2027 Program Year Update and Application Timeline
At Mid Atlantic we are reimagining how to connect. As we complete our strategic planning process and are learning the what field wants to see in future support – we are also working to balance what is happening in the current federal funding environment with our goals moving forward. With that in mind, we have made several programming changes that directly affect our 2027 program year.
Mid Atlantic Arts receives a large portion of funding for our programs from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). The updates below only affect select programs supported by the NEA.
The size of the NEA’s federal budget directly corresponds to the amount of support available for many of our programs. Congress has not yet confirmed the level of funding for the NEA in the year ahead. The changes to our NEA-funded programs are a result of Mid Atlantic Arts’ ongoing efforts to support our applicants and grantees with care and confidence in available funding while better aligning to the NEA’s funding timeline.
We plan to launch applications and activities for the 2026-2027 cycle of the following programs in the coming year. All support will be for engagements that take place between September 1, 2026, and December 31, 2027:
Launching Fall 2025
Jazz Touring Network
The Jazz Touring Network will open applications on its normal schedule. The 2027 program will support engagement fees for members already in the network.
Mid Atlantic Tours
The 2027 Mid Atlantic Tours (MAT) roster will feature two international music ensembles (selected through an application process run by Ibermúsicas) and will be announced on its normal schedule in fall 2025. This will be the extent of the MAT roster for 2027.
Launching Early Winter 2026
Folk & Traditional Arts Community Projects Grants
The Folk & Traditional Arts Community Projects Grants program will launch its application later than in previous years for the 2027 program, as we work to align the timeline more closely with season scheduling needs and federal funding approvals. There will be no other significant changes to this program.
Mid Atlantic Presenter Initiatives – formerly Special Presenter Initiatives
The Mid Atlantic Presenter Initiatives opens the former Special Presenter Initiatives program to the whole region. The program supports performing arts engagements including public performance and community engagement. More details coming soon.
Launching Fall 2026
Mid Atlantic Arts will be announcing updated programming based on what we have heard from the field through the planning process and program evaluation. We are excited to announce those details with you once they are available.
The programs below will not be available in the 2026-2027 cycle.
- ArtsCONNECT
- Mid Atlantic Tours – Regional Artist Roster
ArtsCONNECT is a legacy program. We recently completed an evaluation of our NEA supported programs and have decided to pause this program as we conclude our strategic planning process. Funding previously reserved for the ArtsCONNECT program will be directed to the updated program(s) to be announced in Fall 2026. Mid Atlantic Arts is committed to providing continued support for the performing arts field in our region and this shift will allow us to do just that— with increased responsiveness to needs of the field and our own funding timeline from the NEA.
Applicants who typically anticipate support from ArtsCONNECT and the Mid Atlantic Tours Regional Artist Roster programs are invited to apply for Mid Atlantic Tours, Folk & Traditional Arts Community Projects Grants, and Mid Atlantic Presenter Initiatives programs.
Programs unaffected at this time and proceeding on their existing/planned timelines include:
- Central Appalachia Living Traditions Appalachian Foodways Practitioner Fellowships
- Central Appalachia Living Traditions Black Appalachian Storytellers Fellowships
- Central Appalachia Living Traditions Experiences
- Cultural Sustainability: Community Roots
- Delaware and New Jersey State Fellowships Administration
- Walking Together: Investing in Folklife in Communities of Color
This is just the first step of changing our practices as we launch a new vision for Mid Atlantic Arts – a vision informed by our community as a whole. We look forward to sharing more with you in the months to come.