Nonprofit groups interested in New Braunfels arts and heritage grants can attend a free application-training session Aug. 28 at City Hall, the city announced.
The session will run from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the Tejas Room at 550 Landa St. The city says the program will include updates and instructions for its application process along with a presentation by Texas Hotel & Lodging Association President Scott Joslove.
The training is intended for organizations seeking Arts and Heritage grant money generated through the local hotel occupancy tax. To qualify for those grants, the city says an organization must be a nonprofit entity designated by the IRS and meeting the definition in Chapter 351 of the Texas Tax Code.
Who the Grants Are Designed to Support
In its announcement, the city said eligible arts programs include music, dance, drama, folk art, creative writing, architecture, design, painting, sculpture, photography, crafts, motion pictures, radio, television and sound recording, along with other work involving the presentation or exhibition of those art forms.
The city described the heritage side of the program as supporting historical restoration and preservation projects or activities. It also listed advertising and promotional programs intended to encourage tourists and convention delegates to visit preserved historic sites or museums.
New Braunfels said state law directs hotel occupancy tax revenue toward advertising and encouraging tourism and convention activity, with 15% of the revenue specifically dedicated to enhancing arts and cultural organizations and programs. That funding source is why eligibility extends beyond artistic merit to the tourism-related requirements described by the city.
The session gives prospective applicants a chance to hear the local instructions before preparing their submissions. The announcement directs organizations to the city’s Arts and Heritage grant webpage for additional information, while the Heritage Commission is separately beginning work on the 2027 grant process.
The city’s notice establishes the training date, place and basic eligibility rules. It does not identify available award amounts, promise funding to attendees or say that participating in the session guarantees an award.