Vision Arts 6 is open through December 22, 2024.

About the Program

VISION Arts is a grant funding program that celebrates Tulsa’s arts and culture industry, especially as a catalyst for economic development. The specific purpose of the VISION Arts is to provide dedicated, ongoing engagement with the City’s creative communities and fund programs or projects that support economic growth in Tulsa.

On October 1, 2024, the City of Tulsa and the Tulsa Arts Commission will begin accepting applications for VISION Arts 6 grants, which will provide local 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(3)-sponsored organizations grants to support artist-led activities. Organizations may request up to $50,000 in funding with no private match requirement.

Why Vision Arts?

Vision Arts focuses on local arts organizations by providing funding for projects or programs defined by those organizations.

In 2016, voters approved $2.25 million as part of the Vision Tulsa funding package to support our local arts ecosystem and champion creativity as a way to improve quality of life for all Tulsans. Grants are made in recurring cycles to circulate and diversify funding.

To date, nearly $1 million has been granted to Tulsa arts organizations; in 2024, 21 organizations received awards, and 1st time applicants represented over half of the submissions. Workshops are provided to support applicants on grant writing, budgeting, and other key application elements.

The program is a collaboration between Tulsa City Council, the Mayor’s Office, City Design Studio, and Tulsa Arts Commission. However, grants are made by an independent review panel consisting of arts professionals, artists, arts educators, community engagement professionals, non-profit leaders, and fundraisers.

Program Goals

• Promote visibility and awareness of Tulsa’s creative ecosystem
• Contribute to increased visitor and tourism activity
• Promote Tulsa’s arts and cultural assets as key components of the city’s identity
• Strengthen economic development by directly supporting arts organizations and emphasizing artist-led projects

Priorities

• Fund events, programs, and festivals that attract broad audiences of locals and tourists
• Build and diversify arts audiences from research and marketing strategies
• Increase access to cultural attractions and events
• Highlight local destinations where arts projects or programs create a unique sense of place
• Draw on arts and culture to engage communities and address civic challenges
• Create engaging content for multimedia that tells Tulsa’s story

Timeline

• Application Open: Tuesday, October 1, 8 a.m. CDT

Mandatory Virtual Informational Sessions:

• Session 1: Tuesday, October 15, 2024, 3 p.m.
• Session 2: Monday, October 28, 2024, 6 p.m.
• Session 3: Friday, November 15, 2024, 9 a.m.
• Session 4: Saturday, December 14, 2024, 11 a.m.

All organizations must attend an information session to receive a grant. Contact VisionArts@cityoftulsa.org for an invitation. All sessions contain the same information.

Non-Mandatory Informational Sessions
Applicants are also encouraged to attend non-mandatory informational sessions that provide information about the application process and technical assistance for arts organizations. All sessions will conclude with a Q&A session. While not mandatory, applicants must indicate whether they attended an optional workshop.

• Grant Writing 101: Saturday, October 26, 10 a.m.
  • Session will focus on past data and outcomes for successful grant applications and those that were not funded, as well as project evaluation metrics and data collection for the end-of-cycle report.
• Writing Clear Grant Narratives: Saturday, October 26, 11 a.m.
  • Session will focus on how to convey your proposal to a selection panel. Clarity of vision and integration with budgets and marketing plans will be discussed. Focus is on the “how” of the project and not the “why.”
• Marketing for Arts & Culture: Saturday, November 16, 2024, 10 a.m.
  • Session will focus on crafting a successful marketing plan for arts and culture organizations. Topics include collecting and interpreting audience data, identifying target audiences, current trends in arts and culture marketing, overcoming challenges, and writing a clear plan for grant applications that addresses anticipated audiences.
• Budgeting for the Grant Process: Saturday, November 16, 2024, 11 a.m.
  • Session will focus on crafting a budget that responds to grant goals and communicating how your budget addresses priorities of funding organizations.

Vision 6 Documents

• Program Guide
• Economic impact calendar
• City of Tulsa Supplier Registration Form
• Application

Important Dates:

• Application Deadline: Sunday, December 22, 2024, 11:59 p.m. CDT
• Organizations have from Tuesday July 1, 2025, until Tuesday, June 30, 2026, to use funding for Eligible Expenses.
• An End-of-Cycle Report must be completed within 30 days after the July 1 closing date.
• The final invoice and supporting itemization of the costs incurred in completing the approved proposal must be submitted by July 31, 2026.

For questions, contact the City Design Studio at studio@cityoftulsa.org.

In 2024, Vision Arts 5 will invest a total of $102,500 in 15 organizations whose annual donations do not exceed $400,000 per year:

• $56,000 to seven performing arts organizations:
• $10,000 to Heller Theatre Company
• $10,000 to Portico Dance Theatre DBA Oklahoma Movement
• $6,750 to Theatre North
• $15,000 to Chamber Music Tulsa Inc.
• $5,250 to American Theatre Company
• $4,000 to Clark Youth Theatre

• $23,500 to three miscellaneous organizations:
• $10,000 to the Red Dirt Relief Fund
• $5,000 to Art House Tulsa
• $5,000 to MapWorks Tulsa, Inc.
• $3,500 to Oklahoma Fashion Alliance

• $15,000 to three film or media organizations:
• $5,000 to Twisted Arts, Inc.
• $5,000 to Circle Cinema Foundation
• $5,000 to Tulsa Film Collective

• $8,000 to one art gallery:
• $8,000 to Brady Craft Inc. / 108 Contemporary

Additionally, the program will invest a total of $47,500 in six larger organizations whose annual donations equal or exceed $400,000 per year:

• $12,500 to one art gallery:
• $12,500 to Living Arts of Tulsa

• $7,500 to one art museum:
• $7,500 to Philbrook Museum of Art, Inc.

• $5,000 to one culturally focused institution:
• $5,000 to East Tulsa Main Street Inc.

• $5,000 to one miscellaneous organization:
• $5,000 to the Downtown Tulsa Partnership

• $17,500 to two performing arts organizations:
• $12,500 to Tulsa Symphony Orchestra
• $5,000 to Tulsa Performing Arts Center Trust

Vision Arts 5 End-of-Cycle Report