Applications open for Terra Foundation Convening Grants

Deadline: 28-Sep-2026

The Terra Foundation Convening Grants support conversations, symposia and workshops that advance interdisciplinary and intercultural exchange on the visual arts of the United States and Indigenous arts of North America. The programme funds convenings that promote knowledge sharing, relationship building, inclusive histories and new interpretive frameworks in the field of American art.

Funding ranges from $10,000 to $25,000 and is available to eligible nonprofit organizations worldwide. Eligible applicants include arts centers, community-based cultural organizations, foundations, museums, research centers and universities with United States 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status or an international equivalent.

Grant Overview

The Terra Foundation Convening Grants support gatherings that bring people together to discuss, study and reinterpret American art and Indigenous arts of North America.

The grants are designed for conversations, symposia and workshops that encourage meaningful exchange among artists, scholars, cultural workers, institutions and communities.

The programme supports both local and global networks and encourages new ways of understanding American art histories.

Main Objective

The main objective of the Terra Foundation Convening Grants is to support knowledge exchange and relationship building in the field of American art.

The programme aims to:

• Support interdisciplinary conversations
• Encourage intercultural exchange
• Share research in American art
• Expand professional practice
• Deepen and challenge existing narratives
• Support inclusive histories
• Strengthen relationships among artists, scholars and communities
• Generate new interpretive frameworks
• Promote diverse perspectives in American art
• Advance dialogue on Indigenous arts of North America

Key Focus Areas

The grants focus on American art, Indigenous arts and inclusive knowledge production.

Key focus areas include:

• Visual arts of the United States
• Indigenous arts of North America
• American art history
• Interdisciplinary exchange
• Intercultural dialogue
• Research sharing
• Professional practice
• Inclusive histories
• Diverse voices
• Critical issues in American art
• Artist-scholar-community engagement
• Interpretive frameworks
• Knowledge sharing
• Relationship building

What the Grants Support

The programme supports convenings that bring together targeted audiences for serious dialogue and exchange.

Supported formats include:

• Conversations
• Symposia
• Workshops
• Research gatherings
• Professional convenings
• Interdisciplinary meetings
• Intercultural exchange events
• Virtual convenings
• Hybrid convenings
• In-person convenings

Convenings may be at early planning stages or more advanced project phases.

Eligible Project Stages

The Terra Foundation supports convenings at different stages of development.

Eligible stages may include:

• Early planning
• Project design
• Partnership development
• Advanced planning
• Implementation
• Post-event dissemination

This flexibility allows organizations to apply whether they are developing a new idea or preparing to deliver a more fully formed convening.

Eligible Formats

The grants support multiple formats.

Eligible formats include:

• In-person events
• Virtual events
• Hybrid events

Applicants should choose the format that best supports the goals, participants, accessibility needs and intended outcomes of the convening.

Funding Available

Funding support ranges from $10,000 to $25,000.

Grant funds may support planning and implementation costs connected to the convening.

Up to $5,000 of the grant may be used to support the publication of proceedings or related project materials within one year of the event.

Eligible Expenses

Grant funds may be used for reasonable costs related to planning, delivery and dissemination.

Eligible expenses may include:

• Professional fees
• Honoraria
• Artist fees
• Travel
• Audiovisual support
• Interpretation services
• Translation services
• Catering
• Research dissemination
• Marketing
• Outreach
• Administrative costs
• Indirect costs
• Publication of proceedings
• Related project materials

Applicants should ensure that all costs are directly connected to the convening’s goals and activities.

Publication Support

Up to $5,000 of the grant may support the publication of proceedings or related project materials.

These materials must be produced within one year of the event.

Publication support can help extend the impact of the convening by making knowledge, discussions and findings available to wider scholarly, professional or community audiences.

Who is Eligible?

The Terra Foundation invites proposals from eligible nonprofit organizations worldwide.

Eligible applicants may include:

• Arts centers
• Community-based cultural organizations
• Foundations
• Museums
• Research centers
• Universities

Applicants must have United States 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status or an international equivalent.

Grants are not available to individuals.

Geographic Eligibility

Organizations worldwide may apply.

Applicants do not need to be based in the United States, provided they meet nonprofit status requirements and the project aligns with the programme’s focus on American art or Indigenous arts of North America.

Recent Terra Grant Restriction

Organizations that received a Terra grant within the previous year or within the previous two grant cycles are not eligible.

Applicants should check their recent funding history with the Terra Foundation before applying.

What the Programme Does Not Support

The programme is intended for scholarly, professional and targeted audiences.

It does not support:

• General public events
• Festivals
• Residencies
• Travel grants
• Commercial projects
• Individual applications

Applicants should ensure that the proposed convening has a clear research, professional, scholarly or field-building purpose.

American Art and Indigenous Arts Focus

The programme focuses on the visual arts of the United States and Indigenous arts of North America.

Projects should engage deeply with American art histories, artistic practices, interpretive questions or cultural contexts.

Strong proposals may explore how American art is shaped by diverse communities, historical narratives, Indigenous perspectives, transnational connections, social change and evolving scholarship.

Interdisciplinary and Intercultural Exchange

The Terra Foundation encourages projects that bring together different disciplines, perspectives and cultural contexts.

Interdisciplinary exchange may involve connections between art history, visual culture, Indigenous studies, museum practice, community knowledge, cultural studies, history, education, conservation or curatorial practice.

Intercultural exchange may involve dialogue among artists, scholars, communities, institutions and cultural traditions.

Inclusive Histories and Expansive Narratives

The grants support projects that transform how American art stories are explored and presented.

This includes convenings that:

• Expand the field of American art
• Include overlooked voices
• Challenge narrow art historical narratives
• Address historical and contemporary issues
• Support critical dialogue
• Generate new interpretive methods
• Engage communities in knowledge production
• Build more inclusive frameworks for understanding art

Why This Grant Matters

American art is shaped by many histories, communities, movements and cultural relationships.

Traditional narratives have often excluded or underrepresented important voices, including Indigenous artists, communities of color, local cultural workers and non-dominant perspectives.

The Terra Foundation Convening Grants matter because they support structured conversations that help the field ask better questions, build stronger relationships and create more inclusive approaches to American art.

By funding symposia, workshops and conversations, the programme helps organizations generate knowledge that can influence scholarship, exhibitions, interpretation, teaching and public understanding.

Expected Results

Funded convenings may contribute to:

• New research insights
• Stronger professional networks
• Deeper intercultural dialogue
• Inclusive art historical frameworks
• Expanded understanding of American art
• Stronger engagement with Indigenous arts of North America
• New partnerships among institutions and communities
• Publication of proceedings or related materials
• Improved interpretation of American art histories
• Greater visibility for diverse voices and perspectives

How to Apply or Prepare a Strong Proposal

Applicants should prepare a clear proposal that explains the convening’s purpose, audience, participants, format and contribution to the field.

Step 1: Confirm Organizational Eligibility

Applicants should confirm that they are an eligible organization with United States 501(c)(3) status or an international equivalent.

Individuals are not eligible to apply.

Step 2: Check Recent Terra Grant History

Organizations should confirm that they have not received a Terra grant within the previous year or within the previous two grant cycles.

This is an important eligibility condition.

Step 3: Define the Convening Topic

The proposal should clearly explain the central topic or question.

The topic should relate to the visual arts of the United States or Indigenous arts of North America.

It should also show how the convening will deepen, challenge or expand stories and voices in the field.

Step 4: Identify the Audience

The programme is intended for scholarly, professional and targeted audiences.

Applicants should define who will participate and why they are the right audience for the convening.

Step 5: Design the Format

Applicants should choose whether the convening will be in-person, virtual or hybrid.

The format should support accessibility, meaningful exchange and the goals of the project.

Step 6: Build an Interdisciplinary or Intercultural Approach

A strong proposal should show how different perspectives will be brought into dialogue.

Applicants should identify artists, scholars, community members, cultural workers or institutions that will contribute to the exchange.

Step 7: Explain the Field Contribution

The proposal should explain how the convening will generate knowledge, strengthen relationships or create new interpretive frameworks.

Applicants should show why the conversation matters now and how it will benefit the field of American art.

Step 8: Prepare a Realistic Budget

Applicants may request between $10,000 and $25,000.

The budget should clearly connect expenses to planning, implementation, access, participation, dissemination and administration.

Step 9: Plan Dissemination

Applicants should explain how learning from the convening will be shared.

This may include proceedings, digital materials, reports, recordings, publications or other project-related outputs.

Up to $5,000 may be used for publication of proceedings or related materials within one year of the event.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Applicants should avoid the following mistakes:

• Applying as an individual
• Applying without nonprofit status or international equivalent
• Proposing a general public event instead of a scholarly or professional convening
• Submitting a festival, residency, travel grant or commercial project
• Failing to connect the project to American art or Indigenous arts of North America
• Providing weak explanation of interdisciplinary or intercultural exchange
• Not defining the target audience
• Submitting a vague convening topic
• Ignoring recent Terra grant restrictions
• Requesting funds outside the $10,000 to $25,000 range
• Failing to explain how knowledge will be shared after the event

Tips for a Strong Application

A strong application should:

• Clearly focus on American art or Indigenous arts of North America
• Show how the convening expands or challenges existing narratives
• Include meaningful interdisciplinary or intercultural exchange
• Identify a clear scholarly, professional or targeted audience
• Demonstrate strong participant relevance
• Explain expected outcomes
• Include a realistic budget
• Address accessibility and participation needs
• Plan for dissemination of knowledge
• Show how the convening will build relationships and support inclusive histories

FAQ

1. What are Terra Foundation Convening Grants?

Terra Foundation Convening Grants support conversations, symposia and workshops focused on the visual arts of the United States and Indigenous arts of North America.

2. How much funding is available?

Funding ranges from $10,000 to $25,000.

3. Who can apply?

Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations worldwide, such as arts centers, community-based cultural organizations, foundations, museums, research centers and universities.

4. Are individuals eligible?

No. Grants are not available to individuals.

5. What types of activities are supported?

The grants support scholarly, professional and targeted convenings, including conversations, symposia and workshops in in-person, virtual or hybrid formats.

6. Can grant funds support publications?

Yes. Up to $5,000 may support the publication of proceedings or related project materials within one year of the event.

7. What projects are not supported?

The programme does not support general public events, festivals, residencies, travel grants or commercial projects.

Conclusion

The Terra Foundation Convening Grants support meaningful dialogue, research exchange and relationship building around American art and Indigenous arts of North America.

With funding of $10,000 to $25,000, the programme helps eligible nonprofit organizations worldwide organise conversations, workshops and symposia that expand the field, challenge existing narratives and support inclusive histories.

Applicants should prepare focused proposals that demonstrate strong relevance to American art, clear audience goals, interdisciplinary or intercultural exchange, realistic budgeting and a plan to share knowledge beyond the convening.

For more information, visit Terra Foundation for American Art.