NeON Arts
Frequently Asked Questions
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For Applicants
What is Carnegie Hall’s role in NeON Arts?
Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute facilitates the grant-making process and works with artists, arts organizations, and NeON stakeholders to ensure that the planning and implementation of each project is a collaboration that benefits the entire community.
What are NeONs?
Neighborhood Opportunity Networks (NeONs) are community-based probation offices in seven New York City neighborhoods (Brownsville, East New York, Bedford-Stuyvesant, Staten Island, Harlem, Jamaica, and South Bronx). For more information about the NeONs, visit the NYC DOP website.
Do I have to be an arts organization to apply for a NeON Arts grant?
No. Both arts organizations and individual artists who are interested in implementing art projects in community and justice settings qualify for NeON Arts funding.
When is the application deadline?
Visit the Grants page for the next application deadline. NeON Arts applications are released three times per year for four rounds: Winter (December–April), Spring (April–June), Summer (July–September), and Fall (September–November).
Can I apply to all of the NeON locations in any given round?
Yes. The application allows you to select all NeON locations for which you would like to apply.
Can I apply for funding in another round if I am not selected for the current round?
Yes. For questions about stakeholder feedback on your application, please email neonarts@carnegiehall.org.
If I was selected for grants in a previous round, can I reapply for grants in future rounds?
Yes.
How much money can I request for each grant?
You can request up to $15,000 for each grant for the Winter, Spring, and Fall rounds, and up to $8,000 for each grant for the Summer round.
After submitting my application, when should I expect to hear back?
Visit the Grants page to find out when grant winners for the next round will be announced.
Who is in the NeON stakeholder groups?
NeON stakeholder groups are comprised of residents, individuals from local businesses and community and faith-based organizations, probation staff and clients, and community youth and leaders. All artists and arts organizations who are awarded NeON Arts grants will be selected by NeON stakeholder groups from the NeON(s) to which they apply.
If I received a grant in a previous round, do I have to attend pitch presentations?
Yes. NeON stakeholder groups regularly accept new members who would like to meet all applicants, even those who have applied for previous rounds.
What are pitch presentations?
Pitch presentations take place at each NeON to allow artists and arts organizations to present their project proposals and talk with NeON stakeholder groups about their applications. Please check the Grants page for more information and the current pitch presentation schedule.
For Grantees
Am I responsible for securing the workshop location for my project?
Grantees work with NeON stakeholder groups to secure the location for their workshops. Your NeON stakeholder group might offer space within the NeON for workshops, or you can secure a nearby space that is accessible to all participants. (Note that application selection is not contingent on having a space secured.)
Who decides when my workshops will take place?
Decisions about days and times for workshops will be decided during a mandatory planning meeting with the grantees and stakeholders.
Who recruits the participants for my project?
Participants are recruited from the NeON and the community by the grantee and the NeON stakeholder group. A recruitment presentation for potential participants takes place at each NeON to help facilitate this process.
Do participants have to be from the NeON neighborhood or borough?
Yes. NeON Arts projects engage NYC Department of Probation (DOP) clients—as well as community members who are not under the supervision of the DOP—in the specific NeON community for which you are selected.
Do NeON Arts participants have to be on probation?
No. NeON Arts is open to all young people in the community, not just those who are on probation.
What is the difference between probation and parole?
Probation occurs prior to and often instead of jail or prison time, while parole is an early release from prison. In both probation and parole, the party is supervised and expected to follow certain rules and guidelines. Please visit the NYC DOP website for more information.
Who creates recruitment materials for my project(s)?
Grantees are responsible for creating recruitment materials for their project(s). Flyers and other materials should include the projects’ start and end dates, workshop times and locations, and information about what participants will be doing during the workshops.
Can I use the Carnegie Hall and NYC DOP logos on my recruitment materials?
No. Grantees will be provided with the NeON Arts logo, which should appear on all NeON Arts recruitment flyers, programs, and other materials.
NeON Arts is a program of the NYC Department of Probation in partnership with Carnegie Hall's Weill Music Institute.
Lead support is provided through NYC Council Speaker Corey Johnson’s Innovative Criminal Justice Programs Initiative with sponsorship by Council Members Keith Powers, Vanessa Gibson, and Jimmy Van Bramer.
Major support is provided by The Kresge Foundation.
Additional support is provided by the National Endowment for the Arts, the City of New York through Council Members Alicka Ampry-Samuel, Vanessa Gibson, Robert Holden, and Deborah Rose, the Department of Cultural Affairs, and the Young Men's Initiative.