City grant program for arts projects ranging from murals to productions will start taking applications Wednesday

photo by: Shawn Valverde/Special to the Journal-World

A snow plow passes by City Hall on Monday, Dec. 1, 2025.

The City of Lawrence’s Community Arts Grant application — which funds everything from arts projects to cultural events — will open this week.

The city announced in a press release Monday applications for the grants will be accepted starting on Wednesday, Dec. 31. The application period will close on Feb. 2, 2026 at 11 p.m., according to the press release.

The competitive grant program is overseen by the Cultural Arts Commission, and the grants are funded through the city’s transient guest tax, which is paid by hotel guests. Last year, the city provided just over $67,000 in grant funding to 12 recipients, according to the city’s website.

In 2025, a dozen projects received grants ranging from $500 to $10,000. They included a street mural, a Juneteenth production, a youth outreach initiative, and a busker program, among others.

As part of the 2026 process, the city is adding a pre-application review for new applicants. Interested applicants can submit their grant application PDF form by 11 p.m. on Jan. 15 for initial screening and basic minimum requirements by staff. Feedback on the application will then be sent back by Jan. 22 before the final deadline.

Along with the Community Arts Grants, the city also announced it will provide a maximum of five “Mini Grants” of up to $500 to help support artists with start-up costs for equipment specifically aligned with their art practice. The city provided the mini grants for the first time last year. That application window will be open from Jan. 26, 2026 until Mar. 6, 2026.

The city expects the final recommendations for the awarding of the Community Arts Grants to happen during a City Commission meeting in mid-February, and the awarding of the “mini grants” to happen in mid-March.

For more information about the program, including grant guidelines and the online application form, you can visit the city’s website or contact Porter Arneill at 785-832-3449 or parneill@lawrenceks.org.