National Arts and Humanities Month: Celebrate the Arts in VB

Across the nation, the month of October serves as a reminder to reflect on and appreciate the significance of the arts and humanities in our lives and celebrate National Arts and Humanities Month.

The opportunity to create and share art in its many forms is vital to the health of any community. In partnership with the City of Virginia Beach's Cultural Affairs Department and the local arts community, the Virginia Beach Arts & Humanities Commission (AHC) promotes excellence in the arts and humanities by initiating and supporting programs, activities and policies that inspire, nurture and reflect the cultural diversity of the area.

The AHC is committed to developing and promoting leadership within the arts, advocacy for arts organizations and creating and sustaining effective arts programs and services. With these goals in mind, the commission offers annual grants to nonprofit organizations whose missions include providing arts, humanities, history or cultural programming and services, and provide programming in Virginia Beach. Additionally, the AHC also serves as a marketing resource for local arts groups.

The AHC offers three types of grants:

• Project Grants: provide financial assistance to organizations for activities serving the residents of Virginia Beach, supporting a wide variety of artistic and cultural activities.
• Leadership and Organizational Development (LOD) Grants: support arts and humanities leaders (professional administrators and board members) in acquiring skills and practical tools that hone their ability to lead, develop and sustain the overall health and vitality of arts and humanities organizations.
• Community Cultural Arts Grants: aid in building cultural equity in the arts in Virginia Beach by providing support for arts-based projects that reflect our changing communities through innovative, culturally rooted and/or participatory projects with the goal of bringing the community together to celebrate cultural and ethnic diversity.

In the 2024 fiscal year, the commission awarded grants to 22 nonprofit arts and cultural organizations, and in fiscal year 2023, the commission funded more than 800 performances and programs within Virginia Beach.

The deadline for Project Grants is in February each year. LOD Grants open on July 1 each year and are available until funds are exhausted. Community Cultural Arts Grants remain open until all funds are exhausted, and are reviewed three times annually on Aug. 31, Nov. 30 and Feb. 6. More information about the grants can be found at culturalaffairs.virginiabeach.gov/commission-grants.

Celebrate National Arts and Humanities Month by attending local events that capture the joy and vibrancy the arts and humanities bring to Virginia Beach each and every day. Find a list of upcoming events at culturalaffairs.virginiabeach.gov/upcoming-events.