An incubator for Boston’s dancers, movement artists, and circus artists; provides affordable, state-of-the-art studio incubator space and project support for creation, development, and professional growth.
Movement Arts Creation Studio Inc centers its giving on Boston-area movement artists by pairing studio access with project support, consulting, and residency-based incubation. The largest recent grant in the file went to Boston Lyric Opera Midway Artist Studios for $145,000, signaling support for studio infrastructure as well as artistic development. Other grants show a similar pattern of backing organizations that provide space, production help, and career-building resources for dancers and choreographers in Greater Boston. The foundation’s mission aligns closely with its own role as an arts incubator: it provides affordable, state-of-the-art studio incubator space and support for creation, development, and professional growth. That orientation appears in grants to The New Dance Complex Inc for $60,000 and to Boston Dance Theater Inc for $25,000, both tied to sustaining dance-focused programs and production support. Jean Appolon Expressions also appears among the recent grantees, reflecting continued support for local movement arts organizations. Across the grant list, the pattern is concentrated in organizations that help artists make work, rehearse, and advance projects within Boston’s arts ecosystem.
A core theme is studio and production support for movement artists. In 2025, Movement Arts Creation Studio Inc gave $25,000 to Boston Dance Theater Inc to support and provide funds, and another $25,000 to Jean Appolon Expressions for similar support. Those grants fit a broader model of helping artists and organizations create or complete work. They also fund arts infrastructure. Boston Lyric Opera Midway Artist Studios received $145,000 to support its studio offering, while the Center for Arts at the Armory received $10,000. Both awards point to a preference for places where artists can rehearse, develop, and present work. Professional development is another repeated focus. Through the Next Steps for Boston Dance partnership, the foundation supports Greater Boston movement artists with rehearsal space, consulting, cohort learning, and $6,000 in implementation funds. The program design links artistic creation with career advancement.
Movement Arts Creation Studio Inc gives at a mid-sized scale, with a typical grant-size range of p25 $10,875, median $31,000, and p75 $52,500. Its recent awards include several six-figure and five-figure grants, but the median points to a center of gravity around moderate project and operating support. The foundation is a Public Charity, and the file shows no giving to individuals and no program-related investments. The recipient pattern is recurring rather than one-off: organizations such as Boston Center for the Arts and Jean Appolon Expressions appear more than once in the recent grants list. The grant program list also shows that unsolicited applications are accepted for residencies and project development support.
$166K
$56K
$132K
$183K
Most grants fall between $11K and $53K, with a median of $31K.
25th Percentile
$11K
Median
$31K
75th Percentile
$53K
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Giving is highly concentrated in Massachusetts: 100% of grants in the file go to recipients in the HQ state, and the top state by grant count is MA. Recent grants land in Boston, Cambridge, Medford, and Somerville, with Boston appearing multiple times. The geography is local rather than regional or national, and the grant list shows no non-US recipient countries. That pattern matches the foundation’s Greater Boston orientation across its active programs and recent awards.
The foundation supports dance, circus arts, physical theater, artist residencies, project development, professional development, and arts incubator activities. Its active programs also name rehearsal, research, production, and cohort-based learning for Greater Boston movement artists.
Yes. The active program list says unsolicited applications are accepted for Residencies, Project Development, and the Next Steps for Boston Dance partnership program.
The file gives a p25 of $10,875, a median of $31,000, and a p75 of $52,500. That suggests the foundation often funds in the tens of thousands, with some larger awards as well.
Its giving is local and concentrated in Massachusetts. All grants in the file go to recipients in MA, with recent awards in Boston, Cambridge, Medford, and Somerville.
It funds organizations rather than individuals. The recent grants list includes groups such as Boston Lyric Opera Midway Artist Studios, The New Dance Complex Inc, and Boston Foundation, and the file states that it does not fund individuals.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Current and upcoming funding from Movement Arts Creation Studio that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Movement artists creating original work in any dance genre at any professional career level based in or working in Greater Boston.
Deadline: Historically opens in early September and closes in late October (annual). Specific dates vary by year; check Boston Foundation page for current cycle.
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Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BOSTON FOUNDATION | BOSTON, MA | $50,000 | 2026 | TO SUPPORT AND PROVI |
| THE NEW DANCE COMPLEX INC | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $25,000 | 2026 | TO SUPPORT AND PROVI |
| BOSTON DANCE THEATER INC | MEDFORD, MA | $25,000 | 2026 | TO SUPPORT AND PROVI |
| CENTER FOR ARTS AT THE ARMORY | SOMERVILLE, MA | $25,000 | 2026 | TO SUPPORT AND PROVI |
| JEAN APPOLON EXPRESSIONS | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $20,000 | 2026 | TO SUPPORT AND PROVI |
| BEHEARD WORLD INC | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $7,200 | 2026 | TO SUPPORT |
| NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT | BOSTON, MA | $7,000 | 2026 | TO SUPPORT |
| CIRCUS UP INC | WATERTOWN, MA | $6,500 | 2026 | TO SUPPORT |
| BOSTON LYRIC OPERA MIDWAY ARTIST STUDIOS | BOSTON, MA | $145,000 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT AND PROVI |
| JEAN APPOLON EXPRESSIONS | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $25,000 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT AND PROVI |
| BOSTON DANCE THEATER INC | MEDFORD, MA | $25,000 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT AND PROVI |
| BOSTON CENTER FOR THE ARTS | BOSTON, MA | $10,000 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT AND PROVI |
| CENTER FOR ARTS AT THE ARMORY | SOMERVILLE, MA | $10,000 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT AND PROVI |
| THE NEW DANCE COMPLEX INC | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $60,000 | 2023 | TO SUPPORT AND PROVIDE FUNDS FOR THE NEW DANCE COMPLEX PROGRAM |
| BOSTON FOUNDATION | BOSTON, MA | $50,000 | 2023 | TO SUPPORT AND PROVIDE FUNDS FOR THE NEXT STEP DANCE PROGRAM ESTABLISHED BY THE THE BOSTON FOUNDATION. |
| BOSTON CENTER FOR THE ARTS | BOSTON, MA | $12,000 | 2023 | TO SUPPORT AND PROVIDE FUNDS FOR THE BOSTON CENTER FOR THE ARTS |
| JEAN APPOLON EXPRESSIONS | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $7,500 | 2023 | TO SUPPORT AND PROVIDE FUNDS FOR THE JEAN APPOLON EXPRESSIONS. |
THE NEW DANCE COMPLEX INC
$25,000TO SUPPORT AND PROVI
BOSTON DANCE THEATER INC
$25,000TO SUPPORT AND PROVI
CENTER FOR ARTS AT THE ARMORY
$25,000TO SUPPORT AND PROVI
BEHEARD WORLD INC
$7,200TO SUPPORT
CIRCUS UP INC
$6,500TO SUPPORT
BOSTON DANCE THEATER INC
$25,000TO SUPPORT AND PROVI
CENTER FOR ARTS AT THE ARMORY
$10,000TO SUPPORT AND PROVI
THE NEW DANCE COMPLEX INC
$60,000TO SUPPORT AND PROVIDE FUNDS FOR THE NEW DANCE COMPLEX PROGRAM
TO SUPPORT AND PROVIDE FUNDS FOR THE NEXT STEP DANCE PROGRAM ESTABLISHED BY THE THE BOSTON FOUNDATION.
TO SUPPORT AND PROVIDE FUNDS FOR THE BOSTON CENTER FOR THE ARTS
TO SUPPORT AND PROVIDE FUNDS FOR THE JEAN APPOLON EXPRESSIONS.
