curatorial advancement grants

The creation of the Curatorial Advancement Grants program was based on feedback from our field research. In 2024, two separate grant programs - Peer Networks and Innovation - were combined to make a single program - Curatorial Advancement Grants. These opportunities offer a degree of flexibility and open possibilities within the field of contemporary art curation within the United States. As we receive feedback, we intend on iterating and evolving these programs over the coming years to ensure they align with the needs of curators.

Unified application - you select the focus of the request:

Peer Network Grant requests support peer network opportunities that advance curatorial knowledge and strengthen U.S. curatorial practices. We encourage curators to think beyond conferences and consider connections that will best advance their practice. These networks can be in-person or online, meet once or multiple times, require travel or be in the curator’s community.

Innovation Grants are designed to support a project, initiative or opportunity not previously explored in the local curatorial space, or an emerging trend that is under-resourced. Ideas are encouraged to disrupt 'business as usual' and aim to further discourse in contemporary art in the United States. Requests can be for specific projects or new ways of doing business. They can also be public facing or internal to an institution.

Grant terms will be up to one year with funding ranging from $500-$10,000 and no match is required. The grant can be used to leverage other grant opportunities.

Requests should be able to report an outcome within one year of receiving the grant. This outcome is set by the applicant and does not need to conclude the project, initiative or opportunity. Projects with an International scope must include a strategy for disseminating learnings within the U.S. (this could mean publishing an article, presenting at a conference, posting learnings on a website, recording a podcast, etc.)

The Foundation's focus is contemporary art. While curatorial position titles may be broader, applicants must be U.S.-based curators and have contemporary art at the core of their proposals.

Review Criteria:

Innovation focused requests

• Does the request support a project, initiative or opportunity not previously explored in the local curatorial space, support an emerging trend that is under-resourced, or offer a creative adaptation of a current practice?
• Does the request hold the potential for further use or adaptation or spur collaboration or field building?

Peer Network focused requests

• Does the request advance field connections and relationship building?
• Does the request promote the sharing of new ideas / field communications?

All requests

• Does the request focus on the advancement of curatorial knowledge?
• Does the request amount align with the proposal?