CICF is committed to make Central Indiana a better, more beautiful, more equitable community. Support for our community's local artists is a key part of that ongoing commitment.

CICF Artist Ambassadors

Formed in 2019, the CICF Artist Ambassadors cohort was brought together to explore how CICF grant funding could support artists—specifically, artists of color, from the LGBTQ+ community, and artists with disabilities.

Since the group’s inception, it has interviewed and surveyed dozens of artists to understand the needs and perceptions of artists in our community. The group has intentionally taken a slow, exploratory process to provide support in ways that are responsive to the artist community’s needs in Central Indiana.

For more information about these grant programs, please review the informational video.

applications are not currently being accepted at this time.
Meet the ambassadors
  • D. Del Reverda-Jennings
    —interdisciplinary artist: visual, curator, published journalist, author, poet, jewelry designer & founder of FLAVA FRESH!
  • Eduardo Luna
    —conceptual artist, cultural promoter & founder of Arte Mexicano en Indiana
  • Stacia Murphy
    —community & arts-centered advocate
  • Wildstyle Paschall
    —musician, photographer & writer
  • Ernest Disney-Britton
    —vice president of community impact & investment at Arts Council of Indianapolis
  • Joanna Nixon
    —Nixon Consulting
  • Mali Jeffers
    —cultural entrepreneur, co-founder, GANGGANG
  • Clayton De Fur
    —senior donor engagement officer at CICF

The deadline to submit an application is July 7, 2021 by 1 p.m. Grant awards will be announced August 2, 2021. Recipients will have through November 30, 2021, to utilize grant funding. Due to the magnitude of the impact COVID-19 has had on the arts, we anticipate receiving significantly more requests for funding than there are funds to distribute. 

No. Only individual artists or artist collectives are eligible to apply. However, if selected for a grant, artists can choose to have their funds disbursed to their not-for-profit or other business entity as needed. 

We are committed to equity and inclusion and view data as an essential tool to be accountable to this commitment. As an applicant, your data will be viewed by the CICF Artist Ambassadors who will conduct the review process. Additionally, aggregated applicant data will be collected, summarized, and shared in reports to funders and/or the public, without disclosing any personal information.

Yes. CICF will disclose and publicize the grant awards.

Yes. A final report detailing the completion of the project will be necessary.

A W9 and Social Security Number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) are required by the IRS in order to distribute grants to artists. We will collect this information after you’ve been notified of your selection. 

Central Indiana Community Foundation (CICF) and a team of Artist Ambassadors from the community have partnered to conduct these grant rounds and award grants to artists who identify as BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and/or artists with disabilities. An anonymous donor of CICF granted funds to CICF to award through this grant program.

Each of the three grant opportunities have a total of $30,000 each to award.

The purpose of the grant program is to support, enhance or advance an artist's practice, productivity, skill, knowledge, creative acumen, cultural awareness, approach, project(s), connections, network, materials/supplies, marketing-promotion, artistic project-related travel, facilitation of an event, exhibit(s), participation in an event, shipping of artwork, etc. The use of funds related to these efforts is suggested as long as it is documented.