Support for visual artists
Resources, residencies, and more.
Residency programs and fellowships
Sharpe-Walentas Studio Program
The Sharpe-Walentas Studio Program awards rent-free non-living studio space to 17 visual artists for year-long residencies. Its mission is to provide working studio space and a community for artists. Artists are selected annually based on merit from a competitive pool of applicants by a professional jury comprised of artists and members of the SWSP Artists Advisory Committee.
The residency period is from September through August, with an open studios event in the spring. The annual application period is from January 1 to January 31.
Cultural Space Subsidy Program
Two Trees is dedicated to maintaining a diverse group of commercial tenants that exemplify Dumbo’s identity as a place where creativity, entrepreneurship, and community engagement are celebrated. Recognizing that market rents are not feasible for all, the Cultural Space Subsidy Program dedicates 50,000 square feet of space at below market rents to be awarded to applicants that best demonstrate their capabilities and intent to provide a social benefit to Dumbo and the broader Brooklyn community. The program is open to arts, education, and community-focused nonprofit organizations. Professional artists with a strong exhibition history or community-focused practice are eligible to apply. Cultural Space Subsidy Program recipients are awarded three-year leases at a reduced rate of $12/RSF (annual). Spaces available range from 750-2,500 RSF. The annual application period is from April 15 to June 15.
Triangle Arts
Triangle Arts Program offers local and international artists free, spacious studios and a dynamic artistic community to support the development of ambitious projects emphasizing dialogue and experimentation. Applications are accepted biannually in the fall. Artists or collectives working in any medium or discipline may apply.
Smack Mellon
Launched in 2000, the Smack Mellon Artist Studio Program provides six artists each year with a private studio, a $5,000 fellowship, access to a fabrication shop, and a media lab with editing suites. Smack Mellon hosts two open studios events annually, as well as private visits from curators, critics, and gallerists, which provide exposure and invaluable career-building opportunities. This is a year-long residency program; applications open in September. Requirements and more information here.
A.I.R. GALLERY
The A.I.R. Fellowship Program provides support to underrepresented and emerging women and non-binary artists in New York City. Each year, six artists are awarded a year-long fellowship to develop and exhibit a project at A.I.R. The program has given more than 100 artists the opportunity to have their first solo exhibition in New York City with the support of the A.I.R. community. It encourages artistic experimentation and rigor by providing a space where feminist historical precedence and inter-generational dialogue are at the forefront. Essential to this program are development workshops, 1:1 with an A.I.R. artist-mentor, and studio visits throughout the year!
Grants and Professional Development
New York Foundation for the Arts
Established in 1971 by the New York State Council on the Arts as an independent organization to serve individual artists throughout the state, the mission of the New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) is to empower artists across all disciplines at critical stages in their creative lives. They do this through three main program areas: cash grants and fiscal sponsorship, online resources, and professional development training. Keep an eye on the calendar for events!
Artadia
Artadia is a non-profit organization that supports visual artists with financial support, exposure, recognition, and fosters connections to a network of opportunities. The awards are unrestricted, allowing artists to use the funds in any way they choose!
Brooklyn Art Council
Brooklyn Art Council is an arts organization that provides financial support to local artists and small arts organizations whose work enhances the cultural climate of our borough, city, and state; their work is proudly local and internationally influential. These awards encourage professional development, community growth, and fellowship among artists.
Legal Services
Tamizdat/Covey Law
Tamizdat provides services for international recording artists, but the organization also operates an Artist Mobility Advocacy Program that actively attempts to make the visa process easier for international artists and to change existing visa laws and regulations to make it easier for artists to come to the US.
Center for Art Law
Center for Art Law is a centralized resource for art and cultural heritage law. If you’re an artist who needs or requires legal assistance in any way, the Center for Art Law is an important source of information and guidance to point you in the right direction.
Creative Business, Inc.
Creative Business is a business services and financial advisory firm that helps creative entrepreneurs streamline company processes and gain financial clarity of their businesses so they can accelerate growth and achieve sustainable success. They provide the financial guidance, operational know-how, and back office support that growing companies need to thrive.
