The Spark Award for Oregon Artists is a funding initiative administered by the James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation, a private foundation that has supported arts organizations throughout Oregon for over two decades. In 2024, the Foundation launched this award as part of a three-year pilot program aimed at providing direct support to individual working artists. This program seeks to invest in artists’ broader creative development rather than project-specific endeavors, thereby helping sustain the artistic ecosystem across Oregon’s communities.
Each year, 20 artists will be awarded $25,000, totaling support for 60 artists over the program’s duration. The 2025 cycle is focused on media and literary arts. Eligible applicants must be midcareer individual artists, at least 30 years old, who have maintained a sustained creative practice in Oregon for a minimum of five years. The Foundation emphasizes support for artists in a critical phase of their career—those who are neither emerging nor advanced—and who are committed to producing original work.
The grant funds are highly flexible, allowing recipients to cover a variety of needs such as living expenses, studio costs, materials, travel, and professional development. However, they cannot be used for college tuition or for work performed as part of employment at an arts nonprofit already supported by the Foundation. Media and literary artists must meet specific eligibility criteria, including a body of work presented or published through competitive processes.
Applications are reviewed by a panel of arts professionals who evaluate originality, technical skill, audience engagement, and the potential impact of funding on the artist’s development. Applicants are required to submit a CV, work samples from three different bodies of work, and narrative responses to several questions about their practice and career. Specific evaluation dates and support sessions are provided to assist applicants.
Key dates for the 2025 cycle include an application opening on May 14, 2025, one-on-one support sessions in early to mid-June, and an open support session on June 25, 2025. Final applications are due by 5 PM PDT on July 2, 2025, and award announcements will be made in mid-November. All inquiries and support requests can be directed to artists@millerfound.org.
