Annual Art Grant

The Annual Art Grant is a $5,000 one-to-one funding match grant awarded each year by the Liberty Arts Commission. A "one-to-one" dollar match means that the applicant must cover at least half of the expenses for the project or program with their own resources, monetary and/or in-kind contributions.

The Grant recipient is chosen based on artistic excellence, accomplishments to date, the promise of future achievement, accessibility to the public and likelihood of increasing tourism to the City of Liberty.

Submissions:

Applications are now closed for the 2025 Annual Art Grant. Please check back in November to apply for the 2026 Annual Art Grant

Eligibility:

  • Any individual with permanent residence in the greater Kansas City metropolitan area is eligible to apply.
  • For profit or non-profit organizations located within the greater Kansas City metro area are eligible to apply. Non-profit organizations must be chartered in the states of Missouri or Kansas, with federal and state tax-exempt status. Copies of the letters of determination from the Internal Revenue Service and the State’s Department of Revenue recognizing the applicant organization as a non-profit corporation must be supplied with the application.
  • Grant funds must be used for a cultural art project that occurs or is located within the city limits of Liberty, Missouri. All marketing materials, printed, digital or broadcast, must include language stating the project was made possible in part by the Liberty Arts Commission and the LAC logo.
  • Finalists for the Grant may be asked to present a three (3) to five (5) minute project presentation to the Liberty Arts Commission on a date and time to be determined. The presentation will be followed by a brief question and answer session.
  • The project must encourage tourism to the City of Liberty, support the goals of the Liberty Arts Commission and contribute to the cultural opportunities made available to the public, enhancing the quality of life in the City of Liberty.
  • The grant requires at least one-to-one dollar match, meaning that the applicant must cover at least half (50%) of the total expenses for the project with the applicant's own resources, monetary and/or in-kind contributions.
  • All programs to be funded by the LAC must be open to the general public at a free or reduced admission.
  • The grant may be awarded only to applicants that certify they will comply with the City’s non-discrimination policy, a clause in the contract.
  • Applicants must demonstrate that facilities and projects will be accessible to people with disabilities.
  • The LAC encourages organizers to consider partnerships to produce and promote the project. Consideration will be given to applications that show cooperative efforts between entities resulting in more effective use of funds.
  • Grant recipients are encouraged to patronize the City of Liberty businesses for food, supplies, materials, printing, etc.
  • Grant recipients will be required to sign a contract holding the City of Liberty harmless from any and all liabilities and for any damages or losses to the project and committing to produce the project with activities including intended dates and venue for a public presentation.

Ineligibility:

  • Non-arts related programs.
  • Political organizations, candidates for political office and organizations whose primary purpose is to influence legislation.
  • Building (brick and mortar) or capital campaigns.
  • Using the grant for inventory/cost of goods sold.
  • Staffing/administrative costs.
  • Individuals and organizations that have not fulfilled all previous grant administrative guidelines.
  • Fraternal organizations, churches or church-related groups with proposals that promote religion or an individual doctrine.

Committee Evaluation Criteria:

The following are the weighted criteria used to evaluate grant applications. Applicants should be aware that applications are reviewed on their merits and in competition with other applications.

Community Engagement/Tourism (1-30 points)

  • Well-conceived and articulated strategies for attracting tourists from outside the Liberty area.
  • Demonstrates community support for the project (partnerships/collaborations, financial and in-kind contributions, volunteers, etc.).
  • Does the project support the mission of the Liberty Arts Commission?

Artistic Merit (1-30 points)

  • Quality artists selected to participate.
  • Professional artistic leadership in place.
  • Does the project promote excellence and engagement in the arts and the humanities?

Management (1-20 points)

  • Effective administration (staff and/or volunteers) to oversee the project.
  • Careful planning for successful project implementation.
  • Advertising and promotion sufficient to support project goals.
  • Evaluation tools and review processes in place.
  • Grant application is comprehensive, clearly written and presented when due (For previous grant recipients, prior year grant compliance was complete, comprehensive and timely).

Financial Accountability / Grant Compliance (1-20)

  • Realistic, itemized budget.
  • Amount requested reasonable in relation to the scope of the project.
  • Competent financial oversight/accurate accounting processes.

Post Event Evaluation

The grant recipient must submit a typed evaluation within two months of the conclusion of the project. The Liberty Arts Commission reserves the right to require a final report presentation to the full Commission. The evaluation should include but not limited to; the final overall financial performance, a description of the artist’s activities, audience attendance, and any feedback received. Also rate the success of the project(s) based on the goals stated in the application, and list any adaptations or improvements that could be made in the future. Copies of all marketing materials must be included with the evaluation.