New Hampshire State Council on the Arts

09/09/2026

Registration is now open for the 2026-2027 Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest Program with a new and expanded anthology! Learn more about this dynamic poetry recitation competition and curriculum for high school students, as well as register, here:
https://www.nharts.dncr.nh.gov/programs/poetry-out-loud/new-hampshire-poetry-out-loud-current-year
Photo: 2026 POL NH State Champion, Summer Lin Brackett, at the National Finals in DC (photo credit - Allison Hawkins).

08/31/2026

Grant Opportunity - Conservation License Plate Grants
NHSCA provides grants under the Moose Plate program for the conservation of publicly owned artworks or arts documents, artistic elements of publicly owned historic cultural facilities that serve as sites for arts programming, projects that improve public access to significant publicly owned artwork or arts documents, and projects that make publicly owned historic cultural facilities, and the arts programming that takes place in them, more accessible to the public. The deadline is September 30, 2026 for the Letter of Intent, with the full application due November 6, 2026. https://www.nharts.dncr.nh.gov/grants/find-grant/conservation-license-plate-grants

08/25/2026

Check out this wonderful new resource from the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies: NASAA - the Vital & Vibrant Creative Aging Toolkit. This toolkit equips state and jurisdictional arts agencies, municipalities, and organizations with everything they need to champion and implement creative aging in their communities. These resources support organizations in making the case, building the partnerships, and launching the programs that help older adults thrive.
https://nasaa-arts.org/nasaa_research/vital-vibrant-creative-aging-toolkit/

08/19/2026

Join CreativeGround.org for "How We Make Creative Connections" - an exploration for and with Community Leaders. Happening now through November 2026. Learn more about the initiative here and share your thoughts with them by this Thursday, August 20th.
https://www.creativeground.org/blog/how-we-make-creative-connections

08/03/2026

New Assets for Artists Workshops!
September + October Workshops are now open for registration. These professional development workshops for artists are virtual, completely free, and open to artists of all disciplines who are based in New England. Learn more and register here:
https://www.assetsforartists.org/workshops

07/28/2026

Upcoming CreativeGround Workshop!
Community Leader Workshop for New England's creative community leaders. Connect with each other and learn hands-on how to use CreativeGround.org as a free resource in your community.
When: Thursday, August 6th from 10:00 - 11:30 am
Location: Virtual, Via Zoom
More information and register here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/creativeground-community-leader-workshops-tickets-1992357352474?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true

Calling New England's creative community leaders: learn hands-on how to use CreativeGround.org as a free resource in your community!

07/16/2026

The New Hampshire State Council on the Arts is sad to share the passing of Dudley Laufman. Dudley was a prolific dance caller, musician, poet, and author based in Canterbury, New Hampshire, and was an integral part of New Hampshire and New England’s contra and traditional dance communities. He was a juried artist on our Arts Education and Traditional Arts rosters for many years. Through our Traditional Arts Apprenticeship program, he taught and passed on the tradition of New England Community Barn Dance Fiddling and Calling to numerous apprentices. He received the Governor’s Arts Award for Folk Heritage in 2001. In 2009, Dudley was recognized and awarded a National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellowship, the highest honor in folk and traditional arts in the United States. He will be deeply missed by the traditional music and dance communities. We send our deepest condolences to his family and friends. https://www.arts.gov/honors/heritage/dudley-laufman

07/13/2026

Reminder! Request for Artist Proposals - Rochester Circuit Court; Deadline: July 24, 2026
The New Hampshire State Council on the Arts, through the Percent for Art program, is requesting proposals for existing and newly commissioned art for public spaces at the new Rochester Circuit Courthouse. Construction contract of the new Rochester Circuit Court was approved in fiscal year 2025. For full details visit the Arts Council website https://www.nharts.dncr.nh.gov/programs/percent-art/overview-and-requests-proposals/rochester-circuit-court-request-proposals

07/07/2026

We wanted to share this wonderful new resource from Lifetime Arts, Inc. - a guidebook designed to help state and local leaders, agencies, advocates, and community partners make a strong, evidence-based case for creative aging as part of healthy aging policy and practice.

Why This Guide Exists If we’re fortunate, we grow old. Aging is the one experience we all share, no matter […]

06/30/2026

Coming up from CreativeGround! On Thursday, July 9th at 1:00 pm CreativeGround will be offering a virtual Profile Help Session. They will share simple and effective ways to build a profile that helps you stand out. CreativeGround is a project of the New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA). It is the dynamic regional directory that celebrates the vital work of New England's creative people and places. CreativeGround is a community-generated and free tool that supports a region-wide creative network. Learn more and register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/QqRafY4RSYmtOU8HiJV_oQ #/registration