About the Space Grants Program

Each year OAA awards ten (10) Space Grants of $500 each to artists to offset space-related costs.

This is a low-barrier grant with simple reporting requirements. You do not need to have a business license or have received a previous grant to qualify.

All artists in Thurston County can apply for funding to support the costs related to their space needs, including but not limited to rent, utilities, space repairs, storage unit rental, shelving, storage containers, ADA accommodations, and more. Grants are not intended to support launching a new project or for buying new equipment or supplies. You must be 18 years of age or older to apply.

“Artist” is a self-applied term. You can be a musician, performer, practice visual arts, language arts or poetry, a potter, sculptor, or practice any other medium that you personally identify as art. We ask that you share work samples with us along with basic information and short written statements or video.

We received a generous gift from the Freas Foundation in 2024 to support this program and are honored to build on their legacy of supporting the arts in our community.

The Space Grants application will open May 5, 2025 and close on June 9, 2025.

How to Apply

Olympia Artspace Alliance invites artists in Thurston County to apply for funding to support the costs related to their space needs – including but not limited to rent, utilities, space repairs, storage unit rental, shelving, storage containers, ADA accommodations. These grants are not intended to support launching a new project or for buying new equipment or supplies.

OAA will award ten (10) Space Grants of $500 each to Thurston County artists to offset space-related costs incurred July-September 2025. The deadline to apply is June 9, 2025.

This is a merit based grant - samples of your work are required. Incomplete submissions will not be reviewed.

OAA will prioritize applications from artists who have are from historically marginalized communities, BIPOC artists, artists who are immunocompromised, artists who identify as LGBTQIA+, artists with immigrant status, and artists living with or having a disability. Anyone over the age of 18 is eligible to apply. Questions can be directed to info@olympiaartspacealliance.org

We use jotform for the application, and while it does save progress we recommend working in a separate document and pasting your answers in.

Click here to begin your application. Click here for Frequently Asked Questions.

Why We Do This Work

We believe that art is a powerful medium to create a healthy, vibrant, and more equitable community for all. And we know that artists need space: space to create, space to exhibit their work, space to rehearse, and space to connect.

OAA founded Space Grants in 2021 to create a low-barrier grant program to help local artists adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. We awarded five (5) grants of $500 each in 2021, and have since expanded the program to award ten (10) Space Grants of $500 each to artists to offset space-related costs.

Words from Past Grantees

“I have been applying to other grants, residencies and juried shows, and have really developed a fruitful routine at my studio. In the past month, I've made exciting improvements in the technical quality of my lenticular work, and have really expanded my 3D modeling skills already. I have the beginnings of 3D display lenticulars happening, and have a number of projects I'm working on that I am really excited about. I set a goal to complete one lenticular a week, and since receiving the grant, I'm completing more like 3 a week. I'm feeling inspired and hopeful. The grant really put some wind in my sails, and I'm incredibly grateful.”

• Joseph Moran, Visual Artist

“Thank you again for granting us funds for our 2023 Spring Artswalk museum! The $500 you provided was instrumental in the setup of our museum. We used the funds provided to pay for paint, painting supplies (tape, brushes, rollers, paper, etc), cleaning supplies, lighting, and hardware for hanging art. Because of this grant we were able to complete our goal of creating a clean, inviting space for over 1500 visitors to view art over the weekend of April 28-31. Due to the success of our event, we were able to raise funds which will ensure that we can continue to put on these events in the future.”

• Thurston County Museum of Fine Arts, Local Arts Organization

“I made a purchase on my new writer studio trailer on 5/15/2023! The trailer cost $1550 and your grant helped make this dream come true!”

• Clare Follmann, Local Poet

“ I used it to pay my studio rent for one month over the summer. Having a rent break for a month allowed me to invest in some much-needed supplies like frames, matting, and backing boards that I could use to prepare for an upcoming show. These materials are often an expensive luxury to purchase new, but because I had assistance with studio rent, I could splurge on them. I am excited to show what I have created over the summer and to be able to showcase it professionally.”

• Mikaela Schaffer, Visual Artist