Artist Support Grant Guidelines 2025 - Application Rating Key & Criteria

Sep 3, 2026

Artist Support Grant application rating guidelines for 2025 define how proposals are evaluated and how points map to eligibility outcomes. The rubric covers Cultural and/or Artistic Essentials (40% weighting) through three required components: essentials overview, artist statement, and proof of residency. Community Benefit (30% weighting) assesses diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility via intended project benefit, audience and/or partnerships, and DEIA efforts, using tiered rating definitions to determine eligible vs. not eligible funding.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLetters

FormatPDF

Pages15

Reading Time5 min

AccessFree to download

Application Rating Key

Rating tiers and eligibility

Application Questions and Rating

Cultural and/or Artistic Essentials (40% weighting)

Community Benefit (30% weighting)

| Application Rating Key | | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Rating | Rating Definition | Point Range | Percent Eligible | | Exemplary | Applicant provides overwhelming evidence of all three review criteria. Application is exemplary. | 90-100 | 100% of ask | | Strong | Applicant provides strong evidence of all three review criteria. Application is strong. | 69-89 | 100% of ask | | Good | Applicant provides sufficient evidence of all three review criteria. Application is good. | 48-68 | 100% of ask | | Fair | Applicant provides limited evidence of all three review criteria. Application needs work and is not eligible for funding. | 20-47 | Not Eligible | | Weak | Applicant provides little to no evidence of all three review criteria. Application is weak and not eligible for funding. | 0-19 | Not Eligible | | APPLICATION QUESTIONS AND RATING
Cultural and/or Artistic Essentials (40% weighting)
A culturally and artistically significant practice or work that contributes to the creative life of the artist and, ultimately, to St. Louis.
The artist has provided (1) the essential information for their request, (2) an artist statement, and (3) proof of residency. | | | | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Application Question | | Review Criteria
Artistic Essentials | Rating | Rating Definition | Point Range | | 1 | Essentials: Provide an overview of what you are requesting grant funds for. | • Includes clear plans such as location, dates, frequency (as applicable) (the who, what, when, where, and why) .
• Proposed work contributes to the artist’s practice, skills, and craft.
• Proposed work contributes to innovation and new thinking in theartform and wider culture.
• Indicates how grant funds will be used. | Exemplary | Applicant provides overwhelming evidence of Cultural and/or Artistic Essentials. | 14-16 pts | | | | | Strong | Applicant provides strong evidence of Cultural and/or Artistic Essentials. | 11-13 pts | | | | | Good | Applicant provides sufficient evidence of Cultural and/or Artistic Essentials. | 8-10 pts | | | | | Fair | Applicant provides limited evidence of Cultural and/or Artistic Essentials. | 4-7 pts | | | | | Weak | Applicant provides little to no evidence of Cultural and/or Artistic Essentials. | 0-3 pts | | 2 | Artist Statement:

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You may choose to upload a 90 second video of your artist statement OR a one-page pdf. | • Artist statement demonstrates artistic significance and how the project is relevant to the artistic field and/or the arts & culture sector. | Exemplary | Applicant provides overwhelming evidence of Cultural and/or Artistic Essentials. | 11-12 pts | | | | | Strong | Applicant provides strong evidence of Cultural and/or Artistic Essentials. | 8-10 pts | | | | | Good | Applicant provides sufficient evidence of Cultural and/or Artistic Essentials. | 5-7 pts | | | | | Fair | Applicant provides limited evidence of Cultural and/or Artistic Essentials. | 3-4 pts | | | | | Weak | Applicant provides little to no evidence of Cultural and/or Artistic Essentials. | 0-2 pts | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 3 | Proof of Residency:

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Acceptable forms of proof of residency: voter registration, automobile registration, or income tax or property tax receipt | • The artist is a current resident of St. Louis City or County and has maintained primary residence in St. Louis City or County for at least one year
• If the applicant is applying as a part of a collective or as a co-creative, each member of the collective/co-creative team is a current resident of St. Louis City or County and has maintained primary residence in St. Louis City or County for at least one year.
• The application address and proof of residency address must match. | Exemplary | Applicant provides overwhelming evidence of Cultural and/or Artistic Essentials. | 11-12 pts | | | | | Strong | Applicant provides strong evidence of Cultural a

FAQs

What information supports scoring under Community Benefit (30% weighting)?

Scoring considers DEIA-aligned community benefit, including the intended project benefit, an overview of audience and/or partnerships, and the artist’s DEIA efforts.

Sep 3, 2026

Upload by Jordan Avery