Grants & Prizes for US-based Artists
Check out our list of the top upcoming grants and awards for artists based in the United States. Whether you are a photographer, painter, performer, or something in between, we have the best current funding opportunities listed for you.
The Better Angels Society — Lavine Fellowship
Established in 2021, The Better Angels Lavine Fellowship supports compelling documentaries that represent the full range of U.S. history and are well-positioned to benefit from customized membership. The fellowship creates a community where filmmakers gain expertise from seasoned industry leaders and share skills to collectively deepen their craft.
Reward: $5,000 prize and fellowhip program
The Protopian Prize is a fiction contest inviting you to share your vision of people working toward liberatory futures, meeting obstacles, and making real change. In 2026, they will present prizes in two categories: The Protopian Prize for Public AI and The Protopian Prize for Democratic Futures.
Reward: $5,000 prize and publication
AXS Lab — Film Fund 2026
This initiative supports documentary filmmakers and nonfiction new media creators from diverse backgrounds who navigate the challenges of living with a disability. Their goal is to provide a space for talented storytellers whose work and perspectives are frequently underrepresented in the industry. While they encourage submissions from projects where a disabled creator holds a key leadership role, they welcome applications from all collaborative teams.
Reward: $10,000 grant
Wolfgang Tillmans, Keep Movin’, images courtesy of the artist and Regen Projects. Photos by Evan Bedford.
This grant is available to a MFA graduate in Visual Art who is a US resident and graduated May of 2025 or later. Candidates must demonstrate a strong research-based practice that responds to contemporary contexts. Multidisciplinary and conceptual artists working in mediums including, but not limited to, drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, printmaking, textile, installation, performance, sound, video, and new media are encouraged to apply.
Reward: $1,000 grant
Artadia — Awards 2026
The Artadia Awards provide financial support, exposure and recognition to artists. The awards are unrestricted, allowing artists to use the funds in any way they choose. Each year, an open-call application is made available in each of the seven active partner cities: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York City, and San Francisco Bay Area.
Rewards: $15,000 in funding
Textile Month — 2026 Dorothy Waxman International Textile Design Prize
The 12th edition of the Dorothy Waxman International Textile Design Prize will be awarded to a current or recently graduated student in Textiles or Fashion who exhibits sustainable thinking and innovative creativity in textiles. The prize is part of the TALKING TEXTILES initiative that promotes textile education and creativity.
Rewards: $5,000 prize
James Renwick Alliance for Craft — The Chrysalis Award
This award was created by the James Renwick Alliance for Craft to support and inspire emerging craft artists in the United States. Eligible applicants are those who are in the early stages of their professional artistic careers—regardless of age—and who have completed their training within the past five years. This year’s award will recognize an emerging artist working in ceramics.
Rewards: $5,000 award
Ang Ziqi Zhang, Unfixer, Images courtesy of Silke Lindner, New York
Liu Shiming Art Foundation — Artist Grant 2026
Designed to support the work of visual artists during the first decade of their careers, the Liu Shiming Artist Grants support the creation or completion of new projects that explore the interplay between traditional cultural or historical influences and contemporary artistic practice. Visual artists who have been working for at least two years (but not more than 10 years) are invited to apply for a grant in support of a current or new project.
Rewards: $5,000 grant
Earth Partner — The 2026 Earth Partner Prize
The 2026 Earth Partner Prize is an open call that generates conversations around the urgent need for ecological justice. It is specifically designed for artists aged 14-30 to encourage youth engagement leading up to COP in November, and to ensure the voices of younger generations are heard. Art Partner invites artists and creatives of all nationalities, races, genders and faiths, between 14 and 30 years of age, to submit work that responds to and creates conversations around the urgent need for climate action.
Reward: Cash prizes of $10,000, $5,000, or $2,000
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