The Office of Creative Arts has extended the application deadline for students who wish to receive funding for their projects in the annual Leonard Bernstein Festival of the Creative Arts, said Ingrid Schorr, the office's program administrator. The festival, set to take place Apr. 25 to 29, changed the cut-off date to apply for funding from Oct. 17 to Dec. 4. The office offers grants each year to fund innovative projects in the visual and creative arts, which are then presented at the spring festival.

"People need a little more time to develop their ideas for an event that's not going to take place until April," Schorr said.

Grants typically range from $50 to $500, and can be used to purchase anything the project requires: scores for concerts, rights to a play or materials for visual art projects, for example. The money can also be used for publicity and promotional materials.

Schorr said the extended deadline, which is about six weeks later than the previous one, is "not a huge change" in terms of logistics for the event, but the extra time will allow students, staff and faculty to take more time on their applications, collaborate with others and formulate new ideas throughout the semester.

In order to receive a grant for the festival, applicants must present a description of the project to a jury made up of faculty from the School of Creative Arts, staff and students.

"We're looking for projects with a broad appeal to the community," said Schorr, adding that it's not the festival's place to put on something "very partisan."

Schorr said there are many ways to acquire supplemental funding in addition to the Office of the Arts' grants. She named the Fine Arts department and the Office of Arts and Sciences, which offers the Pluralism Alliance grant, funding for projects that promote community building or examine identity issues.

The Leonard Bernstein Festival of the Arts will take place this coming spring from Apr. 25 to 29. Anyone interested in applying for a grant can find guidelines and an application form at http://www.brandeis.edu/arts/festival. For more information, contact Ingrid Schorr at ingrids@brandeis.edu.