Exhibition Grants
“Peaking” an exhibition of work by Oregon artist Rick Silva at Oregon Contemporary, 2022. Courtesy Oregon Contemporary. Photo: Mario Gallucci.
Support for those who support artists
Umpqua Valley Arts Association exhibition catalog (page featuring Glide artist Renee Couture) for “Rural.”
Exhibition and documentation support
Grant funding is available for the curation, preparation and traveling of exhibitions of works by established Oregon visual artists, as well as the production of catalogs and other materials. Specifically, grant funds may be used to underwrite an exhibition, including:
- Curatorial, registrar and installation services
- Artist fees
- Crating and shipping
- Artist visitation
- Curriculum programs
Funds may also be used to produce quality printed or electronic materials, including:
- Critical writing
- Editing
- Photography and filming
- Printing and distribution of work
Application process
Applications for these grants are extended by invitation only. Please reach out via the contact form below if you’d like to be considered. We support organizations with or without non-profit status, including artist-run spaces. Applications are made available each year in November, with selections announced in February.
“Weaving Data,” exhibition at Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art at PSU, 2023. Courtesy JSMA at PSU. Photo: Mario Gallucci.
“Midnight at High Noon,” an exhibition at Ditch Projects by Jessie Rose Valla, 2017. Photo: Ditch Projects
Case study: Artist-run exhibition space
About 10 years ago, Eugene artist Mike Bray and a group of fellow MFA students from the University of Oregon began looking for a venue to show contemporary art from around the country. Display space is rare, and they had nearly given up when Bray (a 2013 Hallie Ford Fellow in the Visual Arts) stumbled on a warehouse section near downtown Springfield. Nondescript from the outside, the warehouse, part of an old lumber mill, opened up to a massive space with rustic charm.
Funding details and selection criteria
Funding details
- Up to $50,000 (not to exceed 75% of total project budget). Most awards and project budgets will be significantly smaller than this.
- Priority will be given to projects that expand or improve the position of Oregon artists within the applicant’s traditional program. These proposals will describe advancements in scale, presentation and/or reach.
- Priority will be given to projects with a strong, diverse funding plan that will support the completion of the entire project as outlined in the application.
- Awards will be made in one fiscal year but may include expenses and activities in the following.
- Project oversight expenses/indirect costs will not be funded (i.e. staffing and administration not related to the program).
Selection criteria
- The applicant must be an organization focused on the exhibition, preservation and/or creation of visual art.
- Applicants must have a proven track record of mounting original and/or hosting traveling exhibitions.
- The project must be feasible and one that will advance an organization’s ability to originate or host exhibitions and care for works of art, and/or support the creation of new work.
- Applicant organizations must have current 501(c)(3) public charity status from the IRS, be a governmental entity or be a federally recognized tribe to apply through the Foundation’s website. Artist-run or other organizations without 501(c)(3) status should apply through our partnership with the Portland Institute of Contemporary Art.