Calls for Panelists

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Contact us to be a Panelist

Please email to nominate or volunteer to be a reviewer. 

ArtsFairfax seeks individuals from Fairfax and the surrounding regions with expertise in the arts and culture field to participate in our transparent, peer review grant panels, as well as selection committees.

Past participants have represented arts education, choral, dance, film, instrumental music, multidisciplinary, theatre, and visual arts organizations of all sizes.

Review Panels are generally comprised of approximately five individuals. ArtsFairfax selects panel members for their diverse backgrounds, expertise in a particular arts discipline, knowledge of grant practice and/or knowledge of the community.

We look for prospective panelists who:

  • Have a deep knowledge about the arts, cultural equity, promising practices for nonprofits, facility and capital needs.
  • Are practicing artists, cultural workers, and/or arts administrators who have experience in advancing cultural and racial equity.
  • Have an interest in taking a behind-the-scenes look at the grant-making process.
  • Are representative of both Fairfax demographics and the specific applicant pool in terms of race/ethnicity, gender, LGBTQIA+ or disability representations.

Panelists will:

  • Review, rank and comment on grant applications in the category specific to their expertise.
  • Meet either in person or virtually for panel discussions which are made accessible to both the applicants and the general public.

Review Process

Staff Review of Eligiblity
Following the grant application deadline, ArtsFairfax staff determines whether an applicant is eligible and whether an application is complete. Staff may contact applicants for information needed to make an eligibility determination. If an applicant is determined to be ineligible, the application will be rejected without evaluation. Incomplete applications are subject to rejection without evaluation. If an application is rejected, the applicant will be notified by email.

Panel Review
All eligible and complete applications are evaluated and scored by panel review. Panelists are arts professionals with knowledge of or expertise in the segments of the arts community that are eligible to apply to ArtsFairfax for funding.

Panel Meeting Accessibility
In-person panel meetings are open to the public and applicants will be notified of the schedule for the panel meeting; applicants are encouraged to attend. If necessary, panel meetings may be held online, and ArtsFairfax will contact applicants regarding observation of virtual panels. Staff notes summarizing the discussion and comments will be available.

Final Decisions
The ArtsFairfax Board of Directors makes the final funding decisions based on the evaluations by the panels, available funds, and the overall goals of the relevant program and of ArtsFairfax.

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