Public Space One (PS1) unveiled a new grant program on Monday, which will “support publicly-engaged experimental, collaborative, and connective visual arts projects in eastern Iowa.” The Big Field Fund (BFF) will award $60,000 to selected artists and projects on a yearly basis.
“BFF will target artist-led projects that manifest new and inventive models, support under-resourced creative communities, engage with vulnerable structures, systems, or ecologies, and/or fall outside the reach of typical funding sources,” the Iowa City-based nonprofit said in a news release.
The application period for the grants open on Monday, June 10, and will run through Thursday, Aug. 1.
“PS1 will host multiple in-person and virtual info sessions for potential applicants this summer. Jurors, events, and eligibility details for the inaugural year of BFF grants will be announced in May,” according to the news release.
Grants for this first year will focus on two areas:
- Research/Development Grants ($1,500-$3,000) to support artists in the early stages of an ambitious project
- Project Grants ($5,000-$8,000) to support the public realization of a visual arts project
Anyone interested in updates on the BFF can sign up for emails at the fund’s site.
The new grant program is being funded by the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts through its Regional Regranting Program. It is one of 35 similar grant programs the Warhol Foundation is funding around the country.
“We are so excited to partner with the Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts to bring this new funding opportunity to eastern Iowa visual artists,” PS1 Executive Director John Engelbrecht said in a written statement. “This will strengthen the arts landscape in our state, adding much-needed support to our ecosystem. It will indeed ‘broaden the field’ for eastern Iowa artists!”
