artist professional development grants

Artist Professional Development Grants promote the growth and development of visual art in Kentucky by helping improve the critical skills, resources, knowledge, and connections of fine artists.

APDG Grants support and forward artists’ careers by encouraging them to engage with the broader contemporary art world and raising the bar for art being produced in the region. Developing fine artists’ awareness of and participation in the national and international contemporary art world, this program aims to strengthen the level of critical discourse among artists in the state.

Grant Implementation Period: August 1, 2025 – February 28 2026

What We’re Looking For

This grant program aims primarily to strengthen the level of critical discourse and practice among fine artists in the region through travel that supports a growth in knowledge and engagement with contemporary art, and creates opportunities to build connections.

Applicable travel includes:

• To see contemporary art exhibitions, installations, performance art events, or visual art festivals outside of the region that can help the artist develop broader knowledge and critical engagement with contemporary art and its concerns
• To meet and engage with professional colleagues outside of the region for activities such as studio visits and meetings with critics and curators
• Travel outside of the region for participation or attendance at symposia, conferences, and seminars relating to the applicant’s practice
• To attend residencies whose primary programming connects artists with critics, curators, other artists, and professionals related to the artist’s practice

Preference is given to applicants who:

• Demonstrate that the travel will facilitate connections and strengthen their practice
• Have clear and demonstrable outcomes that are explained in their application
• Can outline how the travel is relevant to and will support their practice
• Are participants at a conference, seminar, or symposium

Restrictions

We will not consider applications who primary purpose is:

• Attendance at art classes, art courses, and workshops or travel focused on learning technical or craft skills
• Attendance at commercial art events such as art fairs (i.e. Art Basel Miami, Paris Photo, Frieze, etc) and fundraisers (i.e. Galas, Benefits)
• Want to better understand the difference between commercial and non-commercial art events? Click here to learn more.
• Searching for commercial gallery representation
• The exhibition of the artist’s work or the production of exhibitions
• The production of artwork or the development of a body of work
• To attend or study historical exhibitions or collections of work, or non-contemporary art-related practices
• Curatorial projects or research for the production of exhibitions
• To travel within the Great Meadows Foundation region

Notes

• While the foundation supports artist residencies this funding does not include costs for materials
• This program is not open to applications by arts organizations and institutions or commercial art outlets
• All applicants must apply individually unless otherwise approved by the foundation. Artists who are recognized as maintaining a collaborative art practice may pitch their proposal as a collaborative application to the foundation.
• Projects that begin before or after the grant implementation period are ineligible
• Applications to support the remainder of a project will not be considered

Applicants will be disqualified who:

• Fail to meet with the foundation prior to submitting.
• Request a meeting after the Prospective Applicant Meeting Deadline listed in the Grant Round Calendar
• Do not submit their application through the online application portal. Emailed applications will not be accepted.
• Without exception, late applications will not be accepted.