Inspired by a shared commitment to arts research, the Notre Dame Arts Initiative has partnered with the Franco Family Institute for Liberal Arts and the Public Good to jointly invite and fund practice-based arts research projects in any medium that are directed by faculty in the College of Arts & Letters.
Requests up to $4,000 are invited on a rolling basis through the Small Creative and Performing Arts Grants program. Requests up to $25,000 are awarded twice annually (October and February) through the Large Creative and Performing Arts Grants program.
Special consideration will be given to projects that align with one or more of the Arts Initiative’s thematic priorities:
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Arts in Action advances socially engaged creative practice, with an emphasis on the role of the visual arts, performing arts, literature, and architecture in producing more just and equitable societies.
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Sense and Transcendence centers on the production and study of sacred images, objects, spaces, texts, and performances and examines their uses in ritual and devotional practice, evangelization, instruction, and community-building.
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Techne Futures promotes experimental inquiry and modes of making at the intersection of the visual, literary, and performing arts, design, science, and technology.
The Franco Institute advances research in the arts, humanities, and social sciences by supporting faculty, graduate students, and undergraduate students in Notre Dame’s College of Arts & Letters with internal funding, proposal development, and conference support. “Like the Arts Initiative, the Franco Institute is a champion for the critical role of creative practice in arts research,” said Michael Schreffler, director of the Arts Initiative. “This collaboration allows us to further mobilize the transformative power of the arts to advance knowledge and expand faculty access to research funding.”
Applications for the Small and Large Creative and Performing Arts Grants are currently open, and all regular Notre Dame faculty with a primary appointment in the College of Arts & Letters, regardless of department or rank, are eligible to apply. Applications must be received at least one month prior to the start of the proposed research or creative work.
Originally published by at arts.nd.edu on December 16, 2025.
