Deadline: 24-May-21
The VIA Art Fund is inviting applications for the 2021 Artistic Production Grant Program to support new artistic commissions that take place outside museum or gallery walls, within the public realm, or in nontraditional exhibition environments.
Artistic Production Grants are awarded to projects that best exemplify the three core values:
- Artistic Production: They champion the production of new work – from creation to exhibition, documentation, and dissemination – that reflects artistic excellence and innovation. When possible, VIA Artistic Production grants are made with the intention to gift the work to a US-based cultural organization, ensuring that VIAfunded artworks live on to encounter new audiences under the stewardship of public institutions.
- Thought Leadership: They support the work of both established and emerging voices in contemporary art that bring new knowledge and dynamic avenues of understanding to the field. The creative output of these thought leaders generates entry points for dialogue and collaboration and fosters vital intellectual exchange.
- Public Engagement: They promote work that penetrates social, cultural, geographic, and economic barriers to inspire and educate diverse and expanded audiences. These initiatives act as platforms for inquiry and investigation, generating meaningful collective experiences for the public.
Funding Information
- Artistic Production funding ranges from $25,000 to $100,000 (can be lower than $25,000) per project, with grants at the upper levels of funding reserved for permanent or long-term installations, or newly commissioned works that may be gifted to a U.S. public collection.
Eligibility Criteria
- VIA 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 does not fund museum or gallery exhibitions. The support is geared towards high-impact artistic commissions presented in non-traditional exhibition venues and those mounted in the public realm.
- Projects must have a confirmed artist or artist list (described in the LOI).
- Project must have a confirmed exhibition venue.
- If the project takes place in the United States, the featured artist(s) may be American or international. If the artist is international, then the project must take place in the United States. If you are a nonprofit entity (American or international) applying for support for a project outside the United States, your proposal must feature the work of a U.S.-based artist(s).
- Projects must begin after the grant award notification dates.
- Organizations applying must provide proof of nonprofit status.
- Previous grantees must wait three 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.
Application Process
The application process for Artistic Production Grants unfolds in four stages:
- If you are eligible for an Artistic Production grant, then you may submit a Letter of Inquiry (LOI) for either their fall or spring deadlines.
- Projects of interest are invited to submit a formal application.
- Applications from invited artists and organizations will be reviewed during their Partners Meetings.
- Final award notifications will be sent no more than two weeks following their partners meeting and funds dispersed according to the funding timeline outlined in the project’s grant agreement.
For more information, visit https://bit.ly/35I364r