Arts Alive

Please join us this year in empowering and enabling artists looking to bring their art to life in our community!

Our Mini Grants allow artists in the Monadnock Region to increase the reach of their creative arts experiences - bringing more local art into the area to be shared with folks who may not typically experience it.

Mini grants are given directly to artists, writers, performers, and creative business entrepreneurs who are selected via an application and vetting process led by their peers. 

Directly working with artists and supporting their dreams is key to our mission: support, grow, and connect a sustainable arts landscape in the Monadnock Region. These Mini Grants also encourage artists to expand their professional abilities to reach long term sustainability in their work.. 

Past mini grants have supported:

A photographer's printing and framing costs for work that explores what it's like to be a father in rural America.

A filmmaker's documentary project based on one of the Magical History Tour historical public art murals in Keene.

An art teacher's materials for ceramics classes with developmentally disabled adults and with a community teen center.

A storyteller and sound designer's investment in high tech equipment and training to expand what she could create.

An art teacher's purchase of materials to teach painting and drawing classes at Keene Senior Center.

An artist's installation costs for a mural at Monadnock Community Hospital.

The purchase of a 3D printer for a graphic designer and skateboard builder to develop modular skateboard molds.

A multi-disciplinary artist's initiative to host a mixed media embroidery workshop series for the community, encouraging diverse artistic expression.

A video editor to produce a trailer for a short documentary video on a Jewish sculptor and concentration camp survivor.

A queer and disability pride product designer's investment in stickers and prints of their work for selling at community fairs.

A group who is utilizing burlesque classes to heal the community.

A circus artist and juggler's transportation and costs to perform pop up interactive events in downtown Keene.

A musician's project to record demos for two new projects in the studio.

A journalist's investment in a special camera lens for a photo project documenting gender transitioning.

An emerging mural and portrait artist's development of a professional website showcasing her work.

An artist in West Swanzey who transformed a vintage train car into a creative community studio, gallery, and makerspace for shared artistic expression.

A local curator launching a new art gallery at the Keene Senior Center by installing a professional hanging system for exhibiting regional artwork.

An artist in Hancock who opened Brick House Arts, a studio offering workshops, pop-up shows, and community art projects, while revamping her outreach with new signage and a website.

A filmmaker bringing their documentary Good-bye to a House to communities across the Monadnock region through free, local screenings and nonprofit partnerships.

A Celtic musician from Waking Finnegan recording and releasing new music to share with regional audiences.

A parent and artist creating a backyard Mini Maker Art Studio and Children’s Bookshop for children ages 0–12 to explore creativity through hands-on art and storytelling.

A fiber artist and pyrographer purchasing materials to officially launch a handmade product line and take the leap into full-time creative entrepreneurship.

A novelist advancing her WWII-era novel during a residency at Welcome Hill Studios to shape a new literary direction.

A teaching artist acquiring quality printmaking supplies for students ages 14+ at Orchard Hill’s public art classes.

A photographer developing a new assemblage series using upcycled materials and large-format frames, supported by a membership at the Vermont Center for Photography.

A writer designing a solo retreat at a local farm stay to focus on a cozy romance novel that celebrates rural life and creative placemaking.

An art educator launching a personal studio practice in downtown Keene to create new work and host public art classes.

A visual artist purchasing frames to prepare for multiple upcoming exhibitions, including a show at the Dublin Community Center.

A musician and audio engineer building a vocal isolation booth to enhance sound quality for ongoing recording projects.

A DJ rebuilding his practice with external storage and re-engaging community spaces like Yahso and Epsilon Spires to explore cultural storytelling through music.

A photographer preparing and mounting a new series of work for a public exhibit titled Celebration of Heritage Craft in November.

A multimedia artist debuting a video-based interactive show at the Jaffrey Civic Center, exploring the cultural impact of the digital age.

A world dance instructor replacing essential props and costumes after 13 years of use to enhance classes and performances in cultural arts.

Who We Are

Arts Alive! is a nonprofit organization that s...