Explore Our Impact Map
Creative West is part of a national collective of six place-based nonprofit arts service organizations (USRAOs) created in the 1970s and 1980s. Through increasing access to creativity for all, we strengthen America’s infrastructure.
The USRAOs are deeply connected to their regions, with a wealth of knowledge about their arts and culture ecosystem. We have longstanding partnerships with state arts agencies, the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and other public and private funders and service organizations.
As intermediaries and service providers, we have a storied history of innovation, research, leadership, and responsiveness. Guided by our founding principles of enhancing access to arts and creativity, we work collaboratively both within and beyond our regions, always growing in our commitment to equity and inclusion in everything we do.
Mid-America Arts Alliance
The Mid-America Arts Alliance supports creativity across six states (Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas), uplifting local artists and enriching communities with authentic cultural experiences. From soulful blues to vibrant murals, they showcase the unique essence of Mid-America.
Arts Midwest - Photo Credit Lunart
Arts Midwest fuels arts and culture across nine states (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin), championing local artists and cultivating communities. From dynamic theater performances to innovative visual arts, they support the unique essence of the Midwest.
South Arts - Photo Credit Lyndon Harewood
Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia and serving nine states (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee), South Arts empowers artists, organizations, and communities across the Southern region, increasing access to arts and culture. Their mission: advancing Southern vitality through the arts.
Mid Atlantic Arts
Mid Atlantic Arts nurtures diverse artistic expression and connects people to meaningful arts experiences across ten states (Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Virginia, and West Virginia). Established in 1979, they excel in international cultural exchange, performing arts touring, jazz, and folk and traditional arts. Their work enriches communities and fosters a vibrant arts scene.
NEFA - Photo Credit Sally Cohn
The New England Foundation for the Arts invests in artists and communities, fostering equitable access to the arts and supporting the cultural landscape across six states (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont). By granting funds, connecting artists to audiences, and analyzing economic contributions, NEFA supports robust artistic growth. They partner with the National Endowment for the Arts, state arts agencies, and private foundations.
USRAOs - Photo Credit Disenhof
While our regions are distinct, the six US Regional Arts Organizations (USRAOs) work closely together to champion creativity and access to arts and culture locally, regionally, and nationally across communities. Whether it be a bustling city or a rural town, we are fueled by the sparks of creativity that inform our work.
Creative West regularly joins forces with the other USRAOs to amplify the arts across the nation, building communities and supporting artistic and cultural exchange. By sharing resources and expertise, we work to create dynamic programs that support artists, connect audiences, and celebrate diverse expressions. Through this partnership, we work to ensure the arts are able to thrive from coast to coast.
Web Services powered by
CaFÉ is an online application submission system that strives to make art opportunities available to all by offering arts organizations an affordable submission platform and artists an easy way to apply.
GO Smart is an affordable grants management software that offers pre- and post-application forms, panel reviewing, and data reporting for grantmakers.
The Public Art Archive (PAA) is a free, searchable, and continually growing online database of completed public artworks throughout the U.S. and abroad, with a suite of resources and tools built for managing public art collections.
ZAPP provides art fair and festival administrators with a suite of tools to digitally collect and jury applications, manage booth payments, and communicate with applicants all in one easy-to-use digital platform. Artists can apply to hundreds of shows nationwide through a central website.
