Produced by the Office of Marketing and Communications
Artists at the University of Maryland are invited to submit proposals to a mini-grant program supporting projects that affirm Black life and vitality and interrogate white supremacy and anti-Blackness.
Students of all forms and levels of artistic experience can apply for Vital Signs: Creative Arts for Black Lives mini-grants to support their projects. Past examples have spanned visual art, music, plays, dance, poetry and film.
Both Black-identifying and non-Black-identifying creators may apply. Black-identifying applicants are encouraged to use this opportunity to creatively process any joy, pain or vitality they want to express. Applicants who do not identify as Black are asked to approach their project and examine their topic from their own perspective with introspection and a critical eye.
The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion and the Office of Multicultural Involvement and Community Advocacy, in partnership with Black Terps Matter, created Vital Signs in Summer 2020 in an effort to support student voice and action related to the Black Lives Matter movement.
The proposal deadline for the 2023-24 cycle is 11:59 p.m. Nov. 5. Up to five grants of $500 each will be awarded to individual UMD student artists and UMD student organizations. Funds are intended to support costs associated with the development of their projects.
More details are available on the proposal form. Questions about Vital Signs can be sent to Tyler Clifford, senior artistic planning coordinator at The Clarice, at tylerc@umd.edu.
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