New Contemporary Art Grant Program Announced

Funding opportunities are for the Visual Arts and Expressive Arts, and the application deadline is Jan. 15, 2008. The Visual Arts Program will fund exhibitions, installations, publications and critical writing that interpret and present the work of contemporary Native visual artists to the public and encourage dialogue and critical commentary. The amount of each award will range from $7,500 to $15,000 per project. The criteria for selection will be based on the artistic and programmatic merit of the project, the ability to reach a diverse audience and the nature and extent of interpretation. Nonprofit or education-based organizations are encouraged to apply.

The Expressive Arts Program will fund the creation and presentation of new works (or existing but never-performed works) by Native artists, with particular emphasis on collaboration. Artists may create presentations that include music, dance, spoken word, electronic media, film and video, costume design, mask making, set design, performance art, photography, painting and other forms of expression. Selected artists will receive grants of up to $10,000.

The scope of the projects and their overall merit, as well as the number of applicants, will determine the size of the grant awards. Awards will be announced March 15, 2008. Grants are effective from May 1, 2008 through April 30, 2009. This program is made possible with the generous support from the Ford Foundation’s IllumiNation grant program. -- www.nmai.si.edu