Artist Grants and Creative Opportunities
- 5 hours ago
- 3 min read
Funding should not be the thing that stops the work. Whether you are a visual artist refining your practice, a multidisciplinary creator building a larger body of work, or an independent creative looking for production support, there are real opportunities open right now with deadlines approaching. Below is a curated list of grants, residencies, and paid open calls. If you have been waiting for a sign to apply, this is it.
Creative Capital Award 2027 Cycle
Creative Capital
Application Opens: March 2
Deadline: April 2
Funding: Up to $50,000
Creative Capital supports bold, genre defying work across visual art, film, literature, performance, and socially engaged practice. Beyond funding, selected artists receive professional development and advisory support that can shift the trajectory of a career.
If you are developing an ambitious long form project and need substantial backing, this is one of the most respected awards in the country.
Kala Veterans Residency Program
Kala Art Institute
Deadline: March 1, 2026
Award: 1 to 4 month studio residency + $1,000 stipend
The Kala Veterans Residency supports U.S. military veterans across visual and interdisciplinary practices. The program includes 24 hour studio access, a funded workshop, community engagement, and housing support for artists traveling from outside the Bay Area.
Location: Berkeley, California
Eligibility: National
Red Hen Press Book Award
Red Hen Press
Award: $3,000 + publication
Deadline: Open submission cycle
Red Hen Press is seeking novels, memoir, creative nonfiction, hybrid works, and poetry collections of exceptional literary merit. Selected work receives a $3,000 award and publication.
Grants for Arts Projects
National Endowment for the Arts
Deadline: February 25
Funding: $10,000 minimum
The National Endowment for the Arts funds impactful projects across the United States. While primarily awarded to nonprofit organizations, independent artists can apply through fiscal sponsorship or institutional partnerships.
For artists producing public programming, exhibitions, or community centered initiatives, this funding can significantly expand scale and reach.
Harpo Foundation Grants for Visual Artists
The Harpo Foundation
Deadline: March 1
Funding: Up to $10,000
The Harpo Foundation supports under recognized visual artists who are advancing their practice. The grant provides direct financial support for exhibitions and projects that increase visibility and professional momentum.
If you are building toward institutional recognition or larger exhibitions, this is a strategic opportunity.
Artist Grant
Deadline: March 15
Award: $1,200
Application Fee: $30
Eligibility: International
Online Only
Artist Grant awards an unrestricted 1,200 grant to one visual artist three times each year. Open to artists 18 and older working in photography, drawing, mixed media, painting, and sculpture.
Film, video, music, theater, and dance are not eligible.
Kala Fellowship Grants & Fellowships
Kala Art Institute
Deadline: March 1
Application Fee: $25
Eligibility: International
Kala awards fellowships to artists across photography, film and new media, mixed media, painting, sculpture, drawing, and craft based on conceptual strength and artistic excellence. The 2026 to 2027 program runs July through June and includes residency access and exhibition opportunities.
Artists enrolled in degree granting programs during the fellowship period are not eligible for the Fellowship but may apply for the Artist in Residence track.
Adolph and Esther Gottlieb Foundation Individual Support Grant
Adolph and Esther Gottlieb Foundation
Deadline: March 15
Funding: Up to $25,000
This grant provides substantial financial assistance to mature painters, printmakers, and sculptors with demonstrated financial need. It is one of the more significant unrestricted support grants available to established visual artists.
If you have a long term studio practice and need serious financial relief to continue your work, this grant is worth careful consideration.
Foundation for Contemporary Arts Emergency Grants
Foundation for Contemporary Arts
Rolling Deadline
Funding: Up to $2,500
The Foundation for Contemporary Arts offers quick turnaround emergency grants for artists who encounter unexpected opportunities or urgent project related costs.
If you receive a last minute exhibition invitation, travel opportunity, or production expense and need immediate funding, this program exists for that exact moment.
Spector Craft Prize for Emerging Artists
Spector Craft Prize
Deadline: March 1, 2026
Award: $10,000 + mentorship
Five early career artists working in ceramics, textiles, woodworking, glass, metalwork, basketry, or paper arts will receive $10,000 and professional development support.
If one of these opportunities aligns with your practice, apply.
We will continue publishing curated funding lists that are transparent, credible, and worth your time. If there are grants or residencies we should include next, reach out.
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