Arts Online

Nothing beats a simple, user-friendly system, and the Humanities Council of Washington, DC, recently rolled out one for the creative community, just in time for its 2012 Cycle I Major and Small/Planning Grants. The new, online grants application system allows users to provide more detail about their organizations and programs—and it also reduces printing costs. Preliminary applications for Major Grants, ranging from $1,501 to $5,000, are due on February 10; applications for Small Grants, up to $1,500, are due on March 9. Previously funded projects have included documentary films, oral histories, walking tours, exhibits, lectures, conferences, festivals, and children’s programs. For more information, click here. Also, to learn more about the Humanities Council and its application process and funding preferences, register to attend a workshop for prospective grantees on Tuesday, January 31.

In related news, the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities (DCCAH), which helps fund a portion of Humanities Council grants, created wallpapers for computer desktops and mobile devices based on its Art Bank Collection, works purchased from local artists and placed in DC government buildings. Can’t make it to the John A. Wilson Building (1350 Pennsylvania Avenue)? No worries. Now you can enjoy local artists’ work—with such names as Mud Man, The Man Who Taught Electricity to Think, and Jazz at the Arboretum—from the comfort of your couch, office or favorite vacation spot. Click here to peruse the collection and learn more.