San Francisco Bay Area Artadia Awards

Artadia is a nonprofit organization founded in 1999 that supports contemporary visual artists through unrestricted financial awards and professional development opportunities. Artadia focuses on partnering with cities that demonstrate a deep commitment to contemporary art. These cities host annual open-call award programs and are selected for their active artist communities, strong local art institutions, and thriving markets. The San Francisco Bay Area is one of Artadia’s seven anchor cities. The Artadia Awards are designed to provide artists with unrestricted funding, enabling them to allocate resources based on their specific needs. Awardees are selected through a competitive process and receive either $15,000 or $25,000 depending on the city and specific award. In addition to monetary support, recipients join the Artadia Network, gaining access to valuable connections and resources. They are also featured in Artadia’s Artist Registry, which serves to promote their work and careers. Artists recognized by Artadia have gone on to participate in prestigious exhibitions, including the Whitney Biennial and Prospect New Orleans. In San Francisco, the 2025 application cycle opens May 1 and closes June 1. Applicants must be contemporary visual artists working within museum, gallery, nonprofit, or public art contexts. Artists in the San Francisco Bay Area must have lived and worked in one of the eligible counties for at least two years prior to the application deadline. Those currently enrolled in or planning to attend an art-related degree program, or who have previously received an Artadia Award of $10,000 or more, are ineligible. Former finalists, however, are encouraged to apply again. The application process includes two rounds. The first involves a review by a jury of three curators, including one local expert, who evaluate the submissions and select six finalists. In the second round, a different set of jurors, including one from the original panel, conducts 45-minute virtual studio visits with each finalist. Three awardees are selected to receive unrestricted grants. Finalists not selected for an award are compensated with an honorarium for their time and participation. Applications must be submitted through Submittable, as Artadia does not accept materials through email or other channels. The application requires digital images and/or time-based media, which are reviewed individually during the first round. The organization emphasizes equity and inclusion, maintaining a diverse pool of awardees, with over half being women and over 40 percent identifying as people of color. For assistance or questions, artists can contact Artadia via email at info@artadia.org or by phone at (212) 727-2233. The organization is headquartered at 55 Water Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201.