Mamdani doubles grants for New York artists: from $5,000 to $10,000, the first increase in 20 years

Individual artists in New York will be able to receive up to $10,000 in city-funded grants — double the previous amount — Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced on October 2 together with the city’s Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA), as Hyperallergic reports. The base amount of $5,000 had remained unchanged for almost 20 years, according to the mayor’s office.

“Artists are forced to make hard decisions when it comes to living in this city and paying,” Mamdani said in a video announcement on Instagram, where he appeared painting at an easel opposite DCLA Commissioner Diya Vij. “There has never been a better time to apply. Every artist in our city who has a vision is welcome.”

The grants are distributed each year by DCLA through local partners, who then administer the funds for cultural organizations, arts nonprofits and artists. Applications are open in four of the five boroughs: the Bronx Council on the Arts accepts applications until October 30, Brooklyn’s until October 11, the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council until November 12 and the New York Foundation for the Arts in Queens until November 17; the Staten Island cycle opens in November.

The news comes three months after Mamdani reached an agreement with the City Council to distribute $323.8 million for DCLA under the fiscal 2027 budget — the city government’s highest-ever annual amount. He has also supported arts organizations by giving a share of $8.4 million in small-business grants to public-art commissions and arts programmes. “Artists are the beating heart of this city, but it is not always easy to live as an artist,” Vij added in the video.