USArtists International
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About
USArtists International supports in-person performances by American artists at engagements at international festivals and global presenting arts marketplaces outside of the United States. The program funds individuals and ensembles across all performing arts practices and disciplines.
USArtists International is designed to encourage the presence of U.S. performing artists on international stages and in the global arts community; to support engagements that develop and expand both the careers and artistic goals of U.S. performers by providing connections with presenters, curators, and fellow artists; and to promote justice in the arts community by elevating the diverse voices contributing to the vibrant array of creative expression in the United States.
USAI provides grants of up to $15,000 toward eligible expenses; please reference the guidelines for further detail.
USArtists International is a program of Mid Atlantic Arts through the generous funding of the National Endowment for the Arts, The Trust for Mutual Understanding, and the Mellon Foundation.
Guidelines
Please find full guideline details below:
USArtists International Guidelines 2023 – 2024 (PDF – opens in a new tab)
USArtists International Guidelines 2023 – 2024 (Word – opens in a new tab)
Work Sample Preparation Guide (PDF – opens in a new tab)
Work Sample Preparation Guide (Word – opens in a new tab)
Application Narrative Sample Questions
Application Sample Narrative Questions (PDF – opens in a new tab)
Application Sample Narrative Questions (Word – opens in a new tab)
Other International Resources and Opportunities
Deadlines
The application deadlines for USArtists International (USAI) 2023 – 2024 are:
September 29, 2023 by 11:59 PM Eastern
For projects taking place between January 15, 2024 and June 30, 2025.
Fiscal Sponsor certification and letters of invitation are due by October 6, 2023.
March 27, 2024 by 11:59 PM Eastern
For projects taking place between July 1, 2024 and June 30, 2025.
Fiscal Sponsor certification and letters of invitation are due by April 3, 2024.
To receive deadline reminders and program updates, please sign up for our newsletter.
Festival/Market Travel Track
Mid Atlantic Arts will accept applications to the USArtists International program that seek travel funding to perform internationally at eligible festival or performing arts market engagements. Applicants should communicate with Mid Atlantic Arts staff about any changes to an engagement after an application is submitted. Due to the involvement of federal funds, any news about festival postponement or cancellation should be discussed with staff.
Non-Festival Travel Track
Mid Atlantic Arts has partnered with Ibermúsicas to increase artistic exchange between the Americas and beyond. As part of this initiative, in addition to international festival engagements, significant non-festival performance engagements that take place in in Ibermúsicas’ 2023-24 member countries will be eligible for support through USArtists International. These countries include Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, Spain, and Uruguay. See Program Guidelines for additional eligibility requirements. Applications will be reviewed as part of the standard USArtists International panel process and competitive applications will strongly meet program review criteria. Artists applying with a non-festival engagement must review the program guidelines and contact staff at least 72 hours before the application deadline to confirm eligibility before applying.
Fiscal Sponsorship
USArtists International guidelines require applicants without 501(c)3 nonprofit status to apply using a US-based, 501(c)3 nonprofit fiscal sponsor. Nonprofit organizations serving as fiscal sponsors must provide this service as part of their regular operations, and this service must be available to any artist that meets the respective organizations’ published criteria for fiscal sponsorship. Fiscal sponsors do not have to be located in your state of residence. The links provided below are resources for potential applicants and the organizations are not affiliated or endorsed by Mid Atlantic Arts. Fiscal sponsors do not have to be found through these resources in order to meet USArtists International guidelines. To learn more about fiscal sponsorship and securing a fiscal sponsor, visit:
Fiscal Sponsorship 101: Fiscal Sponsorship Resources by Grantspace / en Español
Information on seeking and providing fiscal sponsorship: National Network of Fiscal Sponsors
A non-comprehensive directory of fiscal sponsors nationwide: San Francisco Study Center’s Fiscal Sponsor Directory
Want to learn more?
Visit us during drop-in hours or view a recorded webinar below.
Drop-In Hours
Do you have questions about the USArtist International application? Our staff is available to answer your questions during our Virtual Drop-In sessions. No prior scheduling or registration is required; join anytime during the session.
Tuesday, September 26th, from 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm Eastern.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84924871688
Meeting ID: 849 2487 1688
One tap mobile
+13863475053,,84924871688# US
+15074734847,,84924871688# US
Wednesday, September 27th, from 10:30 am – 12:00 pm Eastern.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86234943399
Meeting ID: 862 3494 3399
One tap mobile
+16465588656,,86234943399# US (New York)
+16469313860,,86234943399# US
Webinar: USArtists International Webinar: Am I eligible?
Wednesday, August 16, 2023 at 1:30pm ET | View a recording
Are you a solo artist or performing arts ensemble considering an application to the USArtists International grant program? This webinar is for you, whether you’ve applied before or this is your first-time hearing about USAI. You’ll leave this webinar with a clear understanding of the program guidelines, timeline, and what is needed to be eligible for funding.
Webinar: USArtists International Webinar: Application Tips and Pointers
Wednesday, August 30, 2023 at 1:30pm ET | View a recording
Attend this webinar and learn some tips on how to use the Mid Atlantic Arts grant portal to submit your USAI application.
Learn more about presenting international artists or performing abroad by visiting our international resources page.
Current Grantees
FY23 Round Three
79rs Gang, LA
Nancy Jazz Pulsations, France
Akropolis Reed Quintet, MI
PAN Festival, Netherlands
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, NY
Edinburgh International Festival, United Kingdom
BAKUDI SCREAM, CA
Gaudeamus Festival, Netherlands
BANDALOOP, CA
Greenwich+Docklands International Festival, United Kingdom
Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company, NY
Dance Festival of Joinville, Brazil
Boston Symphony Orchestra, MA
BBC Proms, United Kingdom
Salzburg Festival, Austria
DANCING EARTH CREATIONS, CA
Instituto de Estudios Superiores en Artes Escénicas De Oaxaca, Mexico
Nautilus Dance Chamber, Mexico
Ekmeles, NY
Musica, France
Ultima, Norway
International Contemporary Ensemble, NY
MaerzMusik, Germany
Ishmael Houston-Jones + Keith Hennessy, CA
ImPulsTanz, Austria
Jake Blount, RI
Gate to Southwell Festival, United Kingdom
Jordan Bak, NC
Lichfield Festival, United Kingdom
Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival, Germany
Limón Dance Company, NY
International Contemporary Dance Festival Lila López, Mexico
International Contemporary Dance Festival of Mexico City, ICDFMX, Mexico
Linda May Han Oh: The Glass Hours, MA
Northsea Jazz Festival, Netherlands
Los Angeles Master Chorale, CA
Salzburg Festival, Austria
Martha Graham Dance Company, NY
International Theater Festival of Vitoria Gasteiz, Spain
Logroño Theater Festival, Spain
Pamyua, AK
Auckland Arts Festival, New Zealand
PinkNoise Ensemble, NY
Mexico Center for Music and Sonic Arts, Mexico
Ragamala Dance Company, MN
India Dance Festival, Netherlands
Raymond Pinto, CT
Lagos Biennial, Nigeria
Repertorio Español, NY
International Theatre Festival of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Sean Dorsey Dance, CA
Proud Performing Arts, Sweden
So Percussion, NY
Dialogue of Bodies, Burkina Faso
In/Out Dance Festival, Burkina Faso
Somi, NY
Ghent Jazz Festival, Belgium
North Sea Jazz Festival, Netherlands
Umbria Jazz Festival, Italy
South Chicago Dance Theatre, IL
Los Andes Cultural Center, Colombia
The Crossing, PA
Baltic Sea Festival, Sweden
Wilfried G Souly – Souly Dance Arts, OH
Connection, Benin
Dialogue of Bodies, Burkina Faso
In/Out Dance Festival, Burkina Faso
Panelists
Mid Atlantic Arts panelists serve as individuals and their professional affiliations are listed solely for context. Affiliations and locations were correct at the time of panel service.
Festival Database
Interested in connecting with an international festival? Visit our festival database. Please note that being listed in the festival database does not guarantee eligibility for USArtists International. Festivals not listed in the database may still be eligible for the program. Carefully review program guidelines to ensure eligibility.
Manage Your Grant
Changes in Project Proposal
Any changes in the content, schedule, or budget of your project as proposed must be submitted in writing for approval prior to being implemented. Requested changes must be submitted to Jamie Melius, Grants Manager, at jmelius@midatlanticarts.org.
Funding Acknowledgement and Crediting
Acknowledgement and Crediting requirements were included in Section 7 of the Grant Award Agreement.
Artists/ensembles must clearly acknowledge support from Mid Atlantic Arts through use of both the credit language and logo as outlined below. Use of the Mid Atlantic Arts logo does not replace the credit language. Copies of the required materials must be submitted as part of the final report.
Credit and Logo Usage
The following statement and the Mid Atlantic Arts logo MUST appear on artist/ensemble websites and any print and electronic publicity or promotional materials created by the artist/ensemble.
The following statement and the Mid Atlantic Arts logo should be included in Festival programs, calendars and promotional materials, whenever possible, either jointly or separately as necessary.
- This statement must be used in its entirety and cannot be altered in any way.
This engagement is supported by Mid Atlantic Arts through USArtists International in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and the Mellon Foundation.
Website Link
Artists/ensembles are required to include a link to the Mid Atlantic Arts website at https://www.midatlanticarts.org when crediting Mid Atlantic Arts on their website. This link MUST remain active during the entire length of your grant. You are requested, but not required, to embed the link in Mid Atlantic Arts’ logo.
Final Reports
Final report requirements and instructions were included in Section 8 of the Grant Award Agreement.
Grantees are required to submit a final report which is due thirty (30) days after the end of the grant period on record as listed in the Grant Award Agreement.
Final reports are to be completed online using the Mid Atlantic Arts Smart Simple system at https://midatlanticarts.smartsimple.com/. Please read the instructions in the Smart Simple system carefully.
To access and submit the final report, log into SmartSimple with the same login and password that you used to apply for the grant. If you do not remember your login and/or password, please use the link on the Smart Simple login page to retrieve the information.
For questions about your grant and the crediting or final reporting requirements, contact Jamie Melius, Grant Manager, at jmelius@midatlanticarts.org.