Writing Competition: The Andy Warhol Foundation Arts Writers Grant

The Andy Warhol Foundation Arts Writers Grant

The Andy Warhol Foundation Arts Writers Grant supports emerging and established writers who write about contemporary visual art. Ranging from $15,000 to $50,000 in three categories—articles, books, and short-form writing—the grants support projects addressing both general and specialized art audiences, from short reviews for magazines and newspapers to in-depth scholarly studies. We also support art writing that engages criticism through interdisciplinary methods and experiments with literary styles. As long as a writer meets the eligibility and publishing requirements, they can apply.

Writers are invited to apply in one of the following categories:

• Article
• Books
• Short-Form Writing

The program is excited to announce the launch of the Arts Writers Translation Grant for book projects about contemporary visual art from other languages into English. For guidelines and eligibility criteria for this grant, click here.

Due to legal constraints we can only fund U.S. citizens, permanent residents of the United States, and holders of O-1 visas. For guidelines and additional eligibility requirements, click here.

The 2025 application is now open.

The application deadline is May 7 at 11:59pm ET.

We have an open application process; all writers who meet the eligibility requirements can apply. The general eligibility requirements are listed below. For eligibility requirements and writing sample instructions for each project type, click here.

We recommend that you read through the Application Guide, available for download on the right-hand sidebar, before filling out the online application. To view the application questions click here.

To access the SlideRoom application, click here.

The program now offers a translation grant for book projects about contemporary visual art from other languages into English. For guidelines and eligibility criteria for this grant, click here.

To be eligible for this grant, an arts writer must be an individual;

• applying for a project about contemporary visual art;

• an art historian, artist, critic, curator, journalist, or a writer in an outside field who is strongly engaged with the contemporary visual arts;

• a U.S. citizen, permanent resident of the United States, or holder of an O-1 visa (if your application advances to the final round, you will need to submit current documentation);

• at least twenty-five years old by Oct 1 in the application year;

• a published author (specific publication requirements vary depending on grant category; see the project-specific eligibility requirements).

By “contemporary visual art,” we mean visual art made since World War II. Projects on post-WWII work in adjacent fields—architecture, dance, film, media, music, performance, sound, etc.—will only be considered if they directly and significantly engage the discourses and concerns of contemporary visual art.

• An arts writer is NOT eligible for this grant if they are applying on behalf of an organization;

• applying for a project in which their primary involvement will be as an editor;

• a full-time student in a degree-granting program (with the exception of those students who are simultaneously maintaining professional careers as arts writers);

• an artist, writer, or curator writing an interpretive essay on their own practice;

• applying for a project that is primarily fiction, poetry (including ekphrasis), or memoir;

• applying for a project based on a PhD dissertation or MA thesis;

• applying to conduct a Q&A interview (or series of Q&A interviews);

• applying to assemble an archive or database;

• applying for a project on Andy Warhol;

• applying for a project that will be published by a commercial gallery;

• applying for a Creative Capital Award for any project in the same grant year (including as a collaborator);

• applying with the same project for which they have received a Creative Capital Award (including as a collaborator);

• applying with the same project for which they have received a curatorial research fellowship from The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts (including as a collaborator);

• a grantee of The Andy Warhol Foundation Arts Writers Grant;

• a recent juror of the program (evaluators are eligible to apply after one grant cycle; panelists are eligible after two grant cycles);

• a current employee, consultant, board member, or funder of Creative Capital or The Andy Warhol Foundation, or an immediate family member of such a person.