Michigan Arts and Culture Council

10/20/2026

Applications are now open for the 2027-2028 National Endowment for the Arts Big Read celebrating great American sports stories.

In honor of the role of sports in American culture, the 18 books in the Big Read Library invite communities to explore themes of competition and teamwork, perseverance and resilience, self-discovery and well-being, and the unique ways in which sports bring us together.

Spanning poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and graphic literature—and set everywhere from playing fields to ice rinks, basketball courts to open water, boxing rings to bowling alleys—these books illuminate sports as both a deeply personal pursuit and as a shared collective experience.

Phase 1 Applications (Eligibility Review) Due January 12, 2027
Phase 2 Applications (Full Proposal) Due January 26, 2027

Explore the library and apply at https://artsmidwest.org/about/updates/now-accepting-applications-2027-28-national-endowment-for-the-arts-big-read/.

09/21/2026

FY27 MACC Grant Applications are now open!

The Michigan Arts & Culture Council’s grant system is officially accepting applications for the FY27 grant cycle for projects occurring January 1, 2027 through December 31, 2027.

If you’re a Michigan-based arts and culture nonprofit organization, municipality, tribal entity, preK-12 schools, college/university, or non-arts and culture nonprofit organization, now is the time to apply!

Funding opportunities, depending on applicant type, include operational support, project support, facilities/equipment improvements, arts education, professional development, and field trips.

Deadline to apply: October 22, 2026 at 5pm ET.

Explore opportunities and more information here: https://www.michiganbusiness.org/industries/macc/macc-grants/

09/16/2026

Have an idea to pitch? Reach out to Arts Midwest

Collaborate with us on stories and short-form videos about creative people, artistic projects, or cultural programming in your community!

08/12/2026

MACC is proud to announce its 2026-2027 Rising Leaders cohort! These 16 individuals were chosen from applications across the state to take part in a rigorous and highly interactive personal development initiative committed to the advancement of Michigan's arts leaders. Read more about the seventh Rising Leaders cohort on our website, here: https://www.michiganbusiness.org/industries/macc/rising-leaders/

08/03/2026

New Report--Youth Arts as Civic Infrastructure: A Detroit Opportunity and Call to Action

A new white paper commissioned by DEYA: Detroit Excellence in Youth Arts speaks to a broader opportunity for Michigan by reframing youth arts not as enrichment, but as essential civic infrastructure that builds the human capacities every community depends on—including creativity, belonging, wellbeing, workforce readiness, civic engagement, and lifelong learning.

The paper draws upon national research while also highlighting several Michigan-led efforts that are helping strengthen our statewide arts ecosystem, including MI Creative Potential, artLook Michigan, and other cross-sector initiatives that advance equitable access to arts education. It reinforces the important role that the Michigan Arts & Cultural Council has played in supporting a vibrant arts and cultural landscape and offers a framework for how arts and culture can continue to be integrated into statewide conversations about education, health, economic development, and community vitality.

A Detroit white paper arguing that youth arts should be recognized, measured, funded, and coordinated as civic and developmental infrastructure.

07/30/2026

Applications for MI Museums are due in one month! Learn more about our new capacity building initiative for Michigan museums at www.michiganhumanities.org/mi-museum-grants.

07/30/2026

The Stormy Kromer. This simple, savvy cap made more than 100 years ago is a cultural touchstone of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

Story by Arts Midwest

This simple, savvy cap made more than 100 years ago is a cultural touchstone of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

07/29/2026

Gain hands-on experience in disaster planning, mitigation, and response during one of three Save Michigan History workshops.

Does your office maintain historical public records? Does your library, museum, or historical society care for archival collections? Do you care about Michigan’s history and want to help protect it when natural disasters put these records a risk? Join us to Save Michigan History!

Registration is now open for a full-day, hands-on workshop series designed for staff and volunteers at local government offices, local history organizations, museums, and libraries that care for archival records. With instructors from the Northeast Document Conservation Center leading the workshops, attendees will learn valuable strategies on disaster preparedness, mitigation, and salvage recovery.

Upon completion, attendees may also join a cohort of “cultural heritage emergency responders.” The Archives of Michigan will oversee and manage this volunteer cohort, fostering communications and maintaining a network that can be “activated” in times of need.

Seats are limited, so register soon! For more information, visit: https://www.michigan.gov/archivesofmichigan/events.

07/15/2026

Become a part of the nation-wide creative accessibility project launching soon!

The Creative Access Project (CAP) is a new national initiative focused on advancing accessibility across the arts and culture sector and supporting disabled artists and cultural workers nationwide. CAP will provide technical assistance, training, and practical resources to help arts and cultural organizations strengthen accessibility across programs, operations, digital platforms, and community engagement. The initiative also aims to increase participation, representation, and employment opportunities for disability communities in the arts while fostering collaboration and shared learning across the field.

Led by Beth Bienvenu and Katharine Hayward, former leaders of the National Endowment for the Arts Office of Accessibility, CAP builds on decades of national work translating accessibility policy into actionable practices for arts organizations.

**Join the CAP team for a virtual national kick-off event where we will introduce the project, give a refresher on accessibility basics, and hear from you what you’d like to learn and explore with us! The virtual event will take place July 27 at 3pm ET/12pm PT. Click here to register: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/j17HVS3eS9-6On-m1QwqMQ #/registration

ASL interpretation and auto captions will be provided, but you can request other access accommodations at [email protected].

07/15/2026

The 2026 Midwest Culture Bearers Award celebrates and supports the work of Midwest culture bearers and folk arts practitioners.