Mamdani raises grants for city artists to $10k

Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced in an Oct. 2 news release New York City artists and small nonprofits can apply for up to $10,000 in funding — the first increase in grant awards for artists in two decades, according to the mayor’s office.

Funding comes from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, which distributes it to local partners before it goes to artists, collectives and nonprofits, the release said. The money will fund artists in a range of disciplines across all five boroughs, according to the release.

Applications are now open in the Bronx, according to the release.

“Artists are working New Yorkers with the same costs as everyone else,” Mamdani stated. “Doubling these grants is a critical step towards making sure that the painters, musicians, filmmakers and other artists who bring life to this city can afford to call it home.”