Folk & Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Project Grant

Rules & Instructions Now Available

dancers in traditional Peruvian clothing

Peruvian Dancers, Rosa Carhuallanqui (right) and Antonio Chávez (left)

Application Part 1 Deadline: January 8, 2026, 12 Noon ET



Information Sessions Start December 2025

Folk & Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Project (FTAP) grants provide $10,000 to support an individualized, structured learning opportunity between an Apprentice artist and one or more Mentor Artists. By providing funds to support artists’ time and project expenses, FTAP grants allow intermediate-level artists to significantly advance their skills and cultural knowledge in a specific folk and traditional art form. Strong apprenticeships foster the continuation of valued community traditions, contributing to the ongoing vitality of these specific folk and traditional arts.

 

The FTAP application process is a two-part process. After submitting Application Part 1, eligible applicants will be sent the link to Application Part 2.


To find out if you are eligible, please review the Rules & Instructions.




IMPORTANT DATES FOR APPLICATION PART 1


December 2025 - February 2026: In-Person and Online Information Sessions


January 8, 2026: Application Part 1 Due by 12:00 PM ET


Early February 2026: Applicants notified of their eligibility status. Eligible applicants receive link and instructions for Application Part 2. For more information and the timeline for Part 2, please see the Rules & Instructions.




FY27 GRANT PERIOD


The grant period for successful projects is July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027. Project activities must take place within that period, but do not need to extend the entire year. Please note: due to the administrative process of awarding grants, funds will not be available to grant awardees until after the grant period has officially started, usually in the early fall.

Guidelines are available in both English and Spanish:

Questions? Contact Folk & Traditional Arts Program Officer Sally Van de Water:



sally.vandewater@sos.nj.gov | 609-875-4948 (NJ Relay 711)

Application Assistance: In-Person Information Sessions


Interested applicants can attend free workshops hosted by one or more of the New Jersey Folklife Network partner organizations. Registration is required.


December 3, 2025 | 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM | Perkins Center for the Arts, Moorestown

Register here.


December 8, 2025 | 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM | Tuckerton Seaport, Tuckerton

To register, call 609-296-8868 or email adriana.alfaro@tuckertonseaport.org.


December 17, 2025 | 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM | Arts Institute of Middlesex Co., New Brunswick

To register, email shannon.cole@co.middlesex.nj.us.


January 5, 2026 | 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM | Perkins Center for the Arts, Collingswood

Register here.

Application Assistance: Online Information Sessions


Applicants can attend online workshops to ask questions about the program. These meetings are held by Zoom, which requires a free software download to your phone or computer. Participation is free; however, registration is required.

ACCESSIBILITY


The Arts Council is committed to ensuring its programs are accessible to all people.

For accessibility services related to filing this application, please contact:

Lindsay Dandeo, Access Coordinator | 609-984-7020 (NJ Relay 711)

The New Jersey State Council on the Arts, created in 1966, is a division of the NJ Department of State and a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts. The Council was established to encourage and foster public interest in the arts; enlarge public and private resources devoted to the arts; promote freedom of expression in the arts; and facilitate the inclusion of art in every public building in New Jersey. The Council believes the arts are central to every element we value most in a modern society including: human understanding; cultural and civic pride; strong communities; excellent schools; lifelong learning; creative expression; and economic opportunity. To learn more about the Council, please visit www.artscouncil.nj.gov.

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