Organizer Information:

The Andy Warhol Foundation. The foundation supports writers who write about contemporary visual art, addressing both general and specialized art audiences.

Title & Description:

Applications are opening for The Andy Warhol Foundation Arts Writers Grant 2026.

This grant supports emerging and established writers with projects about "contemporary visual art" (defined strictly as visual art made since World War II). The program also supports art writing that engages criticism through interdisciplinary methods and experiments with literary styles. Writers can apply in one of four specific project categories: Article, Book, Short-Form Writing, or Translation.

Category:

Art Criticism, Art History, Translation, & Short-Form Writing.

Eligibility:

  • Who: Art historians, artists, critics, curators, journalists, or outside writers strongly engaged with contemporary visual arts. Applicants MUST be published authors.
  • Geographic Requirement: You must be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident of the United States, or holder of an O-1 visa (documentation will be required).
  • Age Requirement: Applicants must be at least 25 years old by October 1, 2026.
  • Short-Form Writing Specifics: To apply for the Short-Form category, you must regularly produce texts between 250–1,500 words and publish, on average, at least one text per month in print or online.
  • Strict Exclusions: An arts writer is NOT eligible if applying for:
    • Projects where they are primarily an editor.
    • An interpretive essay on their own artistic practice.
    • Fiction, poetry, memoir, or screenwriting.
    • Projects based on a PhD dissertation or MA thesis.
    • Q&A interviews or assembling databases/archives.
    • Projects specifically about Andy Warhol.
    • Projects/catalogue essays that will be published by a commercial gallery.
    • Full-time students in degree-granting programs are also excluded (unless simultaneously maintaining a professional career as an arts writer).

Program Benefits & Awards:

Writers are invited to apply in one of the following distinct categories:

  • Article Grant ($15,000): Supports essays, magazine features, and extended exhibition reviews (published in print or online). Note: A confirmed publisher is not a prerequisite to apply.
  • Short-Form Writing Grant ($30,000): Supports the ongoing practice of writers who regularly produce short texts responding to current exhibitions, events, and issues.
  • Translation Grant ($30,000): Supports individuals translating book-length projects about contemporary visual art from other languages into English (including monographs, biographies, interviews, and artist writings).
  • Book Grant ($50,000): Supports a broad range of books on contemporary visual art, from general-audience criticism to academic scholarship, as well as experimental/non-traditional arts writing.

Application Requirements:

Specific publication requirements and submission materials vary depending on the chosen grant category. Applicants are strongly advised to download and read the official Application Guide before applying.

How to Apply?

Submit your application online via the official SlideRoom application portal.

Key Dates:

  • Applications Open: April 1, 2026.
  • Application Deadline: May 8, 2026
  • Age Cutoff Date: Must be 25 by October 1, 2026.

Location:

United States.

Contact Information:

Website & Application Guidelines: https://www.artswriters.org/application/