Artist Fellowship Grant Overview

The Artist Fellowship Grant supports established individual artists and cultural practitioners in Prince George’s County who significantly contribute to the arts, have an established body of work, and substantively impact the lives of residents through artistic excellence, innovative cultural practice and/or community impact.  

The Artist Fellowship provides PROJECT support. The fellowship does not fund general support for artistic practice. It is expected the work support a creative endeavor or artwork in progress and/or supports research and primarily the production of a new artistic/cultural project. 

250th Anniversary: Special consideration will be given to projects that develop creative, engaging commemorative cultural education activities for the country’s 250th Anniversary in Prince George's County. Programs can highlight important moments/programs during or commemorate the 250th Anniversary. (Optional)      

Artist Fellowship Grant Goals

• Provide county-based artists access to capital to support innovative works in progress or to begin a new artistic project or initiative 
• Provide access to high-quality arts and humanities experiences to Prince George’s County residents.

Maximum Award:  $5,000

DEADLINE: February 13, 2026 at 11:59PM via Submittable Grant Portal 

Information Session: Wed. January 22, 2026 at 4PM. REGISTER BY CLICKING THIS HYPERLINK: 

 Download PDF of  Application & Guidelines to work from Here  (PLEASE READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS PROVIDED)

Eligibility Requirements Individual Eligibility:

• Artist or arts professional aged 18 or older;
• Must demonstrate an established body of work, portfolio, performances of at least one year prior to deadline.
• Must have residency or active studio in Prince George’s County (for at least one year prior to application) proof of residency required;
• Must fund a project adequately demonstrated to be produced within grant period;
• Artist’s product or project must serve Prince George’s County residents primarily, although it may extend to other audiences, this may also include digital products, which extend beyond the Prince George’s County audience.
• Previous Grantees:  Must be in good standing with PGAHC in all final reporting requirements completed prior to the application deadline.  Failure to comply by the application deadline will forfeit eligibility.  

 Funding Restrictions

Examples of allowable costs for Artist Fellowship Grant:

• Rental of a studio, recording, or exhibition space;
• Cost of renting/purchasing equipment, materials/supplies that are essential to produce the work. 
• Costs for related vending/marketing (website, marketing collateral, photography of work, etc.)
• Costs to make program project accessible
• Up to 30% of the funds may be allocated as nondiscretionary use (for labor, utilities, parking, insurance or other needs as determined by the artist)

 Unallowable costs for Artist Fellowship Grant: 

• Personal expense unrelated to the project
• Funds to primarily support a guest artist in collaboration 
• Rental of a studio, recording, or exhibition space outside of Prince George’s County, Maryland, Washington, D.C., or Northern Virginia 
• Nondiscretionary costs exceeding 30% of project budget. 

PLEASE NOTE the following for Eligible Projects when selecting the following disciplines.

Curatorial Projects – Projects must show evidence of research and scholarship in the curatorial process, by experienced curator or cultural practitioner. 

Cultural Projects – Project must be an extension of the artistic practice 

Film/Media – Projects that can show evidence of distribution

For questions or additional information, please contact grants@pgahc.org or Sherri Bryant-Moore smoore@pgach.org or grants@pgahc.org.  Please use "FY26 Artist Fellowship " in the subject line.   

 The Prince George’s Arts and Humanities Council is pleased to announce the opening of applications for Prince George’s County Poet Laureate for the three-year period of May 1, 2026 – April 30, 2028. This significant cultural position supports Prince George’s County’s ever-burgeoning literary community and reflects the county’s commitment to elevating poetry into the consciousness of residents and to helping celebrate the literary arts. This consultant position serves as an important community conduit for the arts and will carry a $5,000 yearly honorarium issued at 6-month intervals.

The Poet Laureate will act as an ambassador and advocate for poetry, literature, culture, and the arts. It is expected that the Poet Laureate will contribute to the community through public readings and participation in civic events. The Poet Laureate will also propose and lead at least 4 (one per quarter) community projects each year, with an ongoing community presence, engagement, and participation in community arts events to take place throughout each of the 9 Councilmanic Districts throughout the year. 

A. Eligibility criteria

• The Poet Laureate must be at least 21 years or older,
• The Poet Laureate will be available to serve a 3-year term, from May 1, 2026, to April 30, 2028,
• The Poet Laureate will be a Prince George’s County resident of at least 3 years,
• The Poet Laureate shall have published one or more collections of poetry or have a substantial history of public spoken word performances,
• The Poet Laureate will have demonstrated a commitment to and passion for poetry and embrace the opportunity to engage in community service to make poetry more accessible and available to residents, 
• The Poet Laureate will articulate a willingness to serve as an ambassador for Prince George’s County and to engage residents of all ages (preschool youth, students, adults, and elders) in poetry at public events through public readings, workshops, school visits, and other means, and
• The Poet Laureate will be available to travel throughout Prince George’s County for poetry-related tasks.

 B. Duties of the Prince George’s County Poet Laureate

• Highlight literary arts to promote the appreciation of poetry, and inspire a deeper engagement in the written and spoken word,
• Act as an advocate for poetry, prose, and the literary arts, and create a unique artistic legacy by sponsoring and participating in public readings and civic events,
• Encourage and coordinate collaborative arts events to include music, visual art, dance, and other artistic disciplines, 
• Formally recognize and release an announcement of local poets of merit that have made significant contributions to poetry and the literary arts in Prince George’s County and assist in the creation of “Distinguished Poets” or further develop the “Poets of Excellence” recognition platforms. 
• Work with the Coordinators of the Prince George’s Youth Poet Laureate Program to support Prince George’s County youth poets, spoken word artists, and writers.
• Design and lead National Poetry Month events, poetry-based National Arts and Humanities Month events, and other recognitions that allow Prince Georgians to embrace and celebrate poetry, 
• Champion the mission for the laureateship to raise the status of poetry in the everyday consciousness of Prince Georgians,
• Attend PGAHC weekly Team Meetings to report on progress, activities, and issues of concern,
• Actively participate in social media activity and Office of the Poet Laureate web content development related to poetry events and Poet Laureate activities 

C. Application Requirements 

Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria as described in Section A; must confirm their ability to complete the duties described in Section B; and must fully respond to the 3 categories listed herein, Section C, immediately below. 

Applicants must register with Submittable to create a free online Submittable account at https://www.pgahc.submittable.com/ and submit the application online.  Applications will be open from 8 a.m. on February 6, 2026, until 5 p.m. on March 15, 2026.

PLEASE INCLUDE: 

1.  A “Poet’s Statement” describing the applicant’s vision for effectively performing the duties of the Poet Laureate position. 

2. A resume of relevant experience and publications, including explanations of how the applicant meets the eligibility criteria. (5-page maximum)

3. Five original poems (maximum length of 2 pages per poem) 

Poems may only be submitted online via this Submittable platform, not via post or by email. QUESTIONS:   If you have questions about the application process contact Sherri Bryant-Moore at smoore@PGAHC.org.  Please use Prince George's County Poet Laureate in the subject line.  We look forward to reading your entries!