Organizer Information:

The Harpo Foundation. Established in 2006 by artist Ed Levine to support emerging and under-recognized visual artists, encourage new modes of making and thinking about art, and expand inclusivity and equitable representation in the visual arts.

Title & Description:

Applications are open for the Harpo Foundation Grants for Visual Artists 2026.

This award provides direct support to under-recognized visual artists. Grants are made to support the development of artistic work, and a grantee may use their award to support any activity toward that purpose. Applications are evaluated on the quality of the artist's work, the potential to expand aesthetic inquiry, and the ability to fulfill the Foundation's priority of supporting under-recognized artists.

Category:

Visual Arts.

Eligibility:

  • Who: Self-defined under-recognized visual artists, 21 years or older.
  • Residency: Applicants MUST be a United States Citizen or Legal Permanent Resident (LPR) of the United States.
  • Student Exclusion: Students who (as of the date of the deadline) are currently enrolled in a fine arts degree program, have been enrolled in a fine arts degree program within the last 12 months, or are planning to attend a fine arts degree program in the coming year are NOT eligible.
  • Previous Winners: Previous recipients of a direct artist grant from Harpo are not eligible. (Note: Artists who were supported by an organizational grant through Harpo's former Project Grants program are eligible).

Program Benefits & Awards:

  • Grant Award: Awards are made up to $10,000. The number of awards is determined each year by the annual granting budget.
  • Flexibility: Grantees may use their award to support any activity toward the development of their artistic work.

Application Fee & Program Costs:

  • Application Fee: $15.00.
  • Fee Waivers: Artists experiencing financial hardship may request a fee waiver by submitting a written request to events@harpofoundation.org. (Note: Fee waivers MUST be requested BEFORE submitting your application).

Application Requirements:

Applicants must use the Foundation's online application system to submit:

  1. Artist Resume.
  2. Artist Statement: Up to 200 words.
  3. Work Samples: Up to 10 images.
    • File Formatting: All images MUST be formatted as .jpg files with the .jpg extension in the title. No other image formats are accepted.
    • File Size: Image size must be no larger than 2MB per image (images are viewed digitally and will not be printed).
    • Video/Audio: Accepted video file formats are .mp4 or .mov. Accepted audio file format is .mp3.

How to Apply?

Submit your application and required materials via the official Harpo Foundation online portal.

Key Dates:

  • Application Deadline: April 28, 2026, at 7:00 AM.
  • Notification: Grant decisions are usually announced no later than December 15.

Location:

United States.

Contact Information:

Fee Waiver Requests: events@harpofoundation.org