Five local artists will be chosen to live and work in subsidized studios in downtown Miami, in the second year of the LegalArt Residency program, a Knight Arts grantee. The only thing is, the deadline to get in on this unique opportunity is Sept. 2.

This type of residency is something Miami has been wanting and needing for some time, to help fill out the groundwork in making a serious, thriving arts community, one that encourages people to develop, work and stay here. So last year, LegalArt opened its renovated doors, revealing seven, 600-square-foot studios, a communal living room, dining room and kitchen, along with exhibition and lecture rooms. The point is to let artists interact with each other, sharing visions and techniques, on a daily basis, as well as serving as a meeting center for the community.

For $450 a month, five artists will take over the space, starting in Feb. 2012 and staying on until Jan. 2013. It’s not too late to apply. Go to: www.legalartmiami.org/residency or contact [email protected].

And another big deadline coming up quickly: The Cintas Fellowship. This well-known Miami award, for up to the significant sum of $10,000, has an application deadline of Aug. 29. Each year, three people are chosen from the fields of visual arts, creative writing and music composition. The only caveat here: You have to be of Cuban heritage. Past grant recipients included Reinaldo Arenas, Felix Gonzalez-Torres and Carlos Alfonzo.

Now part of the Miami Dade College system starting this year, the Cintas finalists will be exhibited in the Freedom Tower in October. For applications and more information, go to www.cintasfoundation.org.