Opportunities, Residencies, and Grants for Eastern European Students and Artists

A number of opportunities exist for Eastern European artists and students who want to pursue their work internationally.  A well-known institution is the Open Society Foundation, which has programs for NGO's, but also for individual students.  Visit their grant webpage and specify in their search wigit that you are searching for grants for individuals in the field of education and youth, and in Europe.  DO NOT restrict yourself to grants currently open--something may be open in the near future.  It may have closed last month, but may be something to keep on the horizon for later.

CEC Artslink offers residencies for artists from 39 countries in Eastern Europe and the Middle East for five weeks to work in the United States.  Applications were taken this past fall for those in the performing arts and literature, but in the deadline for artists in visual and media arts is October, 2013 for the following year. 

The Worldwide Institute Supporting Exchange (formerly the Worchester Institute for Student Exchange) offers housing and a small ($50) stipend for students who are studying at institutions in eastern Massachusetts.  They include those in the arts and research.  Contact WISE for more information.

Money for Dancers to Start Their Career...And to Recareer

We know that there are some financial supports out there for performing artists like dancers, to further their careers.  I'll run by a couple here, as well as a grant to re-career to something else.

The Yard, Inc. has residences of four weeks for dance artists.  Two are offered: one for dance companies who have been working together for at least three years, and the Bessie Schonberg Individual Choreographers Residency allows as many as four independent choreographers and eight dancers in a residency in Martha's Vineyard to work on their craft.  The residencies offer housing, space, mentoring, stipends, and a chance to perform.  They also offer internships with housing, a small stipend, free tickets, and some other benefits for those who want mentoring and experience with arts management. 

The Princess Grace Foundation offers scholarships for dancers at non-profit schools, or fellowships for dancers at non-profit companies.  The also offer financial help for students of other performing arts and playwriting, choreography and film.  The 2012 deadlines have passed, but there will be announcements for next year.

For Native American dancers, the Native Arts and Cultures Foundation has fellowships in visual arts, filmmaking, music, dance, literature, and traditional arts and crafts for Native Americans, Native Alaskans or Native Hawaiians.  The 2013 applications are now closed, but keep an eye open for next year.

And for those on their way out Career Transition for Dancers has scholarships for current and former dancers to finance re-careering education or business endeavors.  One scholarship provides scholarships for graduate level education in fields outside dancing; the other gives small scholarships and seed money for post-dance career launching.  They also provide post-career and career transition counseling.