The VCA forges strong partnerships with arts organizations of various scales and additional partners through Partnership Grants designated towards unrestricted funding. These include General Operating Support: Medium and Large Arts Organizations (GOS); Operating Support Small (OSS); and Creative Community Partnership Grants.

The VCA also drives impact around the state through its Community Impact Grant, a program-specific and support initiative to elevate the arts in communities and learning institutions.

Finally, the VCA supports individual artists and their engagement with citizens and communities across the Commonwealth through a Virginia Touring Grant program, Arts in Practice grants, and Artist Fellowships. Additionally, the VCA maintains two prestigious rosters: the Touring Artist Roster and the Teaching Artist Roster.

As a state agency, the VCA does not fund:

• lobbying activities intended to influence a member of Congress or the General Assembly, to favor or oppose any legislation
• activities restricted to an organization’s membership
• expenses related to parties, receptions, fundraising events/benefits, etc.
• endowments or capital campaigns
• activities that are primarily religious in purpose
• college or university-based projects that are part of a required course or curriculum that do not involve and serve a significant non-student population, or that are for activities that are otherwise available in the community
• general operating support for historic celebrations or community promotional activities
• fines and penalties, bad debt costs, or deficit reduction
• arts activities/programs that occur outside of the grant period
• vocal, dance, and musical ensembles that perform primarily pop, Broadway, or barbershop music, or that focus primarily on competitions
• activities or programs that take place outside Virginia