Clarence E. Beyers Fund for Music Performance

• Amount: ~$20,000 distributed annually

• Source: Clarence E. Beyers Fund

• Eligibility: Erie County non-profit arts organizations

• Application Window: October 1 - December 15

• Grant activity period: April - March

• Notification date: March 31

Projects should promote the highest quality of musical performances in Erie County and exemplify one or more of the following principles of artistic quality:

• Commitment: Demonstrates conviction to a cause championed by the work

• Cultural Integrity: Ethical use of material with specific cultural origins and context

• Communal Meaning: Facilitates collective meaning that transcends individual perspective and experience

• Emotional and Sensory Experience: Evokes an emotional experience and/or includes vivid sensations that deepen the audience’s experience

• Openness: Encourages interpretation and questioning

• Coherence: Strong or explicitly stated vision and intent

• Disruption and Risk-Taking: Challenges convention by subverting dominant narratives, aesthetics, or standards

Projects that align with at least one of Erie Arts and Culture’s strategic priorities will be prioritized:

• Increase the capacity and impact of the creative and cultural sector in NWPA

• Fund opportunities for the arts in lifelong learning

• Preserve, enhance, and promote diverse cultures

• Facilitate placemaking initiatives

• Grants strictly support music performance projects in Erie County.

• Funds should not support recurring programs or capital improvement projects.

• Projects must provide an artistic or social benefit to Erie County stakeholders.

• Events or activities must be open to the public (not necessarily free).

• No activities may have a religious or political purpose.

• Funds cannot be used as reimbursements for expenses incurred outside of the grant activity period.

• Applicants must be a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with a primary focus on providing high-quality arts experiences, including arts engagement activities and/or arts education.

• Individuals, local municipalities, local education agencies, institutions of higher learning, community development corporations, and non-profit organizations with primary missions outside of the arts are ineligible.

• The applicant’s principal office/activities must be located in Erie County, PA.

• Applicants must not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, religion, national origin, handicap, sexual orientation, marital status, gender, or gender identity.

• Applicants must be in good standing with Erie Arts and Culture and its program requirements.

Project Description: In one page, provide a project description addressing the following:

• Does the project fill an artistic gap in Erie County?

• Project’s relevance to EAC’s principles of artistic quality

• Integration of Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) principles

• Definition of success and plans for project evaluation

• Internal and external stakeholders involved, including collaborators, partners, and staff

• Project timeline

• Total cost for the project (with provided budget form)

• Amount requested

Virtual information sessions will be held to assist applicants. Specific dates for these sessions will be announced on our social media pages and via email.

• Project (50 points):

  • Well-planned and relevant to the Erie County community (15 points)

  • Alignment with Erie Arts and Culture’s strategic priorities (15 points)

  • Appropriate timeline for scale and scope (10 points)

  • Appropriate budget for scale and scope (10 points)

• Impact (25 points):

  • Commitment to delivering a quality artistic product (15 points)

  • New and innovative or implements an audience development initiative (10 points)

• Stakeholders (25 points):

  • Confirmed sources of funding (15 points)

  • Qualified internal stakeholders with new perspectives and/or professional expertise (10 points)

EAC staff review for eligibility, a panel of industry experts scores applications and makes a funding recommendation. The Programs Committee approves that recommendation and presents it to the Board of Directors for final approval. 

• Interim check-in calls with grantees to track progress and identify additional needs

• End-of-cycle round table, oral reports in small peer groups