Andy Warhol Foundation Grants

The Foundation actively supports the advancement of the visual arts through an extensive artist-centered grantmaking program. Our aim is to encourage and facilitate the production of original work that expands and enhances the contemporary art field. Our grants serve the needs of artists by funding the arts organizations and cultural institutions that support them. The grants we provide cover the full spectrum of artistic activity, from grassroots happenings at alternative spaces to contemporary exhibitions at major museums, and every phase of the creative process, from conception and production, to presentation and documentation.

To help grantees best respond to the changing needs of artists in a continuously evolving contemporary art field, we have designed our grantmaking program to support a wide range of opportunities. Project grants are awarded for substantial curatorial endeavors such as solo or group exhibitions, which often involve commissioning new bodies of work and the production of scholarly catalogues. Program grants are generally made over a period of two years to support a combination of exhibitions, public programs, residencies, convenings, publishing projects, networking and other opportunities for creative growth and exploration.

While the Foundation encourages new and groundbreaking approaches, our mission is focused on art that is anchored in the visual, with the understanding that such work can vary widely in format, medium, style, subject, concept, tone, and intention. Above all, we actively support projects that challenge the status quo and push the field in new directions through risk-taking and experimentation—the twin engines that drove Warhol himself.

The Foundation is committed to fostering a more equitable and inclusive contemporary art field—one that reflects the broader population of the United States—and we encourage proposals that highlight artists and communities that are underrepresented in the cultural sector and beyond. We welcome a variety of organizations to apply, but grant recipients must have 501(c)(3) status. The Foundation does not award grants for projects that specifically relate to Warhol’s life or work

Types of Grants

The Foundation offers three types of grants—Curatorial Research Fellowships, Exhibition support, and multiyear program grants. We also serve the needs of artists through an invitational Regional Re-granting program and three ongoing Special Initiatives: Creative Capital, Common Field, and the Arts Writers Grant.

Grants are made on a project basis to curatorial programs at museums, artists’ organizations, and other cultural institutions to originate innovative and scholarly presentations of contemporary visual arts. Projects may include exhibitions, catalogues, and other organizational activities directly related to these areas. The program also supports the creation of new work through regranting initiatives and artist-in-residence programs. The foundation values the contributions of all artists, reflecting the true diversity of the contemporary art field, and encourages proposals that highlight women, artists of color, and under-represented practitioners.

Scholarly research undertaken in the field of contemporary art is funded through Curatorial Research Fellowships. Curators at any stage of their careers are eligible to apply and must have the formal support of an insitution and its director. It is assumed that research will lead to a significant exhibition, though this is not a requirement. Generally these fellowships are for projects with long lead times and may involve significant travel. Grants to curators do not preclude separate proposals from sponsoring institutions in any given grant round.

Grants are also made to support efforts to strengthen areas that directly affect the context in which artists work. In 2006 the Foundation formally designated one of its grants The Wynn Kramarsky Freedom of Artistic Expression Award to recognize the work of organizations with a deep-seated commitment to preserving and defending the First Amendment rights of artists. Named in honor of the Foundation’s former Board Chair, the grant rewards outstanding advocacy, legal, and curatorial efforts on behalf of those whose rights to free expression have been challenged.

The foundation believes that freedom of expression is a core principle of an open and enlightened democracy. It welcomes proposals from artist-centered organizations that share this belief, reject bigotry of any sort, and promote inclusive dialogue regarding social, political, cultural, and economic issues affecting not only artists but all people.

Curatorial Research Fellowships

Proposals are accepted from 501c3 arts organizations on behalf of curators at any stage of their careers, with or without institutional affiliation, working towards projects that will manifest at least two years after a grant is made.

A letter of support from the director of the sponsoring organization must accompany the proposal.

Grants are up to $50,000 and are intended to cover expenses incurred during the research and development stage of an exhibition, public-facing project, or other visual arts-based initiative that contributes in an original way to contemporary visual arts discourse

Exhibition Support

Proposals are accepted for solo or two person shows and thematic group exhibitions taking place between 6 months and 2 years after the grant notification date (July 1^st and January 1^st). We are interested in supporting artists whose work has been less celebrated than that of their peers, whose commitment to their practice has been under recognized yet has had a significant impact on the current (and upcoming) generation of artists.

Grants range from $60,000-$100,000. The amount requested should be 25% of a project’s total direct costs or less.

Multi-year Program Support

Proposals are accepted for two years of visual arts programming. This can include exhibitions, residencies, public art works, screenings, performances, lectures, publications, mentorships and other professional development opportunities for artists.

Grants range from $60,000-$100,000 and should represent no more than 25% of an organization’s annual operating budget.

Proposals should start off with a description of the organization that is applying. Please give a holistic picture of the opportunities it provides to artists and describe what makes an artist’s experience there unique.