Artist Funding Opportunities August 2025: Over $600K+ Available
- Forbidden Fruit
- Aug 1
- 8 min read
Funding Opportunities for Artists: August 2025
As summer winds down, artists are positioning themselves for one of the year's most productive funding cycles. This guide features over $600K in funding opportunities for artists that can fuel projects, provide creative breathing room, and open doors to new artistic territories. From emergency support when you need it most to game-changing project money and immersive creative experiences, these opportunities help artists transition from summer momentum into fall with solid support.
Late summer is the perfect time for artists to secure funding that will carry their work through year's end and into 2026. Whether you're wrapping up current projects, launching something new, or seeking valuable creative experiences, this comprehensive guide to artist funding opportunities in August 2025 provides the foundation for continued artistic growth.
Remember:
Read the full guidelines – Requirements can change from year to year.
Check eligibility – Many grants have location or discipline-specific criteria.
Prepare your materials early – Some applications require work samples, proposals, or letters of recommendation.
Grants to Fund Your Creative Work
August delivers everything from major project grants to targeted support for underrepresented artists, plus emergency assistance when unexpected challenges arise.
August Deadlines
August 1: The Ellis-Beauregard Foundation Project Grant – Five $10,000 grants for Maine artists across all genres, giving recipients serious funding for ambitious creative work.
August 1: Leeway Foundation Art and Change Grant – Provides grants up to $2,500 for art addressing social change by women, trans, and/or gender nonconforming artists and cultural producers in Greater Philadelphia.
August 4: 2025/2026 Creative Arts Grant Program – Bothell, Washington awards $500-$10,000 for innovative projects that showcase artistic diversity and build community. Projects need public events accessible to residents and must wrap up by December 2026.
August 7: California Cultural Districts – Certified cultural districts receive state certification, branding materials, technical assistance, and $5,000 annual stipends for two years to support pilot program participation.
August 10: Grants for Individual Artists of all Disciplines – IACA Mini-Grants averaging $250 assist U.S. artists with supplies, recordings, studio time, exhibits, performances, and project expenses across all creative disciplines.
August 13: QEST Emerging Maker Grants – UK organization supports makers and conservators at various career stages with grants ranging from £3,000-£12,000, strengthening the pipeline of talented craft professionals in contemporary and traditional practices.
August 15: CALI Catalyst – Center for Cultural Innovation provides unrestricted grants up to $7,500 to California changemakers creating tangible impact by shifting power to underrepresented voices in arts and culture.
August 31: Liu Shiming Artist Grant – Supports early career visual artists with $5,000 grants for those who received studio arts degrees between 2015-2023 or had debut shows during this period.
August 31: ETC Performing Arts Funding Grant Program – Awards $5,000 cash grants to U.S.-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit performance groups supporting arts throughout the United States.
August 31: The Ian Parry PhotoJournalism Grant – International competition offering £10,000 to photographers 24 and under or full-time photography students for proposed projects, requiring portfolio submission of 12 images.
Rolling Deadlines
Musicians Foundation Grants – Offers one-time financial assistance to professional musicians across all genres facing unexpected hardships including medical situations, natural disasters, or housing crises.
Gottlieb Foundation Emergency Grants – Provides interim financial assistance (typically $5,000, up to $15,000) to qualified painters, printmakers, and sculptors facing unforeseen catastrophic incidents.
Foundation for Contemporary Arts Emergency Grants – Offers immediate, project-based assistance ranging from $500-$3,000 (average $1,900) to artists living and working anywhere in the United States.
Adobe Creative Residency Community Fund – Commissions visual artists for company projects with awards between $500-$5,000, plus a separate $10,000 fund for creators during extraordinary hardship.
Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grant – Welcomes applications from painters, sculptors, and artists working on paper with grants up to $50,000 intended for one year.
Open Calls for Exhibitions & Competitions
August's exhibition scene ranges from international competitions to major public art commissions, giving artists multiple paths to significant visibility and career momentum.
August Deadlines
August 2: Golden Celebration Organization: South Delta Artists Guild – $2,300 cash prize competition open to all 2D artists in Canada, with exhibition running September 5-28, 2025.
August 3: Chicago Sculpture International 2025 Biennale – Explores material interplay in sculpture through freestanding, wall-hung, interactive, installation, and video formats, welcoming open interpretations of material substance themes.
August 6: Street Photography Awards 2025 – LensCulture offers international recognition, career-changing opportunities, cash awards, NYC group show, and community participation. Free entry option available for single images.
August 7: Hornsby Art Prize – Australian competition with $23,000 prize pool including $10,000 major prize and $5,000 Local Artist Award for painting, drawing, printmaking, photography, and sculpture. Open to all Australian residents 18+.
August 8: Baton Rouge Community College Nursing & Allied Health – $170,000 budget for public art commission integrating with new 92,800-square-foot healthcare building façade, seeking professional artists with large-scale installation experience.
August 8: 2026 Art on the Outside Temporary Art Project – West Hollywood invites U.S.-based artists, curators, and nonprofits for temporary public art at city-owned locations, including sculptures, murals, digital projections, and performance art.
August 8: No Apologies: National Call for Entry – Celebrates womxn and femme artists who reject containment through functional or sculptural work, embracing wild, messy, defiant aesthetic rebellion against traditional expectations.
August 10: Call for Public Art: Fire Station #4, Ann Arbor – $75,000 budget for fire station-themed artwork at new facility, offering two potential locations with completion expected Fall 2026.
August 10: Artistonish Magazine 61st Issue – International publication opportunity in contemporary art magazine with global exposure, prestigious certificates, and extensive online and social media reach.
August 11: Buck O'Neil Bridge Skate Park – Kansas City public art integration into skate park design with $3,000 design stipends for 2-5 semifinalists advancing to proposal phase.
August 15: Open Call: Academic Book Showcase – The Latinx Project organizes interdisciplinary showcase of academic books published within last three years for second print media fair.
August 17: ALTERLIFE Open Call – Fully funded three-month residency split between Rupert (Vilnius) and Sonic Acts (Amsterdam) with research presentations and exhibitions at both locations.
August 18: City of Loveland, CO - HIP Streets – Public artwork opportunities throughout 5 downtown blocks during utility infrastructure upgrades, seeking professional artists for engaging sculptural installations.
August 18: The Holy Art Gallery Madrid – International group exhibition (September 3-6, 2025) in Madrid's heart, welcoming all mediums with free application and limited spots encouraging early submissions.
August 28: Open Call: Exhibit at NAE! – Up to £25,000 budget for Global Ethnic Majority artists and creative practitioners at leading UK contemporary art space focused on equity, creativity, and social change.
August 31: Woodward/Newman Award – $3,000 cash prize plus full Constellation Mainstage production for best unpublished play, honoring Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward's theatrical legacy.
August 31: Call for Proposals, Atrium 2026 – Incinerator Gallery offers $1,000 fee, 8-week exhibition, curatorial assistance, marketing support, and public program development for sculptural and spatial practices.
Residencies & Fellowships: Time and Space to Create
Late summer residencies offer unique opportunities to shift gears creatively, develop new work, and connect with artistic communities during this reflective season.
August Deadlines
August 1: Ellis-Beauregard Foundation Artist Resident Program – Inaugural program at Maine coastal campus offers 1, 2, and 6-month residencies to artists of any discipline with $2,000 stipends in a supportive creative environment.
August 1: Fall Residency on Vancouver Island – The Ou Gallery provides warm, nature-filled space for independent, process-based residency supporting artists and writers seeking decompression, inspiration, and creative renewal.
August 8: Atlantic Center for the Arts – Immersive, interdisciplinary three-week Mentorship residency (October 5-25, 2025) featuring Emmy-nominated writer Fatimah Asghar, choreographer Molissa Fenley, and Grammy-nominated musician Jeremy Kittel. Generous scholarships available.
August 8: Art on the Block NYC 2026 Residency – Five-week NYC storefront residency (107 West 86th Street) with $6,000 stipend, transforming space into studio and public viewing area while facilitating community programming.
August 9: James Castle House Artist Residency – Open to emerging and mid-career artists across all fields, providing private furnished living quarters, studio access, and stipends for living expenses and materials.
August 10: Powerhouse Arts Artist-in-Residence Program – NYC program supporting historically underrepresented artists (Black, Indigenous, artists of color, LGBTQIA+, disabled, low-income) in print, ceramics, public art, and textiles with $10,000 honorarium and $5,000 materials stipend.
August 15: Boundless Residency – Minnesota Center for Book Arts offers access to nation's largest book arts space with foreign language type, providing $1,000 weekly stipends for artists outside Minnesota working in letterpress, bookbinding, papermaking, and related arts.
August 15: Cloud Collective Residency – 3-6 month residency in Western North Carolina mountains focusing on creative retreat, reflection, and community connection with values centered on care, access, and collective liberation.
August 15: Lower East Side Printshop Keyholder Residency – Provides emerging artists free 24-hour access to printmaking facilities with $1,000 stipend, welcoming all disciplines with some printmaking familiarity recommended.
August 15: Magnum Foundation Fall 2025 NYC Fellowship – Early-career photographers receive $5,000 production grant, mentorship, and paid arts administration experience for NYC-based projects, supporting both creative advancement and practical experience.
August 20: Banff Deep Winter Writers 2026 – 19-day self-directed residency in Alberta, Canada offering freedom from everyday constraints to delve deep into creative projects within artistic community.
August 27: Banff Early Career Artist in Residence 2026 – Alberta program emphasizing collective learning, cross-disciplinary exchange, and relational approaches to practice, exploring artistic associations across diverse modes of making and thinking.
Rolling Deadlines
Steel Yard Micro-Residencies – Flexible 1-3 month commitments for creative industrial art practice with dedicated ceramics and metals residencies for specific project completion.
ART14 Residency – Self-prescribed objectives welcoming all creator types and skill levels, encouraging new media exploration, collaboration, and community engagement.
Indigo Arts Alliance Mentorship Residency Program – Brings together African Diaspora artists for co-mentorship creative process across all disciplines, currently accepting Northeastern region applications.
Stochastic Labs Residencies – Fully-sponsored residencies of variable length for exceptional engineers, artists, scientists, and entrepreneurs worldwide, including private apartment, co-working space, shop access, monthly stipend, and materials budget.
Ready to Apply? Research and Target Selection
As summer winds down, it's the perfect time to focus on the often-overlooked but crucial aspect of grant applications: what happens after you submit.
📌 Pro Tip: Master the Follow-Up Game
Track your applications systematically: Create a spreadsheet with application dates, expected notification times, contact information, and outcome tracking. Set calendar reminders for follow-up dates so nothing falls through the cracks.
Send thoughtful thank-you notes: Whether you receive funding or not, send brief thank-you emails to program officers acknowledging their time and consideration. This simple gesture keeps you on their radar for future opportunities.
Request feedback when appropriate: For rejections, wait 2-3 weeks then politely ask if any feedback is available about your application. Not all organizations provide this, but when they do, it's invaluable for improving future submissions.
Build genuine relationships with funders: Attend their events, follow their social media, and engage authentically with their mission beyond just application periods. Program officers often remember artists who show genuine interest in their work.
Keep funders updated on your successes: Send brief updates when you receive other grants, complete major projects, or achieve significant milestones. This demonstrates progress and keeps you visible for future opportunities.
Before submitting any application, carefully review each opportunity's specific guidelines and eligibility requirements. Many organizations have particular focuses or geographic restrictions that can save you time if identified early in your research process.
Ready to strengthen your application strategy? Join Asimina Chremos, Crux, & Stonez for our next grant writing workshop focusing on how to craft a winning proposal. Check our website for upcoming workshop dates and registration details.
Stay connected! Follow us on social media or join our mailing list to receive:
Updates about future funding opportunities
Notifications when workshop registration opens
Resources for artists and creators
Community news and events
Best of luck with your applications - here's to finishing summer strong and launching into fall with the support you need to thrive!
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