Art Writers Grant Program welcomes applications

The Arts Writers grant.jpg

The application deadline is May 20, 11:59 EST

The Arts Writers grant supports both emerging and established writers who are writing about contemporary visual art. Ranging from $15,000 to $50,000 in four categories—articles, blogs, books and short-form writing—these grants support projects addressing both general and specialized art audiences, from scholarly studies to self-published blogs. We also support art writing that engages criticism through interdisciplinary methods or experiments with literary styles. As long as a writer meets the eligibility and publishing requirements, they can apply.

By “contemporary visual art,” we mean visual art made since World War II. Projects on post-WWII work in adjacent fields—architecture, design, film, performance, sound, experimental music, etc.—will only be considered if they directly and significantly engage the discourses and concerns of contemporary visual art. Projects with a pre-WWII component will only be considered if the project’s main focus is contemporary.

The Arts Writers Grant Program was founded in recognition of both the financially precarious situation of arts writers and their indispensable contribution to a vital artistic culture. It is funded by The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts and administered by Creative Capital.

We advocate for an inclusive community of writers and thinkers. With our open application, our jurors, and our grants, we make a concerted effort to support arts writing in its various forms, with the recognition of difference in gender, race, ethnicity, geography, age, ability, and experience.

To start the SlideRoom application click here.

We have an open application process; all writers who meet the eligibility requirements can apply. The general eligibility requirements are listed below. For specific requirements and writing sample instructions for each project type, click here.

We recommend reading the Application Guide (download PDF from sidebar) before filling out the online application. To view the application questions click here.

To be eligible for this grant, an arts writer must be

  • an individual;
  • applying for a project about contemporary visual art;
  • an art historian, artist, critic, curator, journalist, or a writer in an outside field who is strongly engaged with the contemporary visual arts;
  • a U.S. citizen, permanent resident of the United States, or holder of an O-1 visa (if your application advances to the final round, you will need to submit current documentation);
  • at least twenty-five years old;
  • a published author (specific publication requirements vary depending on grant category; see the project-specific eligibility requirements).

By “contemporary visual art,” we mean visual art made since World War II. Projects on post-WWII work in adjacent fields—architecture, dance, film, media, music, performance, sound, etc.—will only be considered if they directly and significantly engage the discourses and concerns of contemporary visual art. Projects with a pre-WWII component will only be considered if the main focus is contemporary.

An arts writer is NOT eligible for this grant if they are

  • applying on behalf of an organization;
  • applying for a project in which their primary involvement will be as an editor;
  • a full-time student in a degree-granting program (with the exception of those students who are simultaneously maintaining professional careers as arts writers);
  • an artist writing an interpretive essay on their own work;
  • an artist whose proposed project does not directly address contemporary visual art (a piece of writing by an artist does not automatically qualify as “arts writing” in this context);
  • applying for a project that is primarily poetry (including ekphrasis), fiction, or memoir;
  • applying for a project based on a PhD dissertation or MA thesis;
  • applying to conduct a Q&A interview (or series of Q&A interviews);
  • applying to assemble an archive or database;
  • applying for a project on Andy Warhol;
  • applying for a project that will be published by a commercial gallery;
  • a grantee of the Arts Writers Grant Program;
  • a current employee, consultant, board member, or funder of Creative Capital or the Andy Warhol Foundation, or an immediate family member of such a person.

Juror

The Arts Writers Grant Program assembles a team of outside jurors to evaluate applications and select grantees. The program’s two-tiered selection process includes evaluators and panelists, chosen for their expertise in the fields of contemporary visual art and arts writing.

More than 200 arts writers, curators, and scholars have been involved in the decision-making process as evaluators and panelists.