The [Seattle Prize](https://seattleprize.org/home) is a patronage-style program funded through the Conru Art Foundation (CAF), and is opening applications for the second cohort of artists. The program allows up to 15 selected artists to paint in a state-of-the-art studio in Seattle’s iconic Pioneer Square, and also provides subsidized housing near Pike Place Market.

“Most painters spend eighty percent of their time worrying about money and only twenty percent creating. By providing stable income and removing financial stress, we enable artists to take creative risks and develop their full potential,” said **Andrew Conru, founder of the Conru Art Foundation and the Seattle Prize**. “This program is built on the belief that art has the power to unite and heal through the beauty, truth and love that the artists share through their craft.”

The first cohort of artists includes [seven painters](https://seattleprize.org/artists) who are already in residence with full living stipends, and access to 10,000 square feet of professional studio space. To document the experience, an Emmy-winning documentary crew is on-site weekly, capturing the journey from first brushstroke to finished masterwork — including the early failures, revisions, breakthroughs, and discipline the public rarely gets to see.

**The Fellowship Includes:**

*   Living Stipend: Competitive annual salary allows fellows to focus entirely on their work.
    
*   Discounted Housing: Reduced-cost living arrangements in Seattle.
    
*   Professional Studio Space: 10,000 sq ft facility at Occidental Fine Arts in Pioneer Square.
    
*   Materials and Equipment: Professional-grade art supplies provided.
    
*   Documentary Coverage: Emmy-winning crew captures the creative journey weekly.
    
*   Exhibition Opportunities: Regular showcases and potential museum placements.
    
*   Applications Open Feb. 16, 2026.
    

[**Jackson Wrede**](https://seattleprize.org/artist/Jackson), one of the artists participating in the first cohort, made the move to Seattle from Michigan last year for the opportunity the Seattle Prize offers to focus on his craft.

“Being a commission painter, I am on this treadmill where I'm constantly painting things that other people want as a means to pay the bills. Taking this opportunity has given me the chance to move away from the commercial and market pressures and live in a world where making the best art is the primary motive,” Wrede said. “It has been a cool and beautiful experience. It’s the biggest thing I have ever done in my life.”

Conru explains that the Seattle Prize program tests whether comprehensive patronage—modeled on the historic Medici tradition—can enable artists to create modern masterworks for the permanent public collection. As part of the program, all works from the artists remain publicly owned and will eventually be part of a gallery exhibition in Seattle.

Applications for the 2026 cohort open on Feb. 16, 2026. The program seeks post-atelier representational painters committed to technical excellence and humanistic expression. CAF's goal is to drive significant awareness and a large applicant pool to prove the demand for serious patronage.

Add

Conru Art Foundation

Opportunities

For Artists

ArtConnect

Support