The CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS PROGRAM is the support program through which the City of Dallas Office of Arts and Culture contracts for cultural services with established non-profit organizations for a variety of cultural programs that include concerts, plays, exhibitions, performances, workshops and other cultural programming for the benefit of Dallas residents and visitors. These cultural service contracts are awarded annually using a review panel approach to evaluate applications. Program eligibility and review criteria are published annually. An organization receiving a COP contract cannot receive a Cultural Projects Funding (CPF) contract but is eligible to apply for the Cultural Vitality Program (CVP) with the condition that the project is not a repeated annual project, or part of the scope of services to be provided in the COP contract.
FY 2020-21
The FY 2020-21 City of Dallas fiscal year begins October 1, 2020 and ends September 30, 2021.
All applicants are required to read the guidelines and application instructions for details of program eligibility and requirements prior to beginning the application process. Guidelines are updated every funding cycle.
The organization is responsible for the quality, completeness and timely submission of the proposal. OAC staff are available to answer additional questions. See COP Contact at bottom of page.
FY 2020-21 COP Organizations
Anita N. Martinez Ballet Folklorico
Big Thought
Bishop Arts Theatre Center
Bruce Wood Dance Company
Cara Mia Theatre
Children’s Chorus of Greater Dallas
Creative Arts Center of Dallas
Cry Havoc Theater
Dallas Black Dance Theatre
Dallas Chamber Symphony
Dallas Children’s Theater
Dallas County Heritage Society
Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum
Dallas Museum of Art
Dallas Theater Center
Dallas Wind Symphony
Fine Arts Chamber Players
Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra
Junior Players Guild
Kitchen Dog Theater Company
Perot Museum of Nature and Science
Premier Lone Star Wind Orchestra
Sammons Center for the Arts
Teatro Hispano de Dallas
Texas International Theatrical Arts Society (TITAS)
Texas Winds Musical Outreach
The Black Academy of Arts and Letters
The Dallas Opera
The Shakespeare Festival of Dallas
The Writer’s Garret
Theatre Three
Turtle Creek Chorale
Undermain Theatre
USA Film Festival
COP APPLICATION
All organizations, new and previously funded, are required to complete an application and review process to be considered for funding through the FY 2020-21 Cultural Organizations Program (COP)
Applications must be submitted via the online funding system by April 27, 2020 at 11:59 PM. Hard copies of funding applications will not be accepted.
NOTE: An organization that submits a substantially incomplete application at the time of the deadline, as deemed by the Office of Arts and Culture, will receive notification via e-mail as to the incomplete status of the application from OAC staff. This could result in the application being rejected.
GENERAL APPLICATION GUIDELINES
Before you begin your application, carefully read all applicable COP program guidelines. Develop your application so that it addresses applicable program goals and evaluation criteria. Complete every required section and upload any additional required documents.
All supplementary materials submitted should reflect the quality of the organization’s artistic product.
Please limit your online supplemental materials to create a concise list that represents the organization.
Contact the Cultural Programs Staff for clarification. The OAC staff can review an application with the organization PRIOR to the submission date. See COP Contact at bottom of page.
FY 2020-21 COP TIMELINE
March 16, 2020 | FY 2020-21 COP Online Application Opens |
March 19, 2020 | Facebook Live Info Session @ 12:00 PM |
March 25, 2020 | Facebook Live Info Session @ 2:00 PM |
April 27, 2020 | FY 2020-21 COP Application Closes at 11:59 PM |
May 12-15, 2020 | COP Panel Presentations Tier I – May 12, 2020 Tier II – May 13, 2020 Tier III – May 14, 2020 Tier IV – May 15, 2020 |
June 2020 – September 2020 | COP Application Review/Funding Levels – Allocations Committee; COP funding recommendations made by the Arts & Culture Advisory Commission |
October 2020 | COP funding recommendations approved by City Council; initiation of COP Contract execution |
January 2021 | COP organizations eligible to receive first payment (if compliance and insurance requirements are met) |
April 15, 2021 | COP organizations eligible to receive second payment (if compliance and insurance requirements are met) |
October 15, 2021 | COP final Reports due for FY 2020-21 |
November 15, 2021 | COP Final Monthly Report due for FY 2020-21 |
COP organizations are eligible to receive final payment after FY 2020-21 Final Report and Final Monthly Report are submitted (if compliance and insurance requirements are met) |
Webportal & Resources
Download FY 2020-21 COP Monthly Events & Attendance Reporting Template
Download FY 2020-21 COP Guidelines
Download FY 2020-21 COP Info Session Presentation
Watch FY 2020-21 COP Info Session with Voiceover
FY 2019-20
Download FY 2019-20 COP Monthly Events & Attendance Reporting Template
Review the full FY 2019-20 COP Guidelines
Link to Texas Ethics Commission FORM 1295
Download FY 2019-20 COP Resource Guide
Download FY 2019-20 OAC COP Workshop Presentation
Download FY 2019-20 Office of Business Diversity Presentation