The Arts Council in Buffalo and Erie County will present two SOS Workshops to go over the grant's updated guidelines, application, best practices and answer any questions artists may have about the grant before applying. Workshops will run 45 mins to 1 hour depending on attendance, it is not mandatory to attend a workshop to apply. Please RSVP if you plan to attend one of the workshops.

The Arts Council in Buffalo and Erie County, in conjunction with the New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA), is pleased to announce funding opportunities for individual artists in Western New York. Strategic Opportunity Stipends (SOS) provides grants designed to help individual artists of all disciplines take advantage of specific, unique opportunities that will significantly benefit their work or career. These are $100-$600 grants for forthcoming opportunities (not necessarily projects) that are distinct from an artist's ongoing work. The next deadline is September 24th, 2009. This deadline is for opportunities occurring between November 1, 2009 and February 28, 2010 for artists living in ALLEGANY, CATTARAUGUS, CHAUTAUQUA, ERIE, and NIAGARA counties.