A Major Opportunity for Boulder Utah Artists 

2026 Boulder Artists Grant

The Boulder Artists Grants are two $2,500 unrestricted awards given to support the work and growth of Boulder area artists. A committee of knowledgeable arts professionals from outside Boulder will select the grantees based on samples of the artists’ work, an evaluation of the artists’ intended use of the funds, and the potential for substantial benefit to the artist’s development. 
With these awards, the Boulder Arts Council (BArtC) seeks to support Boulder artists who are poised to advance their work. The funds awarded may be spent on any resource (time, materials, tools, etc.) and/or project (travel, education, etc.) that will significantly benefit the grantees’ work. 
The focus of these grants is the growth and development of the individual artists. The grantees will however be asked to share their artistic work with the Boulder Community within 12 months of receipt of the award. This sharing may be in any form convenient to the artist – a performance, a gallery exhibit, a reading, a studio tour, workshop(s), etc., to be specified by the artist in their application.
Eligibility:

• The grants are open to Boulder artists practicing in any medium, including visual, performing, and literary arts.
  
• Applicants will be a Boulder resident with an address within area code 84716.
  
• Applicants will be 18 or older at the time of the application deadline.
  
• Applicants will be the sole originator of any work submitted.
  
• Applicants will have a Social Security number or other Federal Tax ID and be responsible for all applicable federal and state taxes.

Selection Criteria:
The Boulder Artists Grant recipients will be chosen through an application process open to all Boulder residents and any artistic practice. All eligible applications will receive equal consideration. The grants are designed to support artists who will significantly benefit from additional financial resources to advance their work. The ideal candidates will be:

• Artists with a clear and compelling vision for how the grant will advance their work and growth as an artist.
  
• Artists with demonstrated dedication and commitment to growth in their art.

Selection Process:
The application is available online: https://form.jotform.com/250763894220156
Timeline:

• Applications must be submitted by 11:59 pm on May 1st, 2026. No late applications will be accepted. BArtC will pre-screen applications for eligibility and completion only. Applicants are encouraged to contact the BArtC if they have questions about completing or filing their applications.
• Following the application prescreen, the independent Selection Committee will review all eligible applications and make their final selections. The grant recipients will be announced publicly on June 6, 2026.

Application Requirements:

Applicants will be asked to provide the following information and to abide by the word count requirements.

1. BIO: 500 word maximum. Describe your art-related personal history: formative experiences, education, awards, and significant past or current projects.
   
2. Artist’s statement: 300 - 500 words. Please describe your artistic practice and the overarching concepts, goals, vision, or inquiries behind your work.
   
3. Description of intent: 300 - 500 words. Please describe your intended use of the funds should you receive this award. How would the award enable a significant advancement in your artistic practice and development?
   
4. How do you propose to share your work with the Boulder community?
   
5. Work samples: Applicants will submit five work samples created within the past five years.
   

Sample may include any mix of video, audio, images, or other documentation.
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• Images must be submitted as jpg, jpeg, png, or gif, files. Images should be at least 1400 pixels on the longest side with a resolution of at least 75 dpi, 150 dpi preferred.
• Audio samples must be submitted as mp3, .wav. or .aif files and may be no more than 3 minutes in length each.
• Video samples must be submitted as MP4, AVI, WMV, MOV files and may be no more than 3 minutes in length each. If you submit a sample with multiple performers, it should be easy to identify the applicant. The applicant must clearly identify themselves for the selection committee.
• Written word samples should be submitted as PDF, doc, docx, txt or rtf files. Written word samples should total no more than 10,000 words across all samples.
• Maximum File Sizes for any individual work sample is 10 MB excepting video samples. Video samples must not exceed 300MB each.

2026 Selection Committee

Maureen Clark: MFA University of Utah, former president of Writers @ Work. Her book of poetry “This Insatiable August” was released by Signature Books in 2024 and won the Association of Mormon Letters Award for Best Poetry Book of 2024. Her memoir “Confessions of a Once Upon a Time Mormon Girl” is forthcoming by Hypatia Press. Her second poetry manuscript “A Country Without You” will be out in 2028. 

V. Kim Martinez, MFA, Professor of Painting and Drawing at the University of Utah. Martinez is a visual artist whose research examines how societal structures shape the world. Her curatorial record includes over 170 regional, national, and international exhibitions. A dedicated educator, Martinez fosters public engagement in the arts. She pioneered a community mural course at the University of Utah. Her pedagogical approach also includes leading interdisciplinary undergraduate courses at the Taft-Nicholson Center in Montana. Notable awards include: the SLC Mayor’s Visual Artist Award, the College of Fine Arts Faculty Excellence Award, the University of Utah Presidential Societal Impact Scholar, and the Distinguished Innovation and Impact Award. Through her former appointments as Department Chair of Art and Art History and as a member of gubernatorial and community advisory boards, she advances art philosophies to achieve societal impact and unification.​

Chris Mautz has been a concert promoter since 1997 beginning at Red Butte Garden in Salt Lake City, Utah where he is currently responsible for booking and producing 30 shows annually. In addition, Chris books and manages a similar series at the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids, MI. Together with co-owner Darin Piccoli, Chris operates The State Room in Salt Lake City, featuring national touring artists in over 125 concerts annually. Chris and Darin also operate The State Room Presents, presenting concerts at various venues around Salt Lake City and partnering with the Fort Desolation Festival held annually in Torrey, Utah. In May of 2018, Chris and Darin expanded even further and opened The Commonwealth Room in South Salt Lake City.

To complete your application, you can either finish it in one sitting or save your progress to continue later.

• Saving Progress: If you save your application before submitting, you will be required to create an account. This account will allow you to return to and finish your application.
  
• Completing in One Sitting: If you finish and submit your application immediately, no account is needed.
  

In all cases, you will receive an email confirmation once your application has been successfully submitted.

Application Link: 
​https://form.jotform.com/250763894220156