final submissions must include narrative responses, a completed budget form, opportunity documentation (e.g., letters of acceptance or registration), summary resume, and relevant work samples. If contracting an outside professional, applicants must include their credentials and price quotes.

Applications are evaluated through an internal review process based on the project's impact, planning, and budget. Projects must demonstrate how the opportunity will enhance the applicant's career and artistic or business practices. Funding recommendations are reviewed by the State Arts Council, and if the cumulative total of NHSCA funding received by an applicant in a fiscal year reaches $5,000 or more, final approval by the Governor and Executive Council is required. Final reports are due no later than July 31, 2026, or 30 days after project completion, and extensions may be requested in writing before the deadline.

For questions about the program, applicants may contact Adele Sicilia, Director, at Adele.C.Sicilia@dncr.nh.gov or 603-271-8418. Accessibility questions can be directed to Emily Killinger, NHSCA Accessibility Coordinator, at Emily.R.Killinger@dncr.nh.gov or 603-271-0790. Technical support for the Submittable platform is available at support@submittable.com.