2023 Grant Applications Now Closed
Populus Fund is a regranting initiative organized by The Union, through the generous support of The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts in order to support innovative artist projects throughout Omaha–Lincoln metros. Populus Fund was founded in 2020 to provide essential support for artists through emergency funds. In 2023, as was the case last year, we will fund projects that are catalytic, address community needs, and exemplify new ways of working in, for, and with the public.
In 2023, Populus Fund will award a total of six $10,000 projects proposed by artists or artist groups working outside established institutions.
ELIGIBILITY
To be eligible to receive a Populus Fund grant, applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria:
Be 18 or older
Live within a 80-mile radius of The Union (CLICK HERE to view a map)
Applicant can provide a W9 and Social Security Number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) once selected to receive an award;
Applicants must be visual artists, curators, collectives, cultural organizers, collaborations, or artists with a history of presenting their work in visual arts contexts/venues
Performance, dance, film, text, sound, or any artist that works outside of a traditional visual arts practice is eligible to apply as long as their project proposal has visual arts as a driving force.
Ineligible to apply:
2022 Populus Fund Project Grant Awardees
501c3 organizations and LLCs established for commercial enterprise are not eligible
Applicant is not a staff, board, or immediate family member of The Union for Contemporary Art
Awardees will be selected by a rotating panel of artists and arts professionals which will always include:
an artist, arts professional, or community organizer from out of state,
an arts professional engaged with another regional regranting program,
two artists, arts professionals, or community organizers working within the 80-mile radius of The Union,
a previous grantee
PROJECT CRITERIA
In 2023, Populus Fund seeks to fund artist-organized projects that offer opportunities for artists to use their skills to provide experiences, content, materials, activities, platforms, etc that engage and connect with the community through art.
Populus Fund grant recipients will receive funding for projects that promote collaboration with the public and are radically accessible. Funds can be used for the research, development or creation of public-facing new work, a project or performance. Public engagement can occur via process, presentation, production, or publication. This may include exhibitions, performances, events, lectures, workshops, screenings, readings, publications, residencies, programming at artist-run-spaces, online projects, etc. Projects can not be presented at art museums or commercial galleries.
Projects that support inclusion, diversity, equity, and access are strongly encouraged. Understanding the long-reaching effects of systemic racism and injustice, The Union will continue to prioritize BIPOC applicants during this round of funding. We will maintain our goal of granting at least 55% of our funds to BIPOC artists. However, race and ethnicity demographic questions will be optional in the application process. Projects that engage the public must incorporate COVID-19 safety protocols that prioritize the health and safety of participants and community.
APPLICATION TIMELINE
March 1, 2023 – Applications open
March 20-25, 2023 – 1:1 application feedback sessions w/ Union staff
April 10-15, 2023 – 1:1 application feedback sessions w/ Union staff
April 30, 2023, 11:59pm – Applications close
June 12-16, 2023 – Awardee notification
July, 2023 – July, 2024 – Begin project support and implementation
Resources for Applicants
Artists interested in applying for Populus Fund Project Grants can make use of several resources to help with the development of their application, including a sample budget and the scoring matrix used by the jury. Find them all at the link below.
Resources for Applicants
QUESTIONS + ACCESSIBILITY
Curious about something that is not answered above or on the FAQ page? Drop us a question at populusfund@u-ca.org.
Please reach out to The Union team if you have any questions about eligibility or would like assistance reading or filling out your application at populusfund@u-ca.org.
SUPPORT
If you are interested in expanding our support for artists by contributing to the Populus Fund, please contact our Manager of Individual Giving Caitlin LaVelle, caitlin@u-ca.org.
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More Funding Opportunities for Omaha-area Artists
Omaha nonprofit Amplify Arts promotes unity, innovation, and progress in the arts to build strong and vibrant communities. This work includes an Artist Grants program for area artists of many disciplines.
CLICK HERE to learn about current grant opportunities.
Populus Fund is a regranting initiative organized by The Union, through the generous support of The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, supporting innovative artist projects throughout Omaha–Lincoln metros.
THE ANDY WARHOL FOUNDATION FOR THE VISUAL ARTS
In accordance with Andy Warhol’s will, the mission of The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts is the advancement of the visual arts. The foundation manages an innovative and flexible grants program while also preserving Warhol’s legacy through creative and responsible licensing policies and extensive scholarly research for ongoing catalogue raisonné projects. To date, the foundation has given over $218 million in cash grants to over 1,000 arts organizations in 49 states and abroad and has donated 52,786 works of art to 322 institutions worldwide.
