Organizer Information

The Art + Technology Lab is a specialized initiative of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). It functions as a "safe-to-fail" rapid prototyping environment, supported by a long-term partnership with Hyundai Motor Company and additional support from Snap Inc. and Anthropic. The Lab connects visionary artists with expert partners from fields such as science, engineering, and museology—including organizations like the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory and MIT Media Lab—to test bold ideas at the intersection of technology and culture.

Title & Description

Art + Technology Lab Grant: 2026

This grant empowers artists to engage in radical experimentation and prototyping rather than focusing solely on finished artworks. The program seeks visionary proposals that explore emerging tools, data, and scientific concepts. For the 2026 cycle, the Lab is expanding to form artist cohorts, fostering deeper collaboration and sustained development over a two-year period.

Category

Digital Arts, Science/Technology, Interdisciplinary, and New Media.

Eligibility

  • Open to individuals and artist collectives located anywhere in the world.
  • Applicants across all career stages are welcome.
  • Prior advanced technological experience or knowledge is not required.
  • The Lab encourages applications from diverse communities across racial, ethnic, geographic, socio-economic, and gender spectrums.

Program Benefits & Awards

  • Financial Support: Grants of up to $50,000 per project to cover artist fees and direct material costs.
  • Mentorship & Coaching: Direct access to experts in science, technology, and engineering.
  • Technological Exposure: Potential exposure to technologies in development at partner organizations like Snap Inc. and Anthropic.
  • Institutional Resources: Access to LACMA’s archives, collection data, and digital platforms.
  • Public Platforms: Opportunities to present research and prototypes at the Biennial Symposium (2027) and Biennial Demo Day (2028).

Application Fee

There is no fee to apply.

Application Requirements

  • Project name and a one-sentence summary.
  • Full project description (max 500 words) focusing on the questions and methods to be explored.
  • Principal artist or collective bio/CV.
  • Descriptions of artistic merit, cultural dialogue, and a plan for public engagement (100 words each).
  • Detailed project budget (inclusive of artist fees and direct costs) and a proposed implementation plan with milestones.
  • Optional: Up to five images/renderings (JPEG) or video hyperlinks (max 5 minutes).

How to Apply

Proposals must be submitted via the official application portal.

Key Dates

  • Application Deadline: April 22, 2026, 11:59 PM PST.
  • Notification: July 2026.
  • Project Commencement: Earliest start in Fall 2026.

Location

Los Angeles, CA (LACMA), though residents need not be based in or near Los Angeles.

Additional Details

Preference is given to projects that are publicly accessible and produce shareable data, code, or models. Proposals that unfold in virtual, online, or even extraterrestrial locations are welcome. Projects are typically expected to be completed within a 24-month period.

Contact Information