Artist Resource Trust

The Artist's Resource Trust (A.R.T.) Fund for Organizations is a grant initiative managed by the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation. Established in 1996, the A.R.T. Fund was created to support mid-career visual artists who demonstrate long-standing dedication and excellence in their work. The fund has grown through annual contributions and is now building an endowment to ensure its future sustainability. This organizational component of the A.R.T. Fund focuses on nonprofit institutions seeking to collaborate with eligible mid-career artists through commissioning, purchasing, or exhibiting their work. Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations that operate within the geographic scope of the A.R.T. Fund, which covers all New England states (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont), as well as Columbia and Northeast Dutchess Counties in New York. Organizations must have a record of programming aligned with the visual arts and must engage artists who meet the fund's definition of mid-career. Specifically, eligible artists must have been actively producing and exhibiting work for at least ten years, possess a substantial body of work, and maintain a regional or broader artistic presence. Applicants must demonstrate that they are including artists who meet these criteria and have not received A.R.T. funding within the past two years. Financial need is not a consideration for the artist in this grant stream. The foundation explicitly excludes from consideration any organizations that discriminate in practice or policy on the basis of identity, belief, or background. Grants typically range from $1,500 to $7,000 and require a one-to-one cash match. Funding can be applied toward the commissioning, purchasing, or exhibition of eligible artists’ work. This matching requirement must be met in full to receive the grant funds. Award decisions are made based on several criteria: the quality of the artist’s submitted work, the strength and clarity of the organization's curatorial direction, and the anticipated impact of the project on the artist, the organization, and the surrounding community. Applications open on September 1 and must be submitted through the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation's SlideRoom portal by October 15. Final decisions are communicated by March 31 of the following year. A final report is due within one year of receiving the grant. Technical assistance for the application platform is available by contacting grants@berkshiretaconic.org or calling 413.229.0370.