Deadline: 4 May 2018
VIA Art Fund is seeking applications for its grant programs that support Visionary Initiatives in Art. It is a nonprofit grantmaking organization and new model of philanthropy. As a national coalition of donors, fund international artists, nonprofit organizations, cultural institutions, art production platforms, and contemporary art biennials or festivals for the production, exhibition, public dissemination and institutional acquisition of ambitious and pioneering art projects and initiatives with far-reaching impact.
VIA Art Fund focuses its grantmaking on projects in the field of contemporary art that are mounted beyond traditional exhibition environments and take place outside the museum or gallery walls.
Core Values
- Artistic Production: VIA Art Fund champion the production of new work from creation to exhibition, documentation, and dissemination – that reflects artistic excellence and innovation. Whenever possible, they aim to support the production of long-term and permanent installations in the public realm.
- Thought Leadership: VIA Art Fund supports the work of both established and emerging voices in contemporary art that bring new knowledge and dynamic avenues of understanding to the field.
- Public Engagement: VIA Art Fund promotesworks that penetrate social, cultural, geographic and economic barriers to inspire and educate diverse audiences.
Types of Funding
VIA Art Fund awards funding within two grant categories:
- Artistic Production Support: Nonprofit organizations and institutions, as well as individual artists and curators, may apply for production support for new artistic commissions that take place outside the museum or gallery walls, and within the public realm or in nontraditional exhibition environments. Individual artists seeking production funding or the producing organizations must have a confirmed exhibition venue or presenting partner. Artistic Production funding ranges from $25,000 to $100,000 (can be lower than $25,000) per project, with grants at the $50,000 to $100,000 level reserved for permanent or long-term installations, or newly commissioned works that may be gifted to a U.S. public collection through VIA Art Fund’s support.
- Incubator Support: Under VIA Art Fund’s Incubator category, small to mid-sized nonprofit organizations and alternative initiatives that are pivotal in cultivating artistic excellence, addressing the art community’s evolving needs, and creating a more dynamic and inclusive contemporary art ecosystem may apply for unrestricted funding. Proposals considered under this category include experimental curatorial projects and exhibition series; discursive programming and public symposia; research and educational initiatives; innovative digital and new media platforms; publications and scholarly journals; and artist-in-residence programs.
Eligibility Criteria
- VIA Art Fund awards grants to artists, nonprofit organizations, cultural institutions, art production platforms, and biennials or festivals working in the field of contemporary art, in the United States and internationally.
- VIA may also award artist-direct grants for the production of new work. However, the project must have a confirmed exhibition venue in the United States.
- If the project takes place in the United States, the featured artist(s) may be American or international. If applicant is an international artist submitting a proposal, their project must take place in the United States. If applicant is a nonprofit entity (American or international) applying for support for a project outside the United States, their proposal must feature the work of American or U.S.-based artist(s) or curator(s).
- VIA Art Fund does not fund museum or gallery exhibitions their support is geared towards high-impact projects in non-traditional exhibition venues and those mounted in the public realm.
- Requests for Artistic Production support must have a confirmed exhibiting venue or presenting partner in the United States or abroad.
- Requests for Incubator support, in the form of discursive programming and/or publications, must have a confirmed venue or publisher.
- Projects must begin after their grant award notification dates.
- Previous grantees must wait two full years from the date of their last grant award to re-apply for funding. Previous applicants who did not receive support must wait one full year to re-apply. It is recommended that all previous applicants and grantees consult with VIA staff prior to submitting an LOI.
How to Apply
Applicants can apply via this website.
For more information, please visit VIA Art Fund.
