Pop-Up Grants center around artistic program/projects produced or presented by local 501c3 nonprofit arts organizations or fiscally-sponsored arts projects in Dallas County. Programs can be presented live, virtually, or through other mediums.

To be eligible for nomination, funded artistic programs/projects must demonstrate a high level of performance across all three of our funding criteria, which are defined in order of importance below:

1. Creativity & Innovation
   – Artistic programming is unexpected, experiments with new/different presentation formats, or takes artistic risk
2. Artistic Impact 
   -The number of artists, and community members impacted through artistic programming is exceptional.
3. Accessibility & Inclusion
   – Barriers to participation are low (e.g., mediums used, diverse, locations, low ticket prices, near public transit, etc.)
   – Programming is relevant and/or reflective of marginalized voices, current events, or timely topics

Programs awarded can be one-time events/projects, individual productions, or limited-time offerings that exemplify these three criteria.

In 2023, half of funds will go directly into the hands of key and supporting artists – the creative engines behind the awarded program. We call these “Artist Bonus” funds. The remaining half of funds will go the presenting/producing organization.

• Small- and mid-sized arts organizations/fiscally sponsored projects (annual budgets under $5MM): Eligible to receive up to $2,500 in unrestricted organizational funding and up to $5,000 in “Artist Bonus” funding
• Large arts organizations (annual budgets over $5MM): Eligible to receive up to $2,500 in unrestricted organizational funding

Artist Bonus funds are disbursed by the awarded organization to Key Artists and Supporting Artists involved in the awarded Pop-Up Grant program/project. TACA defines “Key Artists” and “Supporting Artists” as follows:

“Key Artists” include persons whose work is a visible and key component of the core artistic program being awarded a Pop-Up Grant. This could include but is not limited to actors, musicians, dancers, visual artists, or other performance artists involved in the presentation of the program. Each Key Artist is awarded an Artist Bonus equal to twice the amount of each Supporting Artist.

“Supporting Artists” include persons whose work enables and supports the creation of the program. This could include but is not limited to designers, technical operators, pre-production personnel, or other “behind-the-scenes” artists involved in the presentation of the program. This does not include administrative staff or other employees that work for the organization who did not have a role on this specific program. Each Supporting Artist is awarded an Artist Bonus equal to one half the amount of each Key Artist

For example, if Artist Bonus funds of $5,000 are awarded, and there are 5 key Artists and 10 Supporting Artists, each Key Artist is awarded a $500 Artist Bonus and each Supporting Artist is awarded a $250 Artist Bonus. For easy instructions on how to calculate the disbursement of Artist Bonus funds, please click here.

Unlike typical grant programs, there are no applications for Pop-Up Grants. Instead, we rely on nominations to help us determine prospective grantees.

TACA has recruited an anonymous group of 60 local volunteers to nominate arts organizations with programming that meets our funding criteria. Nominators are recruited year-round and include TACA board members, artists, arts managers and experts, and community leaders representing a broad range of artistic/cultural viewpoints and racial/ethnic diversity. Nominations are reviewed by the TACA Pop-Up Grants Committee who recommends projects for funding.

Interested in becoming a Pop-Up Grant nominator? Complete the form below!

Nominator Interest Form

There is no formal application for a TACA Pop-Up Grant. Instead, arts organizations that meet the funding criteria may provide details about upcoming eligible programming for potential consideration via an online submission form. Submitted programs/events are reviewed for eligibility by TACA Staff and forwarded to Pop-up Grant nominators on a regular basis. Click the button below to submit a program/event for consideration. Please note: Submission of a program/event does not guarantee a nomination or a grant award.

Submit a Program / Event

Do you want your program/event on TACA’s Arts & Culture Calendar (powered by KERA and Dallas Morning News Go See DFW)?

Submit your event to Go See DFW.

The TACA Pop-Up Grants Committee recommends grant awards bi-monthly based on nominations submitted by the Pop-Up Grant nominators and their adherence to the funding criteria. Organizations who receive grant awards will be notified by the end of each bi-monthly grant cycle. Grant awards will be made via ACH Direct Deposit unless a check is specifically requested.

Please see the ‘Key Dates’ section for more information on award timing.

To help us amplify our awards each cycle, TACA requires each grantee organization to submit the following information within 3 business days of their award notification:

• A short description of the organization and mission (2-3 sentences)
• A short description of the awarded program (1-2 sentences)
• Still photos or video from the awarded program with any credits
• If applicable, a web link for more information on future iterations of this program, if applicable

Additionally, we highly encourage grantees to share news of their grant on social media channels, newsletters, and other means to communicate with donors and audience members.

If a grantee receives Artist Bonus funds, they must also provide the number of Key Artists and Supporting Artists involved in the awarded program for reporting purposes.

How does my organization submit an application?
Pop-Up Grants are determined through a nomination process, rather than an open-call application process—so there is no application to complete. Rather, an organization can submit an arts program for consideration via the Program/Event Submission Form. To submit a program, please click here.

Can my organization submit more than one program via the Program/Event Submission Form?
Yes. Eligible organizations can submit as many programs as they would like if they believe that the programs meet TACA’s Funding Criteria.

Can my organization receive more than one Pop-Up Grant? 
Yes. An organization can receive a Pop-Up Grant for any unique program that is nominated and selected by the Pop-Up Grants Committee. We will not fund the same program with multiple Pop-Up Grants.

How many grants does TACA plan to give each award period?
There is no grant quota for each month. Generally, TACA plans to fund about 3-6 organizations each during each award period.

Can my organization receive a Pop-Up Grant for a program/event before it actually takes place? 
No. Since Pop-Up Grants are distributed only after a program/event has taken place and has been evaluated along the criteria. To ensure that our nominators know about your event, please make sure to submit via the Program/Event Submission Form.

Additional Questions?

If you have any questions regarding Pop-Up Grants, please contact

Yadira Gonzalez, Programs Associate, at yadira.gonzalez@taca-arts.org.