Arts & Culture Development Grant

The Municipal Hotel Occupancy Tax Statute, Texas Tax Code § 351.101, provides that Municipal Hotel Occupancy Tax revenues may be used to fund nine eligible categories of expenditures that have been found to promote tourism and the hotel and convention industries, including expenditures that promote specific art forms. Section § 351.101(a)(4), added by the Legislature in 1977, provides in applicable part: “Revenue from the municipal hotel occupancy tax may be used only to promote tourism and the convention and hotel industry, and that use is limited to the following: the encouragement, promotion, improvement, and application of the arts, including instrumental and vocal music, dance, drama, folk art, creative writing, architecture, design and allied fields, painting, sculpture, photography, graphic and craft arts, motion pictures, radio, television, tape and sound recording, and other arts related to the presentation, performance, execution, and exhibition of these major art forms.”

• Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations, established community organizations, arts and cultural associations, educational institutions, private businesses, individual artists, artist collectives, and other established organizations or entities capable of successfully administering a public art and/or cultural project or program.
• Applicants should demonstrate the organizational, financial, and administrative capacity necessary to successfully complete the proposed project or program and manage grant funds responsibly.
• While matching funds are not required, applicants are encouraged to demonstrate a diverse base of financial support, including private donations, sponsorships, earned revenue, or other grant support.
• Projects, programs, performances, exhibitions, and events must be appropriate for general audiences and align with the City's mission, values, and community standards.

Eligible projects and programs must:

• Develop and elevate the arts and culture in Bryan.
• Provide tangible arts and cultural experiences.
• Be accessible to the public.
• Be a clearly defined and planned project or program within an established organization, with documented goals, activities, and a timeline for implementation.
• Enhance and promote Bryan as a tourism destination.
• Demonstrate the potential to attract visitors from outside the Bryan-College Station area.
• Provide measurable community and tourism related impacts.
  

Examples of eligible projects and programs may include:

• Multiday arts or cultural festivals marketed across the region.
• Film festivals that attract out of town filmmakers and attendees.
• Public mural or public art projects, including permanent public art installations. Eligible costs may include the artist’s fee, materials, fabrication, installation of the artwork itself, surface or wall preparation directly required for the artwork, and informational plaques or signage identifying the piece.
• Gallery exhibitions marketed beyond the Bryan - College Station area.
• Cultural celebrations promoted to regional audiences.
• Artist residencies or performances that attract visitors from outside the community.
• Special exhibitions, educational programs, and cultural experiences offered by museums, cultural centers, and other arts and cultural institutions.
  

Priority Considerations:

• Demonstrate tourism impact.
• Generate overnight stays in Bryan.
• Demonstrate measurable outcomes.
• Leverage additional sources of financial support.
• Create lasting cultural assets or experiences for the Bryan community.
• Demonstrate strong organizational capacity and long-term sustainability.
• Enhance Bryan’s identity as an artistic and cultural destination.

Examples include but are not limited to the following:

• Programs and projects that do not have an artistic or cultural focus.
• Programs, projects, performances, exhibitions, or events that are not reasonably suitable for general audiences or aligned with the City’s mission and objectives.
• Ongoing monthly/seasonal/annual operations costs including, but not limited to, staff salaries, rent, utilities, office supplies, etc.
• Food and beverage costs for receptions or similar events.
• Scholarships, benefits, or fundraising events.
• Cash prizes or items purchased for resale, use as prizes or gifts, or awards.
• Transportation costs for field trips or travel to exhibits.
• Purchase or acquisition of land or buildings, real property, or supplies and equipment that are owned by, or primarily benefit, the applicant, as well as construction costs.
• Private events.
• Furniture, Fixtures, and Equipment (FF&E) or Capital expenditures (excluding permanent public art).
• Site infrastructure, foundations or footings, lighting, electrical, landscaping, hardscaping, structural work, or other construction or site improvements associated with an installation.
• Political activities, including any activity supporting the election or defeat of any candidate for public office; or to influence the passage, defeat or final content of legislation.
• Deficit or debt reduction efforts.
• Funding for litigation or litigation related activities.

Permanent public art projects, including murals, sculptures, and other permanent installations, may be eligible for funding through this grant. Eligible expenses may include the artist’s fee, materials, fabrication, installation of the artwork itself, surface or wall preparation and protection directly required for the artwork, and informational plaques or signage identifying the piece.

Grant approval does not constitute approval of the proposed artwork location or permission to install the artwork. Applicants are responsible for obtaining all necessary approvals, permissions, and agreements from the property owner(s) prior to installation. If the proposed location is City-owned property, including rights-of-way, additional review and approval processes may apply and are separate from the grant application and award process.

Prior to implementation, approved projects must submit a final design to the City of Bryan for review to ensure alignment with the City’s mission, values, and community standards. This review is not intended to dictate artistic expression or creative decisions but is intended to confirm that the final design is consistent with the approved project and appropriate for public display. Installation may not begin until the City has reviewed and approved the submitted design.

Grant funding does not cover costs associate with site improvements or infrastructure, including foundations, footings, electrical work, lighting, landscaping, hardscaping, structural modifications, or other construction-related costs associated with the installation.

Applicants are not required to guarantee a specific number of visitors or overnight stays. However, applicants must provide a credible explanation of how the proposed project or program will attract visitors from outside the Bryan-College Station area.

For purposes of this grant, an out-of-town visitor is defined as an individual traveling from outside the Bryan-College Station area to attend the funded project or program.

Examples of supporting documentation or strategies may include:

• Marketing and advertising conducted outside the Bryan area.
• Partnerships with local hotels, tourism organizations, or regional partners.
• A marketing strategy, which may include working with Destination Bryan to explore promotional opportunities, when appropriate for your project. Collaboration with Destination Bryan is optional and is not guaranteed as part of this grant.
• Historical attendance data.
• Ticket sales information.
• Visitor surveys.
• Hotel room bookings associated with the project.
• Reasonable projections based on similar programs or events.

The City of Bryan’s Arts and Culture Development Grant next funding period is for programs or projects falling within fiscal year 2026-2027 (Oct. 1, 2026 – Sept. 30, 2027). A limited amount of funding is available and grants will be awarded based on eligibility and impact to Bryan.

Applications for fiscal year 2026-2027 (Oct. 1, 2026 – Sept. 30, 2027) are due before 5 p.m. on Sept. 11, 2026. 

• Following the application deadline, City of Bryan will review applications for completeness and eligibility before providing them to the Arts & Culture Development Grant Review Committee.
• The Grant Review Committee will consist of, at a minimum:
  
  • One appointed City Council member;
  • One Bryan resident;
  • One Destination Bryan staff member;
  • One individual with knowledge, experience, or involvement in arts and cultural programming, organizations, or initiatives; and
  • City of Bryan staff member
• City staff will provide administrative support and guidance throughout the review process. Staff may determine that an application is more appropriately considered under other City funding opportunities and may recommend reassignment of the application when appropriate.
• The Grant Review Committee will make funding recommendations to the City of Bryan. Final funding decisions will be approved by the City Manager.
• Funding recommendations and award amounts may be modified prior to contract execution. Applicants will be notified of any proposed changes.
• Upon approval, grant recipients will enter into a funding agreement outlining the award amount, reporting requirements, and other grant conditions.
• Grant funds may be distributed in advance of a project, on a reimbursement basis, or through a combination of both methods, as determined by the City of Bryan and outlined in the grant agreement.

• Grantees are required to complete vendor registration with the City of Bryan as a condition of receiving grant funds. Registration must be completed within 90 days of the executed grant agreement.
• Grant recipients are required to follow City of Bryan marketing and recognition guidelines.
• Recipients may be required to acknowledge City of Bryan Arts & Culture Development Grant support in promotional materials and include approved logos and recognition language.
• Recipients are also expected to market funded projects and programs beyond the Bryan area to support tourism objectives.
• Applicants receiving funding are required to submit an Activity Report within 45 days after the project’s completion. This report requires applicant to submit documentation to illustrate impact and show how funds were spent by submitting invoices, receipts, contracts, etc.
• Reporting requirements will be established by mutual agreement between the applicant and the City of Bryan. Noncompliance with reporting requirements may result in suspension or termination of grant funding, recapture of funds already disbursed, and ineligibility for future City of Bryan Arts & Culture Development grant opportunities.

• Grantees must notify the City of Bryan, in writing, at any point if the program or project is changed from what was described in the approved grant application. This includes, but is not limited to, substitutions in personnel, change of project dates, change in number of performances, change of event location, change of the event from in-person to virtual, and cancellation. All requested changes will be reviewed by City of Bryan and may result in a revision or revocation of the grant award. If the grantee fails to inform the City of Bryan of changes before the project dates, the City reserves the right to withhold payment, reduce the grant award, or require a repayment of grant funds.
• Minor changes that do not substantially alter the scope, purpose, budget, timeline, or impact of the approved project or program may be approved by City staff. Examples of changes that qualify for staff approval include:
  • Adjustments to project/program dates or timelines within the approved fiscal year.
  • Substitutions of personnel, artists, vendors, or contractors that do not significantly change the nature or quality of the approved project or program.
  • Changes in project/program location, provided the new location remains within Bryan city limits.
  • Minor budget adjustments that do not change the approved scope of work or reallocate funds to ineligible expenses.
  • Other administrative changes that do not affect the purpose or intent of the approved project or program.
• Substantial changes that significantly alter the scope, purpose, budget, timeline, or impact of the approved project will require review and approval by the Grant Review Committee. Examples of changes that require committee approval include:
  • Adjustments to project/program dates or timelines that extend beyond the approved fiscal year.
  • A significant change to the type, purpose, or artistic/cultural focus of the project/program.
  • A major reduction or expansion of the project or program scope or activities.
  • A change in the number of performances, events, or program components that substantially affects the approved project or program.
  • A change in project or program location outside of the Bryan city limits.
  • Changing an in-person event to a virtual format (or vice versa) when it significantly impacts the project or program’s delivery or community impact.
  • Cancellation of the approved project or program.
  • Significant budget changes, including reallocating awarded funds to expenses not included or inconsistent with the approved application.