Oklahoma Arts Sector ARPA Grants

In 2024, the Oklahoma Arts Council in collaboration with Arts Council OKC and Arts Alliance Tulsa awarded historic relief funding to more than 180 nonprofit organizations statewide. Oklahoma Arts Sector ARPA Grants were made possible by state leaders' investment of $10 million of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to rebuild Oklahoma's arts sector following devastating losses caused by the pandemic. Nationwide, the arts sector was severely impacted by the loss of ticket sales, cancelations of shows, inability to host fundraisers, and more. In the first nine months of the pandemic alone, grantees of the Oklahoma Arts Council reported losing nearly $44 million in earned and contributed income. Organizations that received Oklahoma Arts Sector ARPA Grants are now recharging the arts in their communities and boosting the sector's role in developing creative workforce and strengthening Oklahoma's economy. Learn more below.

Oklahoma Arts Sector ARPA Grants were one-time grants awarded in 2024. We are no longer accepting applications for this funding.

• RESTORATION: Address the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on the arts sector

• WORKFORCE: Invest in arts and cultural sector job recovery and support workforce development and retention across industries

• IMPACT: Empower organizations to restore and broaden their services to communities

• INFRASTRUCTURE: Provide for the transformation of critical assets to realize an enduring vision for the arts sector

• RESILIENCY: Ensure a robust arts sector flourishes in communities across the state for generations of Oklahomans

Recharge the Arts Videos (3-Minute Videos)
Download and share videos featuring organizations from across the state telling the story of the impact of Oklahoma Arts Sector ARPA Grants. Two videos are available (download and share one or both). Ideal for a wide range of uses—see below for ideas.

Recharge the Arts Clips (15-Second Clips)
Download and share brief clips of what "recharging the arts" means to arts leaders statewide. Hear their reaction to learning they would receive ARPA funding. Sixteen clips are available. Perfect for social media—choose and use any you like.

The "Recharge the Arts" (#RechargeTheArts) video series is available for organizations to download, present, and share to highlight the impact of the state’s historic $10 million investment of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to rebuild Oklahoma’s arts sector. These videos share accounts from grantees as they reflect on their journeys through the pandemic, recalling the cathartic moments they learned of the transformative investment and sharing how their hope has been renewed through this investment. The videos tell stories that are uplifting and similar to stories of countless arts organizations across Oklahoma that were impacted by the pandemic.

Where to share the videos:

• Post them on social media pages

• Embed them on websites 

• Include them in your newsletters

• Loop them in your lobby videos

• Project them on large screens at outdoor events

• Run them as trailers and commercials before film screenings

• Show them during board meetings

• Feature them at fundraising galas