Pop-Up Grants

Pop-Up Grants center around artistic programs/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 through TACA Pop-Up Grants can be one-time events/projects, individual productions, or limited-time offerings that demonstrate high performance across all criteria.

Programs we will not award include an organization’s full season of programming, a recurring event that has previously received a TACA Pop-Up Grant, educational programs that are not open to/accessible to the general public, and non-artistic community programs.

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:

TACA defines “Key Artists” as local, North Texas-based artists whose work is central to the public-facing component of the artistic program awarded a Pop-Up Grant. This may include, but is not limited to, actors, dancers, musicians, spoken word artists, visual artists, playwrights, composers, or other program creators whose creative contributions are prominently featured through live performance, exhibition, or other visible formats. All onstage performers should be recognized equally as Key Artists.  Each Key Artist is awarded an Artist Bonus equal to twice the amount of each Supporting Artist.

TACA defines “Supporting Artists” as local, North Texas-based artists whose creative, technical, or production contributions enable the development and successful presentation of the awarded program. This includes designers, directors, choreographers, stage managers, production crew, and other behind-the-scenes artists. Supporting Artists should not include administrative staff, marketing personnel, or others not directly involved in the creative execution of the awarded program. Each Supporting Artist is awarded an Artist Bonus equal to one-half the amount of each Key Artist

Please note: Organizations may use their discretion in categorizing other contributing artists, such as playwrights or composers, as either Key or Supporting Artists, based on the nature and extent of their involvement in the awarded program.   

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, which 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 that 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.

As part of the award administration process, grantees must complete the TACA Pop-Up Grant – Grantee Information Survey prior to payment.

This survey requires the following information:  

• The total number of Key Artists and Supporting Artists involved in the awarded program 
• For each artist to receive Artist Bonus Funds:
  • Full name 
  • Production role 
  • Key or Supporting Artist designation 
  • Email address 

This information helps TACA understand the distribution and impact of the Artist Bonus Fund and supports accurate reporting to funders.  

Grantee organizations must distribute Artist Bonus payments within 30 days of receiving funds from TACA and submit payment information by using the form >>HERE<<.  

Failure to complete the required survey or delay in the distribution of funds may affect future eligibility for TACA Pop-Up Grants. 

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

To support TACA’s ability to publicly announce each cycle’s grantees, TACA requires each grantee to submit the following information in a timely manner following their grant notification:

• 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,

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.

Can my organization give the Artist Bonus Funds to one standout artist? 
No. It must be divided between “Key Artists,” defined as all visible artists in the production, and “Supporting Artists,” defined as all artists who helped mount this performance and worked backstage. 

Additional Questions?

If you have any questions regarding Pop-Up Grants, please contact Yadira Gonzalez, Programs Manager, at yadira.gonzalez@taca-arts.org.