The Andy Warhol Foundation’s Arts Writers Grant

The Andy Warhol Foundation Arts Writers Grant supports writing about contemporary visual art and aims to ensure that critical writing remains a valued component of art discourse. Established two decades ago, the program has distributed over $13.5 million to more than 450 writers, demonstrating a sustained commitment to advancing intellectual engagement with visual arts. The program is notable for the breadth of its support, funding writers at various career stages and across multiple formats of writing. It is administered with a focus on enabling independent voices in the contemporary art world and promoting original, rigorous perspectives. The Arts Writers Grant funds writing projects in four categories: Articles, Books, Short-Form Writing, and as of the 2025 cycle, Translation. Grant amounts range from $15,000 to $50,000, depending on the project type and scope. In 2025, the total amount awarded reached $1,040,000 distributed among 31 selected writers. A notable new addition is the Translation category, which awards $30,000 for projects that translate books about contemporary visual art into English from other languages. This expansion reflects the Foundation's recognition of the global dimensions of contemporary art discourse and the need for broader linguistic accessibility. The grant supports writing that is both critical and scholarly, often dealing with complex sociopolitical, cultural, and aesthetic issues. The grantees for 2025 include individuals working on topics such as North African art and Blackness, U.S. artist visa politics, decolonial Pacific art, and Italian postcolonial memory, among others. The program supports not only independent scholars and critics but also writers embedded in academic, journalistic, and curatorial contexts, provided their projects align with the Foundation’s focus on contemporary art. There is a strong emphasis on original research and voice, and the grant helps recipients take time to delve deeply into their subject matter. The selection process for the grant appears to be highly competitive, with a panel likely reviewing the originality, significance, and feasibility of each proposed project. While the exact application components are not listed in the announcement, the historical structure of such programs suggests the need for a project proposal, writing samples, and evidence of the writer's capability to complete the work. The grant is not limited to U.S. citizens, and by including translations from any language, it encourages global participation and cross-cultural exchange. There are no stated restrictions on eligible institutions, suggesting individuals are the primary applicants. For the 2026 grant cycle, applications open on April 1, 2026, and close on May 6, 2026. This suggests a fixed annual application window and indicates that the program is recurring. While specific contact information and required documentation are not detailed in the press release, past applicants typically engage with the program via the official Arts Writers Grant website or affiliated foundation portals. Additional updates and publications by grantees, such as in the Cookie Jar pamphlet series, provide insight into the outcomes and impact of the funded projects. In sum, the Andy Warhol Foundation Arts Writers Grant serves as a significant funding source for those engaged in writing about contemporary visual art. Its inclusion of diverse formats and a new translation category reflects an evolving commitment to broadening the scope of discourse in the arts. With its annual cycle and a strong track record of supporting innovative and critical work, it remains one of the key programs sustaining the ecosystem of arts writing.