Artistic Projects

Funds must support a chamber music project that falls within one of the following categories — performances, recordings, or new compositions (commissions). All projects must include a community impact component. All projects must be completed by the end of the grant period. 

• Current New Jazz Works grantees are not eligible to apply for 2026 Artistic Projects grants.
  • If awarded a 2026 Artistic Projects Commissioning or Recording grant, grantee is ineligible to receive a 2026 New Jazz Works grant. 
• Current Classical Commissioning grantees are not eligible to apply for 2026 Artistic Projects grants. 
  • If awarded a 2026 Artistic Projects Commissioning grant, grantee is ineligible to receive a 2026 Classical Commissioning grant. 
• Current Performance Plus grantees are not eligible to apply for 2026 Artistic Projects Recording grants. 
  • If awarded a 2026 Artistic Projects Recording grant, grantee is ineligible to receive a 2026 Performance Plus grant. 

• For Commissioning projects, commissioned works:   
  • must be of substantial length (at least 10 minutes of composed music); this may be one extended work or shorter pieces that together form a larger work.   
  • be written for 2-10 musicians; the total number of musicians including the performing composer and guest artists must not exceed 10.   
  • be scored for one musician per part.   
  • result in a printed score, lead sheet, or other form of graphic notation or nontraditional documentation.    

• If the commissioned work is written as part of a multi-disciplinary project, it must also be able to be performed or presented as a stand-alone work chamber music work.   
• Projects requesting Commissioning funding for the following are considered ineligible: 
• Previously written works or arrangements of previously written works or works-in-progress 
• Portions of works (such as individual movements or variations) 

Applications are due to Chamber Music America by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on Thursday, September 25, 2025. Award notifications are made in late December. 

All Artistic Projects grant projects must take place between January 1, 2026, and December 31, 2026.  

Grants range from $7,500 to $20,000 . The program will fund 100% of eligible expenses. No matching funds are required, but if a project costs more than $20,000 the applicant must describe how they will pay for the additional costs.  

Please Note: Grant funds are taxable income; grantees must comply with all applicable city, state, and federal laws, ordinances, codes, and regulations regarding the reporting of grant funds. 

Chamber Music America gives priority to projects that fall within one of the project categories and demonstrate community impact. Community impact: 

• Creates more access to chamber music   
• Fosters a sense of respect and appreciation for chamber music.  
• Creates opportunities for ensembles and presenters to engage with current and new audiences. 

Examples of community impact can include:  

• Advancing or highlighting cultural richness and creativity of a community.  
• Fostering collaboration between ensembles, presenters, or other organizations and the communities they serve.  
• Engaging with audiences in meaningful dialogue around historical or current social and cultural issues.   
• Making project content (such as recordings or videos) available to audiences beyond the grant period. 

Performances must be public, accessible, and inclusive. A public performance is one that takes place in a venue or digital setting open to general audiences, not just invited guests or personal networks. This includes live-streamed concerts, as long as they are publicly viewable.  For the purposes of this grant, conferences do not qualify as public events.  

For more ideas on what community impact could look like applicants can choose to explore the Arts Impact Explorer | Americans for the Arts.  

The following expenses are allowed, provided they are directly related to the project.  

• Ensemble and guest artist fees (for musician participants only)  
• Ground transportation and cartage fees for ensemble members, guest artists, and instruments  
• Concert or streaming production expenses  
• Recording studio and sound engineer fees
• Equipment rental 
• Rehearsal and performance space rental  
• Marketing and advertising specific to the project 

Applications may be submitted by ensembles or presenting organizations based in one of the five boroughs of New York City*.

Applicants that have received CMA funding in two of the past three grant years (since 2023) are not eligible for 2026 Artistic Projects funding. Current grantees should also look at the “Eligibility: For current grantees.”

An Ensemble 

• Must have at least one member who is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident based in one of the five boroughs of New York City and must be listed as primary contact for the application 
• Must consist of 2-10 professional musicians including guest musicians  
• student groups are not eligible 
• soloists with accompanists are not eligible 
• May perform any style of small ensemble music encompassing contemporary and traditional jazz, classical, and world genres 
• Must work with a U.S.-based composer if applying for composer funding. (If awarded, composers working with Ensemble grantees must provide proof of U.S residency status or permanent green card status.)  
• Must have an annual operating budget under $250,000 
• Must not have any outstanding financial obligations to CMA 
• Cannot be a current grantee of the Howard Gilman Foundation 

*Ensemble grantees must provide proof of New York City domicile.  

A Presenter 

• Must be a 501(c)(3) organization or otherwise eligible for charitable contributions for federal income, estate, and gift-tax purposes  
• Must present one ensemble 
• May present any style of small ensemble music encompassing contemporary and traditional jazz, classical, and world genres 
• Must work with a U.S.-based composer if applying for composer funding. (If awarded, composers working with ensemble grantees must provide proof of U.S residency status or permanent green card status.)  
• Must have an annual operating budget under $250,000                            
• Must apply with an ensemble whose annual budget is also under $250,000 and based in one of the five boroughs of New York City 
• The ensemble must consist of 2-10 musicians including guest musicians 
• The ensemble may only appear on one presenter’s application 
• Must not have any outstanding financial obligations to CMA 
• Cannot be a current grantee of the Howard Gilman Foundation 

*Presenter grantees must provide proof of a New York City-based venue. 

Ineligible Requests 

• Projects that require a fiscal sponsor  
• Projects requesting funding for:  
  • Capacity building or general operating support, although administrative expenses specific to the project may be included within the project budget  
  • Private or fundraising events or for arts education  
  • Fees to student musicians, faculty, or administrative staff   
  • Funds for classes or workshops for music students  
  • Music for dramatic works (staged or un-staged)   
  • Opera or choral works   
  • Incidental music for other media   
  • Fees for non-musician member participants in the proposed work (such as a narrator or dancers) or for student musicians 
  • Collaborative projects involving other artistic disciplines, that are not stand-alone works for a concert performance   
  • Projects requesting commissioning funding for:  
    • Previously written works, arrangements,  or works-in-progress   
    • Portions of works (such as individual movements or variations)    
    • Compositions that are soloistic in nature (such as concertos or works for soloist and accompaniment)   
    • Composers who are not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident  
    • Composers who are currently working on an active CMA grant  
    • Consortium commissions 
    • Collaborative projects involving other artistic disciplines that cannot function independently as chamber music works for concert performance 

Additionally, CMA cannot consider the following applications: 

• Applications from current New Jazz Works or Classical Commissioning grantees 
• Multiple applications from the same ensemble or presenter  

Artistic Projects applications are reviewed by an independent panel of chamber music professionals; CMA staff and board do not score or judge applications.
 

The panel will review and score: 

Written Application – 50% 

• The project description  
• The project timeline and detailed plan for completion within the grant period 
• How your project will create impact within the New York City community and intended audiences 
• How you plan to reach target audiences  

Work Sample Review-  25% 

• Artist statement explaining the ensemble’s work and how it connects with intended audience impact 
• Audio samples demonstrating the ensemble’s technical skill and musical cohesion 
• *FOR COMMISSION REQUESTS ONLY: Audio sample demonstrating the composer’s artistic voice and technical skill 

Budget Review – 25% 

• Demonstrates understanding of appropriate industry rates for proposed activities 
• Shows clear financial planning and capacity to carry out the project within the proposed budget 
• If the total budget exceeds $20,000, the applicant must explain how additional expenses will be covered 

For Ensembles 

If awarded, the member of the ensemble serving as the primary contact  is responsible for:   

• Serving as the ensemble’s primary point of contact with CMA 
• Providing government issued documentation as proof of their U.S. citizenship or permanent resident status; 
• Providing proof of  New York City domicile  
• Receiving and managing the grant funds 
• Filing reports and associated documents 

For Presenters
If awarded, the presenter contact serving as the primary contact is responsible for:   

• Acting as the contact for CMA on behalf of the presenting organization 
• Providing proof of  501(c)(3) status or eligibility for charitable contributions for federal income, estate, and gift-tax purposes (fiscal sponsors not eligible) 
• Providing proof of the ensemble’s New York City domicile status  
• Receiving and managing the grant funds  
• Filing reports and associated documents 

Grant funds will be disbursed as follows:  

• 100% of the award to be disbursed after signing the CMA grant contract 

Grant funds are taxable income; grantees must comply with all applicable city, state, and federal laws, ordinances, codes, and regulations regarding the reporting of grant funds.  

Grantees may not receive funds through a fiscal sponsor

CMA uses the online application platform Submittable. Go to cma.submittable.com to create a free Submittable account if you do not already have one.  

• Complete the online form directly or draft your responses in an offline document as backup, then copy/paste your information into the online application. CMA recommends that you save your draft in an offline document as backup.  
• To save the work you have done on your application, you must click SAVE DRAFT at the bottom of the form before exiting.   
• You can return to your saved application to continue working on it by following the log-in instructions.  
• The application will close promptly at 11:59 PM ET on Thursday, September 25, 2025. Late or incomplete submissions will not be accepted. Applicants are encouraged to submit their applications at least 24 hours in advance of the deadline to avoid any last-minute complications.  

Audio Uploads  

• Two ensemble audio samples are required and must be uploaded to the online application.  
• Samples should be up to 5 minutes each and feature works for small ensemble (2-10 musicians).  
• Samples should demonstrate the ensemble’s performance level and must feature either the full ensemble or at least 50% of its musicians. * Include contrasting works, if possible.   
• Soloistic works are not recommended.  
• *A duo must submit works with both partners. *  
• Only mp3 and/or m4a file types are accepted.   
• Samples do not need to be of studio quality but should be clear and representative of the ensemble’s performance within the last two years.    
• *FOR COMMISSION REQUESTS ONLY*: In lieu of two ensemble samples, commission requests must include one composer audio sample and one ensemble audio sample. Composer sample should demonstrate technical skill in composition and arrangement/orchestration as well as artistic voice of the composer. 

Budget Upload 

• Budget Template 

Marketing Materials 

• An Ensemble must provide a sample of past marketing material. This could be a social media ad, photo of a poster or flyer, etc. 

*FOR PRESENTER APPLICANTS ONLY*:  

• Tax-Exempt Letter/501(c)3 Letter of Determination 

Photo Upload:
Upload 3 photos for use in CMA press release materials in the event that the applicant is awarded & label photos in the following format: 

• 1_AwardeeName_credit_PhotographerName (Please make sure that the photos provided have been cleared for public use by your photographer before submission.) 
• 2_AwardeeName_credit_PhotographerName (Please make sure that the photos provided have been cleared for public use by your photographer before submission.) 
• 3_AwardeeName_credit_PhotographerName (Please make sure that the photos provided have been cleared for public use by your photographer before submission.) 

The Ensemble is required to provide a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the ensemble and the composer (if applicable). 

 A sample MOU can be downloaded here: 

• Sample MOU Word Document

The Ensemble/Presenter is required to provide a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the composer and CMA (if applicable). 

 A sample MOU can be downloaded here: 

• Sample MOU Word Document

The Presenter is required to provide a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the ensemble and the presenter (if applicable). 

 A sample MOU can be downloaded here: 

• Sample MOU Word Document 

• Go to cma.submittable.com and click on “Artistic Projects.”  
• Complete all required fields, including text boxes, the Funding Request, and Audio Sample information.   
• Prepare your budget, audio samples, marketing sample, and MOU attachment.  
• Save audio files as: Ensemble Name-Audio 1 and Ensemble Name-Audio 2; acceptable file types: mp3, m4a.   
• Upload the budget, audio files, marketing sample, and MOU to the application.  
• When complete, sign and date your application.  
• Click “Submit” to send application to CMA; you will receive a confirmation email. 

• Sample Responses 
  
• Sample Budget  

CMA collects data on race and ethnicity in connection to grant programs and applications; membership; and surveys with partner organizations, like funding partners. As such, CMA has developed a set of standards for keeping, collecting, and presenting data on race and ethnicity that aim to provide consistency in collecting and using this type of data. 

These standards have been developed in accordance with data collection standards by other groups such as CMA’s funders, federal agencies, and agencies that track race and ethnicity data such as the U.S. Census Bureau. 

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