Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts – Grants Programme

Institution: The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts
Deadlines: 1 March & 1 September (annually)
Location: United States (primarily)

The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts awards over 100 grants annually to artists, curators, and arts organizations across the United States. The Foundation supports the advancement of contemporary visual arts through an artist-centered grantmaking programme focused on the production, presentation, and documentation of original work.

The programme funds a wide range of artistic activity, from grassroots initiatives at alternative spaces to major museum exhibitions, and supports all phases of the creative process—from conception and research to production, presentation, and publication. While the Foundation encourages experimental and risk-taking practices, funded projects must remain anchored in the visual arts.

The Foundation prioritises projects that challenge the status quo, expand contemporary art discourse, and support underrepresented artists and communities. Grants are awarded only to organisations with 501(c)(3) status. Projects specifically related to Andy Warhol’s life or work are not eligible.

Types of Grants

The Foundation offers three primary grant categories:

• Curatorial Research Fellowships

• Exhibition Support Grants

• Multiyear Program Grants

In addition, the Foundation runs:

• An invitational Regional Regranting Program

• Two ongoing Special Initiatives: Creative Capital and the Arts Writers Grant

Curatorial Research Fellowships

Curatorial Research Fellowships support scholarly research in the field of contemporary visual art. Curators at any stage of their career are eligible to apply, provided the proposal is submitted through a 501(c)(3) arts organisation and includes formal support from the organisation’s director.

• Grants of up to $50,000

• Intended for long-term research projects, often with significant travel

• Research is expected (but not required) to lead to a major exhibition

• Research outcomes do not need to be fully defined at the proposal stage

Eligible research expenses may include:

• Travel (transportation, accommodation, per diem)

• Roundtable discussions and convenings (including honoraria)

• Research assistants

• Recording, transcription, and translation

• Publications, subscriptions, and media

Salary replacement or academic course release costs are not eligible.

Eligibility and Priorities

• Applicants must be 501(c)(3) organisations (no fiscal sponsors accepted)

• Curators may apply at any career stage

• The Foundation encourages proposals highlighting women, artists of colour, and underrepresented practitioners

• Projects should engage with understudied topics and experimental or hard-to-categorise artistic practices

• The majority of grants are awarded to US-based organisations

Freedom of Artistic Expression Award

One grant is designated annually as The Wynn Kramarsky Freedom of Artistic Expression Award, recognising organisations committed to defending artists’ First Amendment rights. The Foundation welcomes proposals from artist-centered organisations that promote inclusive dialogue and reject all forms of bigotry.

Regional Regranting Program

The Regional Regranting Program operates by invitation only and partners with local arts organisations across 39 US cities and regions. These partners regrant funds to artists and collectives working outside traditional funding and presenting structures, supporting experimental, community-based, and public-facing projects.

Application Deadlines

Grant proposals from US-based organisations are reviewed twice a year:

• 1 March (notifications on 1 July)

• 1 September (notifications on 1 January)