Organizer Information
Teiger Foundation is a private foundation founded in 2008 by New York-based collector and management consultant David Teiger (1929–2014), and is the only U.S. foundation dedicated exclusively to supporting contemporary art curators. The foundation expanded its grantmaking following the posthumous sale of Teiger's art collection, and now distributes several million dollars annually to curators working at institutions of all sizes across the United States. In its most recent cycle, the foundation awarded $7 million to 85 curators at institutions across the country and Puerto Rico. Teiger Foundation's mission centers on backing curatorial projects that push contemporary art in new directions, supporting curators' growth whether they work independently or in partnership with organizations.
Title & Description
Teiger Foundation Grants for Curators
Teiger Foundation offers grants for US-based, curator-led initiatives in contemporary visual art, supporting group exhibitions, single-artist surveys, community-engaged art projects, digital exhibitions, live and virtual performance in the context of visual arts, and emerging curatorial forms. The foundation funds four distinct grant categories: Hosting (offered quarterly, for presenting exhibitions or projects that originated elsewhere), Single Project (for public-facing projects led by curators at organizations of any size), Three Years of Programming (for organizations with an annual budget under $3.5 million), and Research (supporting the early, exploratory stages of a curatorial project). The foundation does not prioritize particular themes or project types, and supports both the development of new projects and the extension of existing ones.
Categories
- Curatorial
- Visual Arts
- Multimedia
- Performance
- Installation
- Public Art
- Video/Film
- Interdisciplinary Arts
- Art Management
- Research
- Environment
Eligibility
- Projects must be affiliated with an established 501(c)(3) art or cultural institution in the US or US territories
- Projects by individual artists, academic programs, endowments, capital campaigns, or projects not involving contemporary art are not funded
- Three Years of Programming category: organizations must have an annual operating budget below $3.5 million, with a minimum of $170,000
- Hosting category: the hosted project must be pre-existing (already created elsewhere); co-originated projects and projects originated internationally are eligible provided the host institution is US-based; only one Hosting grant may be awarded per calendar year per organization
- Applicants do not need to hold the formal title "Curator" if they perform a curatorial role
- Collaborative or partnership applications must designate one organization as lead applicant
- International partners are welcome on collaborative projects, provided the lead applicant is a US-based institution
Program Benefits & Awards
- Hosting grants: up to $75,000, offered four times a year
- Single Project grants: up to $150,000, offered every two years
- Three Years of Programming grants: up to $150,000 (disbursed in annual installments), offered every two years, for organizations with budgets under $3.5 million
- Curatorial Research and Development grants: up to $50,000 ($25,000 or $50,000 requested), offered every two years
- Climate Action for Curators: up to $25,000 in additional funding plus sustainability coaching support, available only to curators who have already received a Teiger Foundation grant
Application Fee
None
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Hosting category deadline: 9 December 2026
- Hosting-eligible project dates for this deadline: July 1, 2027 – June 30, 2028; notification March 2027
- Single Project, Three Years of Programming, and Research categories deadline: early 2027 (application portal opens fall 2026)
- Future Hosting deadlines: March 10, 2027 (notification June 2027); June 9, 2027 (notification September 2027)
Location
United States
Additional Details
- Applications in all categories require: a curator's reflection with up to five supporting links, a project description with up to ten images, a project budget, the organization's operating budget for the immediate past and current fiscal years, and proof of 501(c)(3) status
- Single Project grants may cover no more than 50% of a project's budgeted expenses; up to 30% of any grant may be used for indirect/overhead costs
- Three Years of Programming grants may cover no more than 15% of the organization's annual operating budget
- Research and Development grants may allocate up to 60% of the award to cover a curator's administrative/personnel costs while on research leave
- Robust artist fees are strongly recommended across all categories, with reference to W.A.G.E. standards; Hosting grant artists should be paid at least 50% of the standard full fee
- Triennials, biennials, internationals, and other large-scale exhibitions of that kind are not funded
- Climate Action for Curators cannot be applied to directly; participants are selected from the pool of existing grantees through a questionnaire and interview process