Grants are a major piece of the artist funding puzzle. Anyone wishing to make a living as an artist needs to be aware of available grants and must incorporate researching and applications into their regular practice. If you know where to look, there are all sorts of grants suitable for artists of every kind from all over the world and at every stage of their careers. Here at Praxis, we maintain an artist resources page. Here you will find links to other pages where grants and residency opportunities are listed, as well as a curated listing of upcoming program deadlines. The opportunities posted here are updated on a regular basis to ensure that they are current. Check often and apply to as many as are suited to the work you do. Be sure to always read eligibility requirements very carefully before applying. Below are a few upcoming highlights for you to be aware of.
STEP Travel Grants: STEP stands for Supporting Travel for Engaged Partnerships. The program began in 2003 with the objective to assist artists traveling throughout Europe and other regions who wish to become better acquainted with foreign cultures. STEP travel grants are not open to citizens of the United States, rather they draw from a comprehensive list of countries in both Eastern and Western Europe as well as surrounding regions. The grants are intended to provide opportunities to those who have not had many opportunities to travel professionally. For full information, and to apply visit the STEP website. Deadline for submissions is December 31, 2017.
Randall Frank Artist Grant Program: Friends and supporters of the arts, Randall E. Baren and Frank Juarez established the Randall Frank Contemporary Art Collection in 2015. Since then, the two have been searching for opportunities to offer their altruistic energy to programs supporting the arts and artists. The latest iteration of this endeavor is the pilot program of the Randall Frank Artist Grant Program. The objective of the program is to support artists living in midwest or east coast states (see website for full list of eligible states) in the pursuit of residency, exhibitions, and artist-led lectures. Submissions for the inaugural grant cycle are being accepted until December 1, 2017.
New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA): NYFA Fellowships are available for those working in the fields of Folk/Traditional Arts, Painting, Interdisciplinary Work, Video/Film, and Fiction Writing. Applicants must live in New York state. In 2017, a total of 92 grants were awarded amounting to $644,000 overall. Individual artists, as well as collaborations, are eligible to receive the $7,000 fellowships. Deadline for the current cycle is January 1, 2018.
Rome Prize: This prestigious award has been supporting artists and designers for over a century. Winners of the Rome Prize receive a place at American Academy in Rome for a full year including workspace, room and board, and a stipend. Eligibility is limited to citizens of the United States. Foreign nationals living in the U.S. for three years prior to application may apply for certain disciplines (see website for more details). The official deadline for Rome Prize applications is November 1 however late applications will be accepted until November 15 for an additional fee.
Gottlieb Foundation: There are two funding categories available through the Gottlieb Foundation. For artists who have been working in their field for 20 years or more who can demonstrate financial need, Gottlieb offers individual grants to support these established artists. Those who have been working in the field for 10 or more years and who have recently experienced an unforeseen catastrophe such as medical emergency, fire, or flood can apply for an emergency grant. Individual grant deadline is December 15, 2017. There are no deadlines for emergency grants which are awarded on a rolling, as-needed basis.
Guggenheim Fellowship: Perhaps one of the best-known grants available, Guggenheim Fellowships are awarded each year to outstanding artists and writers in the U.S. and Canada and usually to those in the Carribean and Latin American countries (although this program has been temporarily suspended). The deadline for this year has passed, but that doesn’t mean this isn’t a grant worth mentioning. The annual application process involves a submission of work plus an artist career narrative and statement of plans. These documents require some serious thought as the Guggenheim is a competitive grant. Keep an eye on their website (or ours) for the next deadline, usually in September.
Awesome Foundation: Finally, for those just starting out with the grant process or anyone just wanting to toss their hat in the ring for a fun little opportunity, the Awesome Foundation is committed to supporting people with awesome ideas $1,000 at a time. Grants are awarded by the trustees of individual chapters all around the world. Applications are not limited by field, anyone with an awesome idea may apply. You can apply through a specific chapter or, if there isn’t one in your area email the foundation for information about global applications. All relevant info can be found at the Awesome Foundation website. There are no set deadlines for Awesome Foundation Grant applications.