Looking for funding for your arts project?

The Knight Arts Challenge, supporting innovative ideas that bring South Florida together through the arts, is accepting applications through March 4, 2013 at KnightArts.org.  Above is MASS Ensemble's Earth Harp and Etagweyo Vincent Onokurte performing with the South Beach Chamber Ensemble at Sleepless Night 2009 (Photo by Mitchell Zachs)

Winners have ranged from individual artists to big institutions, and are weaving culture into neighborhoods from Deerfield Beach to Homestead. They are people like Willie Stewart, a former percussionist for the reggae band Third World who used challenge funding to produce a seven-week training for teens without musical experience.

“Accepting the challenge was a chance for an every day person like me to access funding for an idea I had. The process was easy. I had an idea. I wrote it down. I pushed send,” Stewart said.

The challenge has just three rules:

•      The idea must be about arts.

•      The project must take place in or benefit South Florida.

•      Winners find other funding to match the Knight Foundation grant.

To learn more about the Knight Arts Challenge, join their Community Roundtables:

Tues., Feb. 19, 7 pm at Opa-locka City Hall, 780 Fisherman Street, 2nd floor;

Wed., Feb. 20, 7 pm at Cannonball, Downtown Miami, 1035 N. Miami Ave., Suite 200

Thurs., Feb. 21, 7 pm at South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center, 10950 SW 211 St. 

Information: http://www.knightarts.org/knight-arts-challenge/miami

Below, Barcelona-based street theater troupe SARRUGA displays its FISHES project, which features people-powered machines accompanied by electronic music and lighting and pyrotechnical effects. (Photo courtesy of Knight Foundation)