DAYTON — Thirty-two arts and cultural projects across Montgomery County will receive funding through the Montgomery County Arts & Cultural District’s 2026-2027 Special Projects Grant program, the district announced this week.
The program is awarding $350,000 in total to projects spanning neighborhood festivals, public murals, theater, music, literature and cultural heritage celebrations. The funded work will take place throughout the county through the end of 2027.
This year’s grant cycle drew a record 59 applications from nonprofits, municipalities and individual artists, which the district said reflects growing interest in public investment in arts and culture across Montgomery County. A panel of 12 community reviewers with backgrounds in the arts, nonprofit leadership and community development scored the applications on artistic merit, community impact, accessibility, organizational capacity and overall feasibility.
The Special Projects Grant is designed to expand public access to arts, culture and heritage programming while strengthening the county’s creative ecosystem, according to the district.
Because the district is shifting the program to a January-through-December grant calendar, this cycle runs an extended 18 months, supporting projects through December 2027 before the program returns to an annual schedule.
Board Chair Diane Farrell said the recipients reflect the creativity and passion that make Montgomery County’s arts community vibrant, and that the district is proud to support projects that will create meaningful experiences for residents across the county.
