TAN Fund

عربي | English | Français | Lingála | Português | Soomaali | Español

  • May 1, 2023 – Applications Open
  • May 31, 2023 – Application Deadline
  • June 23, 2023 – Winners Announced
  • June 30, 2023 – Awards Paid Out

Click here to apply for the TAN Fund.

The Traditional Arts Network (TAN) Fund provides small grants of $500-$1,000 to both overcome short-term financial hurdles and lay the foundation for long-term goals. This process is designed to provide artists with a low-barrier, first time experience with grant applications.

The funding may be used to support a range of activities including paying artists to perform and teach, purchasing advertisements for events, video recording and production, photography, website design, transportation expenses, purchasing instruments and equipment, and rehearsal space.

The TAN Fund will be administered by Mayo Street Arts and reviewed by a TAN Fund Committee which is composed of community members from Portland and Lewiston/Auburn.

In 2022, the following artists received TAN Fund awards:

  • Baba Ly — Fulani acoustic guitar player and storyteller; will purchase a professional sound system to support his work
  • Batimbo United — Burundian drumming & dance ensemble; will offset shipping expenses to transport a new set of drums from Burundi
  • Fanfare Kimbanguiste (FAKI) — Congolese church band; will purchase more instruments for their group, including a tuba
  • Jawad Al Fatlawi — Master oud player & luthier; will begin the construction of a new, guitar-shaped, “Goldeneye” oud
  • Michelle Kazaka — Writer & storyteller; will publish & promote her memoir, How Long the Night
  • Namory Keita — Guinean master drummer; will purchase new drums for his students to grow his teaching career
  • Sabina Najafova — Dancer & visual artist who hails from Azerbaijan; will purchase visual arts materials and new costume for performances
  • Sayalí Robles — Taíno indigenous artist with African roots; will create a Bomba dance apprenticeship group and bring Borikén’s (now called Puerto Rico) culture to Maine

The TAN Fund is made possible through support from the Maine Arts Commission, an independent state agency supported by the National Endowment for the Arts.