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NBAF’s Artist Project Fund Offers $2,000 Awards and a Cohort for Metro Atlanta Artists

The program supports 10 professional artists with a $2,000 award and an April–September cohort designed to help complete projects already in motion.

Photo by Sara Free.

If you have a project in progress and you are trying to move it from “almost there” to finished, the National Black Arts Festival’s Artist Project Fund is built for that exact gap.

The NBAF Artist Project Fund (APF) is a $2,000 cash award paired with an artistic development cohort for Metro Atlanta artists who need support to complete an ongoing project.

For the 2026 cycle, NBAF states that APF will support 10 professional artists with a $2,000 award, alongside a cohort experience designed to foster community, creative collaboration, and career development for artists growing as creative entrepreneurs.

What the fund is supporting

NBAF frames APF as completion capital: funding meant to help you finish something already in motion. The program is explicitly tied to an ongoing artistic project that needs additional funding.

The eligible disciplines listed by NBAF include visual art, music, dance, photography, film/television, literary arts, theater, and multidisciplinary arts.

Who can apply

NBAF lists core eligibility requirements for applicants:

At least 21 years old
Reside within the Metropolitan Atlanta area
Professional working artist (students are ineligible)
Have a project in process that needs additional funding

The page also includes a criteria section that lists “be of African descent.”

2026 timeline to know

NBAF’s 2026 timeline on the program page lists:

Application open: Monday, January 19, 2026
Application deadline: Monday, February 16, 2026 by 6:00 PM
Award notification: Monday, March 16, 2026
Awards distributed: Wednesday, April 1, 2026
Cohort program length: April–September 2026

Quick checklist before you apply

You meet the Metro Atlanta residency and professional artist requirements.
Your project is already in motion and you can show evidence of progress.
Your budget clearly totals the funding you are requesting, with completion-focused line items.
Your timeline points to a finished deliverable during the April–September cohort window.
You submit by February 16, 2026 at 6:00 PM.