Crossroads: Touring New England

About

Crossroads: Touring New England (previously known as NEST 3 or Expeditions) funds tours of regional, national, or international artists presented by New England nonprofit organizations. Tours must include a minimum of three New England organizations (also known as presenters) in three geographically distinct communities presenting the same artist. The tour must include organizations from at least two different New England states. 

A “presenter” is defined as an organization that financially compensates an artist/ensemble (where the artist/ensemble is a separate entity from the presenter) for performance(s) in the presenter’s community. Producing organizations that solely create artistic work or assemble artists to perform as ensembles for performances are not eligible to apply. Presenters may include arts centers, festivals, social service organizations, libraries, schools, and more.

• Each presenter on the tour is responsible for reviewing the program goals and criteria, negotiating the terms of the engagement with the artist, and completing a Crossroads grant application.
• All presenters on a tour must work with the same artist/ensemble. The artist does not need to perform the same repertoire at each organization on the tour, but the content and artistic vision of the artist/ensemble must be consistent across applications to enable collaborative planning among partners.
• Grants provide up to 60% of the artist fee to a maximum of $10,000. Applications with artist fees under $2,000 may request the full artist fee. Many applicants receive partial funding and should be prepared to fully pay the artist fee in combination with other funding sources.
• All performances must occur between June 1, 2026 - August 31, 2027. Each organization’s engagement must take place within this grant period. Tour dates need not be contiguous.
• One applicant on the tour must submit an artist work sample on behalf of all tour partners.
• Presenters may submit up to three Crossroads applications for each cycle as part of three regional tours.
• The annual deadline is the first business day of March.

New England organizations are highly encouraged to attend NEFA’s annual Idea Swap to learn more about potential Crossroads tours and identify tour partners.

Eligibility 

Applicants must

• Be a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, school, federally recognized Indian tribal government, or unit of state or local government. (Nonprofit organizations do not have to be arts organizations. Organizations that do not have a federal tax identification number may apply if part of an official government agency). Fiscal agents cannot be funded through Crossroads.
• Be based in New England (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont).
• Have a Unique Entity ID in SAM.gov. The federal government requires that all NEFA organizational grant recipients supported by federal funds register for a SAM.gov UEI (Unique Entity ID). Getting a UEI is a free process and can be done by visiting SAM.gov. Read our blog post with more details.
• Provide documentation of their compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). Please visit our Arts & Accessibility page for details.
• Maintain an updated profile in the CreativeGround directory for their cultural nonprofit. (For assistance, see the CreativeGround profile tips page, and aim for a profile score of 16.) If the applicant nonprofit is not a cultural or arts-based organization, please contact Audrey Seraphin (she/her/hers) to confirm your organization's qualification for a CreativeGround profile.
• Present a public presentation of the artist/ensemble named in the application. A public presentation is defined as an event that is open to the public and advertised accordingly. The presentation must feature the artistic work of the named artist/ensemble.
  • A public presentation for literary projects must include a public reading by the artist.
  • A public presentation for film projects must include a public film screening with the artist/filmmaker.

Crossroads will not fund

• Activities and programs which take place exclusively in schools during class time.
• Events that are not open to the public and advertised accordingly.
• Fundraisers.
• Events outside of the six New England states.
• Performances in which the performers are primarily students.
• Self-produced presentations by artists/ensembles.
• Producing organizations inviting a guest artist (such as a conductor or soloist) to perform as part of a performance by the producing organization.
• Presentations of projects with funding available through the National Dance Project or National Theater Project.

Funding Criteria

Crossroads grants are awarded through a competitive selection process, and the amount of funding awarded is based on the extent to which the project meets the funding criteria while demonstrating artistic excellence and merit. 

Grants are available in amounts of up to 60% of the artists' fees and range from $1,000 to $10,000. Requests below $1,000 will not be accepted. Applications with artist fees $2,000 and under may request the full artist fee. Artists’ fees may include costs for creation of new work, travel, housing, and per diem.

The amount of funding awarded is based on the extent to which the project meets the criteria. Crossroads tours are assessed on the individual strength of each partner’s application and the collective strength of the tour. If a tour is awarded, all organizations will receive funding, although grant amounts may vary based on the individual strength of each organization. Many applicants receive partial funding and should be prepared to fully pay the artist fee in combination with other funding sources. 

The funding criteria are:

• Clear demonstration of how the project aligns with the organization’s arts programming goals and provides the community with access to an excellent, unique artistic and cultural experience.
• Collaborative planning among tour partners and artists to use their collective resources to build a tour that provides a meaningful experience for the artist, partner organizations, and their communities. The featured artist(s) should be included in project planning.
• Additional activities beyond the performance, which provide opportunities for the artists in this engagement to meaningfully connect with various sectors of the community. Cross-sector exchanges (connecting arts and non-arts organizations) and wide-ranging collaborations are strongly encouraged.
• Community partnerships and strategies to provide access to the arts for all New England communities, especially those that often experience barriers to participation in arts activities. Such barriers may exist for someone based on their age, class, disability, gender, geographic location, and economics.

Process & Deadlines 

Process

Online applications must be submitted before midnight on the deadline date. 

Applicants will be notified via email 8-10 weeks after the deadline.

Online reports must be submitted within 40 days from the end of the artist engagement to receive reimbursement. Partial grant payment may be requested in advance to support artist fees paid prior to the performance, screening, or reading. Full instructions are in the Requirements & Reports for Grant Recipients section, found below.

NEFA staff is available for assistance Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM-5:00 PM ET.

Deadlines

The annual Crossroads grant deadline is the first business day of March.

All performances must occur between June 1, 2026 - August 31, 2027.

Reductions in Artist Fees

Grant amounts are determined based on the proposed artistic fee; therefore, reductions in artist fees may result in the reduction or cancellation of your grant. Grant recipients must notify NEFA of any changes in fees paid to the artist(s) or project plans as soon as possible, preferably in advance of the event. NEFA does not guarantee funding if the project differs substantially from the original application. Requests for changes will be considered on a case-by-case basis and may change the amount of the grant award.

Requirements & Reports for Grant Recipients 

Crossroads: Touring New England grants are fully supported by federal funding from the National Endowment for the Arts. Grant reports enable NEFA to fulfill reporting obligations to its funders, including the National Endowment for the Arts. 

Partial grant payment may be requested in advance to support artist fees paid prior to the performance. Please contact Adrienne Petrillo (she/her/hers) for more details. 

Grant payments are typically paid as a reimbursement and will be made upon receipt of the following which must be submitted within 40 days after the funded event:

1. A completed online Grantee Report for each grant. Click "Return to your grant request" below to log-in to your portal account to find and submit your online report(s). If you need technical assistance, please email Audrey Seraphin (she/her/hers). 
    RETURN TO YOUR GRANT application
2. A copy of the signed contract or letter of agreement (with printed name and title) between your organization and the artist(s) presented. The artist fee must match the amount in the report budget and be signed by the artist or their representative.
3. Copies of letters of appreciation sent to your federal and/or state legislators. This is to inform them about the purpose of this award and the impact it will have on your organization’s activities and service to the community. Crossroads grants are made possible with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts and the six New England state arts agencies.
4. Copies of program and publicity materials showing that the grantee has acknowledged NEFA’s funding. See NEFA logo and crediting information for details.

Failure to provide this material within 40 days of the event may result in cancellation of the grant and all pending NEFA grants. If the performance date is changed or cancelled, or if you anticipate a delay in submission of materials, please contact AudreySeraphin.