WESTAF Visual Arts Exhibition Touring Program: Funding Available
The Western States Arts Federation (WESTAF) Visual Arts Exhibition Touring Program (VAT) is a competitive grant program for visual arts organizations to support tours of visual art exhibitions of important regional artists. The standard VAT grant cycle awards grants of up to $50,000. To qualify for funding, the exhibition must tour to two venues outside of its originating state and within the WESTAF region between October 1 of the application and award year and September 30 of the following year. Funds must be matched; however, an in-kind match is acceptable.
Through this program, WESTAF seeks to expand the awareness of noteworthy visual artists in the region, especially artists who have significantly influenced the aesthetic of a state or a region. WESTAF is also interested in building the understanding of environments, issues, and ideas rooted in the West that have been explored by seasoned artists and/or groups of artists working in the region. Artists of very high quality who are relatively unknown are of special interest as are artists who have served as teachers and/or leaders within the arts field, and who have influenced other artists. This project is funded by the NEA’s touring program.
Because the funds available for this project are not large, no specific guidelines are being established for the scale of exhibition. In some cases, 20 works may make an excellent exhibition; in other instances, many more works may be required to develop a quality exhibition. Works on paper, photographs, selected crafts, and folk arts that are readily prepared for touring are welcome. If an organization wishes to expend significant funds on the preparation of the works in the exhibition for tour–particularly fine arts crating–it may do so.
Organizations are encouraged to think of ways to tour these works without encumbering high costs related to the preparation of shipping containers. Further, if an organization wishes to use the funds to add to the budget of an already in-development touring exhibition, it may do so.
Interested parties should visit http://amp.cgweb.org/ and review the guidelines.
To apply for a Visual Art Touring grant, please sign up or log in with your existing VAT account credentials. Once you have logged in, click on the “Current Programs and Applications” section and select “Start” under the “Visual Arts Touring Quick Turn Around (VATQT).” Questions regarding this program should be directed to WESTAF Associate Director Seyan Lucero by phone at 303-629-1166 or e-mail at Seyan.Lucero@WESTAF.org.
