The Open Fund  

Index



R&D
2025 Cycle Recipient
R&D
2025 Cycle Recipient


The Open Fund Artist Project Grant supports visual artist initiatives that are experimental, collaborative, and public-oriented. This includes wide-reaching and innovative projects that are unique to communities and the culture at large.

Examples of past recipients include the presentation of creative and experimental work via film screenings, exhibition series, pop-up presentations, printed matter, educational models, and civic sites, in addition to other inventive models of artistic engagements.








What We Fund

  • Projects that have a publicly accessible component 
  • Projects could include exhibitions or installations held in temporary spaces, new publications, a series of events or performances, digital initiatives, public art projects, and other activities that are related to the visual arts
  • Priority is given to collaborative projects

What We Do Not Fund

  • An individual artist presenting exclusively their own work
  • Projects that are part of the programming of a 501(c)3 non-profit arts organization
  • Projects at a commercial gallery or by businesses
  • Projects that do not offer an opportunity for free public engagement
  • Projects with the primary focus on film or video production, marketing or distribution.

See more information on our Eligibility page!




Underscore
2025 Cycle Recipient


Applications for the 2026 Cycle of The Open Fund Artist Project Grant are now open from March 1 through April 30, 2026



Painted Poems, Spoken Images
2025 Cycle Recipient



The Open Fund will award $180,000 in grants in 2026 to support at least 18 projects by visual artists or artist groups residing in Wisconsin. Grants will be offered in amounts of $5,000 and $10,000.

This initiative is made possible through the generous support of the Ruth Foundation for the Arts and The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts Regional Re-granting Program.




Administered by the Wisconsin-based artist-run spaces The Poor Farm and The Open, The Open Fund supports artists working across the state.

Grantees are chosen from a pool of eligible applications through a jury process. We encourage applications from artists in underrepresented communities, including BIPOC, LGBTQIA+ artists, and artists with disabilities.

For the second consecutive year in 2026, we are pleased to extend eligibility to artists across the entire state of Wisconsin.




Being Other Dust
2025 Cycle Recipient
Greenbush Artist Retreat
2025 Cycle Recipient
Moonlight Retreat: Day Camp!
2025 Cycle Recipient

Ordinary Risks
2025 Cycle Recipient
Open Kitchen: False Expectations of Food (2016-2026)
2025 Cycle Recipient


Usable Space
2022 Cycle Recipient

                                                 
                                                                                               
  
The Open Fund, in collaboration with The Poor Farm, is a public-facing visual arts grant program providing project grants for artists in Wisconsin. This is made possible with support from The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts Regional Re-granting Program and the Ruth Foundation for the Arts Wisconsin Artist Grant 

For general inquiries, please contact Email
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Projects