Seattle launches Youth Arts Grant 2026 to boost creative learning outside the classroom

Seattle, Washington – The Youth Arts Grant 2026 is a two-year grant program that aims to make arts and culture learning more available to middle and high school students in Seattle. Applications for this program are now officially open. The grant helps pay for programs that happen outside of school hours and are run by professional artists and teaching artists who have worked with children before.

The program’s main goal is to give young people from a wide range of racial and socioeconomic backgrounds significant opportunities to get involved with the arts. Students should be able to explore creative expression, gain skills, and connect with their communities through art and culture in safe, welcoming settings that are funded.

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Selected applicants will get $12,000 in support throughout the course of two years of the program. Winners will get $6,000 for programs that run from September 2026 to August 2027 and another $6,000 for activities that run from September 2027 to August 2028. All initiatives that get funding must happen within the city borders of Seattle, but the people who apply can live outside the city.

Individuals, teaching artists, arts and cultural groups, youth-serving agencies, and degree-granting schools are all eligible to apply. The programs must be for kids in middle school or high school. Also, any artists or teaching artists employed for a financed project must have worked with the age group and relevant art or cultural forms for at least a year. Also, projects should fit with the goals of the Youth Arts Grant and show the kinds of people the program wants to help.

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The deadline to apply is Tuesday, March 10, 2026, at 5 p.m. Pacific time. Late applications will not be accepted, so applicants should give themselves plenty of time to finish the procedure.

Several online information and draft review sessions are planned for February and early March to help applicants. You can ask questions, get feedback, and learn more about what you need to do to apply at these sessions.

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You can get full grant guidelines in many languages, such as Amharic, Chinese (Simplified), Oromo, Russian, Somali, Spanish, and Vietnamese. If you have any questions about who can apply, how to apply, or the online system, you can email [email protected].

Learn more about this grant and how to submit your best application. Attend one of the Information Sessions to answer specific questions about your project.

Question and Answer Session 1

Thursday, Feb. 12, 12 – 1 p.m.

RSVP to February 12

Question and Answer Session 2

Tuesday, Feb. 17, 5 – 6 p.m.

RSVP to February 17

Draft Review Session 1

Wednesday, Feb. 25, 5 – 6 p.m.

RSVP to February 25

Draft Review Session 2

Tuesday, March 3, 12 – 1 p.m.

RSVP to March 3

More details are available here.