Artist Funding Opportunities December 2025: Over $1.3M+ Available
- Forbidden Fruit
- Dec 1, 2025
- 12 min read
Funding Opportunities for Artists: December2025
December closes out 2025 with a final surge of transformative opportunities—the moment when foundations distribute year-end funds and artists position themselves for strong starts to 2026. This month features everything from major facilities grants and multi-year fellowships to emergency support and accessible micro-grants that provide immediate assistance.
This artist funding opportunities December 2025 guide includes over $1.3 million in combined support across grants, residencies, and open calls. From Alabama arts facilities funding to prestigious research fellowships and international residencies, these opportunities span all disciplines and career stages, offering pathways to close the year with momentum and enter the new year with resources in hand.
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
As 2025 draws to a close, December's grant landscape reflects both immediate needs and long-term vision - from $300 micro-grants offering quick support to six-figure awards that can anchor your practice for years to come, plus year-end opportunities designed specifically for artists ready to hit the ground running in 2026.
December Deadlines
December 1: Creative Places Arts Facilities (Alabama) – Alabama State Council on the Arts assists organizations in building, renovating, or enhancing facilities for arts activities. Enhancement grants up to $50,000 for equipment; Designing grants up to $75,000 for blueprints and schematics; Construction grants up to $100,000 for new builds or substantial renovations.
December 1: Venturous Capital Grant – Supports writers of bold, experimental, and/or large-scale new plays by giving theaters ability to say "yes" to writer-driven projects that are unusually heavy lifts. Grants range from $10,000-$45,000.
December 1: Cowles Charitable Trust Grant – Supports arts, education, ethical journalism advancement, medical and climate research in Downstate New York and South Florida. Maximum yearly grant $10,000.
December 2: Public Art for Spatial Justice – Supports public art that creatively expresses and embodies a more just version of what's possible in public. Grants range from $15,000-$30,000 for up to two-year grant period beginning March 2026 through February 2028.
December 2: Rauschenberg Dancer Emergency Grant – One-time grants up to $3,000 for professional dancers facing dire financial emergencies due to loss of recent/current live performance work because of circumstances outside their control.
December 3: NYS Choreographers Initiative – Helps individual choreographers in all genres develop skills by providing resources generally unavailable or unaffordable. Includes $2,500 stipend, minimum 20 hours creative time with professional dancers, and guidance from mentor of their choice.
December 3: Catalyze – Awards $10,000 fellowships annually to 25 artists who may choose how best to use funding in support of their creative practices. Mid-America Arts Alliance program provides practice-based funding, professional development, and coaching to artists of all disciplines in central Arkansas and Arkansas Delta.
December 3: FCA Emergency Grant – Foundation for Contemporary Arts' year-round, multi-disciplinary program offers immediate, project-based assistance to experimental, contemporary artists living anywhere in the United States. Grants range from $500-$3,000.
December 4: Shubert Foundation Theatre Grant – Awards grants to not-for-profit professional theaters in the United States.
December 5: Maine Poet Laureate – Five-year appointment includes contracted honorarium of $5,000/year, providing sustained support for Maine's designated poetic voice.
December 10: Southern Prize and State Fellowships for Visual Arts – State-specific prize of $5,000 awarded to artists in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee whose work reflects the best of visual arts in the South. Nine state fellowship recipients compete for $25,000 Southern Prize demonstrating highest artistic excellence, with runner-up receiving $10,000.
December 10: Teiger Foundation Hosting Grant – Up to $75,000 supporting US-based curators or artistic directors presenting contemporary visual art exhibition or project that originated elsewhere.
December 15: The Atlanta Contemporary Nexus Fund – Underwrites artist-driven projects engaging in risk-taking and experimentation, particularly multi-disciplinary and collaborative projects provoking social engagement and centering diverse audiences in Metro Atlanta. Distributes ten $6,000 grants totaling $60,000.
December 15: Thoma Foundation Research & Travel Award in Art of the Spanish Americas – Annual grants to scholars, curators, art historians, and advanced graduate students supporting projects and research initiatives advancing the field.
December 15: Thoma Foundation Conservation Grant – Funds conservators, curators, and stakeholders in museums or academic institutions with projects making significant contributions to preservation and conservation of South American viceregal art.
December 18: GO Queens Grant – $10,000 funding for Queens-based performing arts and culture organizations to support their mission and community work.
December 18: Artists in Queens Grant – $5,000 supporting artists living in Queens for creation of new work in community settings.
December 18: Queens Community Arts Grant – $1,000-$7,500 support for community-based organizations, groups, and collectives holding arts and cultural projects or activities for public in Queens.
December 19: Literary Arts Fund – Increases funding for general operations of literary arts nonprofits whose primary mission is supporting contemporary creative writers.
December 30: Bobby Anspach Studio Foundation Grant Program (International) – Inaugural grant program supports creatives and researchers whose work deepens dialogue on meditation, psychology, creativity, and collective engagement as vital pathways to harmony and health. Awards two $50,000 grants and three $8,000 grants.
December 31: Brooks and Joan Fortune Family Foundation Grant – Provides funds supporting education, art, and outreach programs and projects in Indiana and Florida.
January Deadlines
January 1: BICA Microgrant (Buffalo, NY) – $300 good-faith grant for artists and curators realizing projects in greater Buffalo area. No-strings-attached money for exhibitions, performances, or other projects contributing to visual arts in Buffalo.
January 2: Artists & Mothers Grant (New York City) – $25,000 grants for NYC-based artists who identify as mothers with children under age three, to be used for childcare expenses with provider of their choice. Applicants must demonstrate commitment to practice and have exhibition history.
January 2: Bronx Recognizes Its Own (BRIO) – Provides direct support up to $5,000 to individual Bronx artists who create works in literary, media, visual, and performing arts, recognizing artists demonstrating proficiency, knowledge, and intense practice in their artform.
Rolling Deadlines
South Arts Artist Creative Practice Grant – Supports career-enhancing opportunities for artists in the South Arts region with grants up to $3,000 for activities between November 1, 2025, and June 30, 2026, including milestone career activities.
Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grants – Provides one-year grants up to $50,000 for painters, sculptors, and artists working on paper, including printmakers. Covers both professional work expenses and personal needs for actively exhibiting artists.
Black Artists Grant (BAG) (UK) – Monthly no-strings-attached £500 (approximately $625) financial support for Black artists in the UK. No age limit and no specific outcomes or reporting required. Recipients selected from ongoing applications. Musicians Foundation Grants – Offers one-time financial assistance to professional music performers, composers/arrangers, and educators facing unexpected hardships including medical situations, natural disasters, or housing crises.
Innovate Artist Grants – Distributes two $1,800 grants quarterly to one visual artist and one photographer, plus features 12 honorable mentions on their platform, building community among emerging talent.
Gottlieb Foundation Emergency Grants – Provides interim financial assistance up to $15,000 (typical award $5,000) to qualified painters, printmakers, and sculptors whose needs result from unforeseen, catastrophic incidents.
Foundation for Contemporary Arts Emergency Grants – The only active multidisciplinary program offering immediate, project-based assistance ranging from $500-$3,000 (average $1,900) to artists living anywhere in the United States for U.S. and international projects.
Adobe Creative Residency Community Fund – Provides $10,000 support to creators during times of extraordinary hardship, offering meaningful assistance when circumstances become challenging.
Open Calls for Exhibitions & Competitions
The final month of 2025 brings opportunities to set your work in motion for the year ahead - exhibitions opening in 2026, competitions with early-year announcements, and public art projects that let you enter the new year with confirmed platforms and recognition already secured. December Deadlines
December 1: Maguire Art Museum Summer 2026 Call for Artists (Philadelphia) – Saint Joseph's University's Philly Voices: Celebrating the Heartbeat of a City invites artists of all mediums living and working within 50-mile radius of Philadelphia to submit original artwork showcasing why Philadelphia is incredible place to live, work, play, and explore.
December 3: Quilted Together (Summit County, UT) – Public Art Advisory Board seeks artists to propose highly creative artwork for installation on Rail Trail near Coalville Center Street trail access point. Theme "Quilted Together." Up to $13,000 budget inclusive of artist fees, materials, labor, installation, and travel.
December 8: Frog Mag: Spy Issue – Investigating material for spy issue. All mediums and concepts welcome with special interest in textile-related work.
December 8: Edward Gorey House Envelope Art Contest – Welcomes envelope art from all ages under theme "The Evil Garden."
December 15: Resilient Communities (Staten Island, NY) – Juried exhibition at Alice Austen House offers platform for contemporary photographers exploring how individuals and groups navigate hardship, adapt, and build sustainable futures. Benefits include $250 honorarium, financial support for printing and framing, mentoring opportunities, and paid presentation options.
December 15: Four Quartets Prize – For unified and complete sequence of poems published in United States in print or online journal, chapbook, or book in 2025. Prize $20,000.
December 16: Sony Future Filmmaker Awards 2025 – Major program providing exceptional opportunities for creators and filmmakers. Shortlisted filmmakers flown to Los Angeles for exclusive four-day event gaining insight into filmmaking process. Includes awards ceremony at Sony Pictures Studios.
December 19: Malamegi Lab Art Award (International) – International competition open to all artists in various disciplines including drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, graphic design, mixed media, digital art, and video. Twelve finalist artists selected to win prestigious prizes including New Malamegi Collection, Artwork Acquisition Award, Group Exhibition, Cash Prize, and Monographic Catalogue.
December 19: Prisma Art Prize (International) – Annual art prize open to artists working in painting, engraving, and drawing offering exhibition opportunities and €2,000 (approximately $2,200) in cash awards.
December 29: Beam Camp Project Open Call (New Hampshire) – Beam Center seeks design proposals for public artwork at Beam Camp in Strafford to be brought to life through collaborations between youth, Beam Camp staff, and selected proposer. Selected proposers receive $5,000 award; selected projects have approximately $15,000 fabrication budget.
December 31: Rockefeller Gallery Call for Art (New York) – Art Gallery at Rockefeller State Park Preserve invites artists with distinctive voice and vision to apply. Artists need cohesive body of work reflecting their artistic development.
Rolling Deadlines
Art in City Hall Exhibition Application (Philadelphia) – Philadelphia's Office of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy invites cultural community to present proposals for display cases on 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th floors of historic City Hall. Program provides platform for diverse cultural organizations to amplify community voices and foster healing through visual arts. Local nonprofits and cultural organizations welcome; does not present solo exhibitions.
Residencies & Fellowships: Time and Space to Create
December's residency opportunities offer more than retreat from daily life - they're launching pads for 2026, providing the structure, support, and dedicated time you need to develop work that will carry you through the coming year and beyond.
December Deadlines
December 1: Chokechaka Artist Residency (Peru) – Welcomes artists, scholars, activists, and creatives to inspiring mountain setting in Peru's Sacred Valley of the Incas in Cusco Region's Calca district.
December 1: Design Writing Fellowship – Encourages and facilitates scholarly pursuits within design field, open to full-time and contingent faculty in graphic design, information design, branding, marketing, advertising, typography, web, interaction, film, video, animation, illustration, and game design.
December 1: MLK Winter Residency (Maryland) – Annmarie Sculpture Garden & Arts Center invites artists to submit community arts project proposal inspired by Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
December 1: Arts in Nature Artist in Residence Program (Kentucky) – Bernheim Forest awards visual artists of all mediums opportunities to live and create works inspired by Bernheim's natural environment. Includes $2,500 stipend.
December 4: Jan van Eyck Academie 2027 Residency (Netherlands, International) – Eleven-month residency from January 15 to December 15, 2027. Open to wide array of disciplines from material-based to research-driven practices. Housing included and participants receive monthly stipend from which accommodation rental is deducted.
December 5: Maine Craft Apprenticeship Program – Supports 100 hours of one-to-one training over seven months between mentor and apprentice. Grant award $4,500.
December 8: Alchemy Artist Residency (San Juan Island, WA) – Seeks artists working in ceramics, printmaking, fiber art, and analog photography, providing opportunity to live in immersive arts community.
December 15: The Catchlight Global Fellowship – Supports individuals wanting to cultivate significant audience engagement through inventive distribution methods that will increase impact of their work. Harnesses power of visual storytelling to inform, connect, and transform communities.
December 15: Marilynn Thoma Fellowship in Art of the Spanish Americas – Carl & Marilynn Thoma Foundation offers predoctoral and postdoctoral fellowships supporting projects and research initiatives advancing study of art of the Spanish Americas. Predoctoral Dissertation Research Fellowship $50,000 (one-year); Postdoctoral Research Fellowship $65,000 (one- to two-year).
December 15: Bed-Stuy Residency (Brooklyn, NY) – Specialized track for artists who live in or have strong connection to Bedford-Stuyvesant area. One-year program includes $18,000 honorarium, $10,000 production budget, workshop sessions, monthly cohort coaching, professional development mentorship, and culminating public event.
December 15: Create Change Residency (Brooklyn, NY) – One-year residency for emerging or mid-career artists, activists, and cultural organizers focused on community engagement and project-based learning. Includes $18,000 honorarium, $10,000 production budget, workshop sessions, monthly cohort coaching, professional development mentorship, and culminating public event.
December 15: Create Change Fellowship (Brooklyn, NY) – Six-month incubator for multiracial artists and cultural producers committed to art for social transformation. Fellows receive $1,500 stipend, production budget, training in community arts practices, and access to intergenerational alumni network. Fellows commit average 6-8 hours monthly (approximately 50 hours total).
December 15: Morgan-Menil Fellowship – Awards one three- to nine-month research fellowship supporting independent projects on history, theory, interpretation, or cultural meaning of drawing throughout art history. Stipend commensurate with experience: $4,000/month predoctoral, $4,850/month postdoctoral (first seven years), or $5,100/month mid-career scholars, plus modest travel allowance.
December 15: Folger Institute Long-Term Public Humanities Fellowship – Designed to draw on Folger's collections, exhibitions, and programming themes to conduct research on public humanities project. Offered at $70,000 for standard 9-month period; up to 3 months may be taken virtually.
December 17: Emerging Leaders Program (New York City) – NYFA's program helps manager-level arts administrators from NYC and surrounding area navigate the field and optimize their contributions.
December 30: Bobby Anspach Studios Foundation Grant Program (International) – Supports visual artists whose practices expand empathy, nurture connection, and respond to ecological and social challenges. Two $50,000 grants and three $8,000 grants available.
December 31: UMOCA Artist-in-Residence Program (Utah) – Only long-term artist residency designed specifically for artists living in Utah. Residents receive one year of free studio space inside museum, private meetings with national curators and critics, professional development workshops, special access to visiting artists, and exhibition in A.I.R. Space Gallery at culmination.
January Deadlines
January 1: Mudhouse Full Fellowship Award – 2026 (Crete, Greece) – Includes accommodations, studio space, and two meals daily for two-week residency at no cost to artist. Artist responsible for own travel, groceries, art supplies, or excursions. Two Full Fellowships sponsored for 2026 season.
January 6: Glen Arbor Arts Center 2026 Artist-in-Residence (Michigan, International) – Provides visiting artists with respite from daily responsibilities to concentrate on work. Housing and studio access provided free. Artists, musicians, and writers in range of mediums may apply for two-week residencies.
Rolling Deadlines
117° Fellowship (Las Vegas, NV) – For emerging and distinguished writers working in English who have published at least one book with trade or literary press. Fellowship for writers working on nonfiction, poetry, or hybrid projects. Includes $10,000 salary over two months, office space at BMI on UNLV campus, housing in vibrant arts complex downtown, and recognition as "BMI Fellow." The Cloud House Residency (Minneapolis, MN) – Provides accommodation and support for individuals working in contemporary art who intend to develop, exhibit, or curate new work in Minnesota. Nurtures meaningful connections between visiting artists, writers, curators, and Twin Cities' vibrant arts community. Steel Yard Micro-Residencies (Providence, RI) – One to three-month residencies helping artists grow their creative industrial art practice. Ideal for completing specific projects, commissions, or prototypes. Hosts one ceramics and one metals micro-resident at a time.
ART14 Residency (Los Angeles) – Self-prescribed objectives in conjunction with L.a. Studio community's art outreach. Welcomes all types of artists, writers, and musicians of all skill levels. Encourages exploration of new media and local community engagement.
Indigo Arts Alliance Mentorship Residency Program (Northeast U.S.) – Brings together artists from diverse backgrounds of the African Diaspora to engage in creative process while building relationships rooted in co-mentorship. Open to all disciplines from Northeast region.
Stochastic Labs Residencies (Berkeley, CA) – Fully-sponsored residencies of variable length for exceptional engineers, artists, scientists, and entrepreneurs. Includes private apartment, co-working or dedicated work space, shop access, monthly stipend, and materials budget. Open to individuals or teams.
Ready to Apply? Multi-Application Strategy
Managing multiple funding applications simultaneously is essential for building sustainable creative practice - most successful artists apply to 10-20 opportunities yearly, knowing that even strong applications face competitive odds.
📌 Pro Tip: Managing Deadlines Across Multiple Opportunities
Create a master application calendar with buffer time – Plot all deadlines in a shared calendar (Google Calendar, Notion, Airtable) with color coding by opportunity type. Set internal deadlines 5-7 days before actual due dates to account for technical issues, recommendation letter delays, or last-minute revisions. This buffer has saved countless applications from midnight scrambles.
Develop modular materials that adapt across applications – Instead of writing each application from scratch, build a library of core materials: 3-4 versions of your artist statement (100, 250, 500 words), project descriptions at various lengths, 2-3 budget templates for different project scales. When new opportunities arise, you're assembling and customizing rather than starting from zero, saving 60-70% of preparation time.
Batch similar applications to maintain momentum – Group opportunities requiring similar materials (all residencies in one week, all project grants another) rather than jumping between application types. This lets you stay in the same mental space and writing voice. Your artist statement for residencies emphasizes creative process and time needs; your project grant narratives focus on community impact and outcomes. Switching constantly between these mindsets wastes energy.
Track applications with outcomes and feedback notes – Maintain a spreadsheet logging: opportunity name, deadline, submission date, notification date, result, and notes on what worked or needed improvement. After a year, patterns emerge showing which types of opportunities suit your work best, which materials need strengthening, and what your actual success rate is (usually 10-20% for competitive grants—knowing this prevents discouragement).
Stack deadlines strategically with recovery time – Don't schedule yourself for three major applications in one week unless absolutely necessary. Plan lighter weeks following heavy application periods to avoid burnout. If December is packed with deadlines, intentionally schedule January with breathing room for your practice. Sustainable application strategies protect your creative energy rather than depleting it.
Stay Connected
We're taking a brief pause from our grant writing workshops but keep an eye out keep an eye out for upcoming workshop announcements with Asimina Chremos, Crux, & Stonez. Looking for more artist opportunities, funding updates, and creative resources?
Follow us on social media or join our mailing list to receive:
Updates about future funding opportunities
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December's final funding push sets the stage for entering 2026 with resources and momentum - here's to closing 2025 strong and stepping into the new year ready to create.
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