Vision Arts focuses on local arts organizations by providing funding for projects or programs defined by those organizations.

In 2016, voters approved $2.25 million as part of the Vision Tulsa funding package to support our local arts ecosystem and champion creativity as a way to improve quality of life for all Tulsans. Grants are made in recurring cycles to circulate and diversify funding.

To date, nearly $1 million has been granted to Tulsa arts organizations; in 2024, 21 organizations received awards, and 1st time applicants represented over half of the submissions. Workshops are provided to support applicants on grant writing, budgeting, and other key application elements.

The program is a collaboration between Tulsa City Council, the Mayor’s Office, City Design Studio, and Tulsa Arts Commission. However, grants are made by an independent review panel consisting of arts professionals, artists, arts educators, community engagement professionals, non-profit leaders, and fundraisers.

Program Goals

• Promote visibility and awareness of Tulsa’s creative ecosystem
• Contribute to increased visitor and tourism activity
• Promote Tulsa’s arts and cultural assets as key components of the city’s identity
• Strengthen economic development by directly supporting arts organizations and emphasizing artist-led projects

Priorities

• Fund events, programs, and festivals that attract broad audiences of locals and tourists
• Build and diversify arts audiences from research and marketing strategies
• Increase access to cultural attractions and events
• Highlight local destinations where arts projects or programs create a unique sense of place
• Draw on arts and culture to engage communities and address civic challenges
• Create engaging content for multimedia that tells Tulsa’s story

Of the $150,00 allocated, the program will invest a total of $90,000 in 13 organizations whose annual donations do not exceed $400,000 per year:

• Theatre North - $10,000
• Tulsa Shakespeare Company - $9,000
• Portico Dance Theatre Inc. - $9,000
• LoLoLook - $9,000
• Redfork Arts Foundry Tulsa - $8,000
• Red Dirt Relief Fund - $7,000
• World Stage Theatre Company - $7,000
• Clark Youth Theatre - $6,000
• Tulsa Peoples' Orchestra - $5,000
• Goff Center for the Continuous Present - $5,000
• Kendall Whittier Main Street - $5,000
• Hued Songs, Inc. - $5,000
• Trueson Daughtery - $5,000

Additionally, the program will invest a total of $60,000 in seven organizations whose annual donations equal or exceed $400,000 per year:

• Tulsa Opera, Inc. - $15,000
• Tulsa Historical Society - $12,000
• Philbrook Museum of Art - $10,000
• Signature Symphony at TCC - $8,000
• Brady Craft Inc. (DBA 108 Contemporary) - $5,000
• Downtown Tulsa Partnership - $5,000
• Tulsa Symphony Orchestra - $5,000

Vision 6 Documents

• Program Guide
• Economic impact calendar
• City of Tulsa Supplier Registration Form
• Application
• End of Cycle Reporting

Timeline

• Application Open: Tuesday, October 1, 8 a.m. CDT
• Mandatory Virtual Sessions: October 2024
• Non-Mandatory Sessions: October 2024

Important Dates:

• Application Deadline: Sunday, December 22, 2024, 11:59 p.m. CDT
• Organizations have from Tuesday July 1, 2025, until Tuesday, June 30, 2026, to use funding for Eligible Expenses.
• An End-of-Cycle Report must be completed within 30 days after the July 1 closing date.
• The final invoice and supporting itemization of the costs incurred in completing the approved proposal must be submitted by July 31, 2026.

For questions, contact studio@cityoftulsa.org.

Vision Tulsa, an $884 million sales tax renewal package approved by voters in 2016, is making substantial investments in economic development, education, public safety, streets, and transportation needs citywide. With citizen priorities providing the driving force behind the creation of Vision Tulsa, transformative projects and enhancements are setting the stage for a bright future for Tulsa.