What Can We Do?
Know before you apply
- NYC-based artists working with communities
- Artists serving Chinatown or Flushing residents
- Collectives proposing cross-cultural solidarity projects
- Must be at least 21 years old
- Mandatory virtual welcome meeting and in-person share-out
- $1,500 honorarium paid in two installments
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
What Can We Do? (WCWD?), presented by the Asian American Arts Alliance (A4), is a grant program for artists creating community-care projects that engage and support Asian communities and other communities of color in NYC. The program began during the COVID pandemic as a response to rising anti-Asian hate crimes and anti-immigrant sentiment. In 2025-26, the grant expanded to include support for Palestinian creators in New York. For the 2027 iteration, the grant will continue to address the current moment. With recent federal cuts to social programs, AAPI and immigrant communities are more vulnerable than ever, and this program provides agency to artists to empower them to enact change in their own communities through projects that center care, joy, and inspiration.
PROGRAM GOALS
For the 2027 edition, A4 will select up to 20 NYC-based artists as project awardees to receive $1,500 to develop and implement creative projects that engage, support, and care for AAPI and other communities of color in New York City. Please see eligibility requirements below for more details. The project engagements must be completed within a four-month period (Feb-June 2027). Projects may take many forms such as interactive musical performances for seniors, leading workshops with youth to create zines that reinforce a pride in their heritage, and organizing creative activities that strengthen solidarity between AAPI and other communities.
INFORMATION SESSION
A virtual information session for those interested in applying will be held on Tuesday, November 17 from 12:00–1:00pm ET. Registration is required. A recording will be available on our YouTube channel.
Timeline:
Last week of January 2027: A4 sends project proposals to community
February 1–June 1, 2027: Project implementation period
Thursday, February 4, 2027: Welcome Meeting (mandatory, virtual)
April 2027: Midterm check-in (optional, virtual)
Monday, June 7, 2027: Final reports due
Tuesday, June 15, 2027: Public share-out (mandatory, in-person)
PARTNERING WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS
In the application, applicants are asked to share a project idea and to identify a community and/or community organization you’d like to work with or serve. You are not required to partner with a community organization, but partnerships can be valuable in securing space and reaching the target audience. If selected, you have flexibility to adjust your project idea and/or community as long as you communicate these updates to A4.
A4 can facilitate introductions to the following approved community organizations in Flushing, Queens or Chinatown, Manhattan. You may indicate your preferences in your application. We’ll do our best to match awardees with organizations, but cannot guarantee placement.
Approved Community Organizations:
Chinatown, Manhattan
Flushing, Queens