Ursa Major Fund

The Ursa Major Fund is a regional regranting initiative launched in 2025 by Bunnell Street Arts Center in partnership with the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. This fund provides direct financial support to Alaska-based artists and artist collectives for independent, risk-taking, and public-facing projects that foster community engagement, dialogue, and cultural integrity. The program supports visual arts-based initiatives interpreted broadly and encourages projects that emerge from the artists’ creative vision rather than any prescribed political, cultural, or social objective. As part of the Warhol Foundation’s broader Regional Regranting Program—active in over 39 cities across the United States—the Ursa Major Fund aims to fill a gap for artists working outside traditional funding structures or presenting institutions. Alaska’s artistic community is characterized by self-organized and often experimental cultural practices, which the Ursa Major Fund is designed to nurture and elevate. The Ursa Major Fund will award 15 grants annually ranging between $1,000 and $10,000, totaling $60,000 in funding per cycle. The application window opens each year on September 1 and closes October 31. Awards are expected to be announced in early 2026. Projects may include but are not limited to: exhibitions, curatorial efforts, public art installations, performances, collaborative gatherings, publications, workshops, or other innovative formats that begin from a visual arts perspective and engage the public. Eligibility is limited to artists living and working in Alaska. Projects must be public-facing and originate from a visual arts impulse. A panel of jurors—primarily from outside Alaska—will evaluate applications. Virtual info sessions are held to assist prospective applicants and are scheduled prior to the deadline. For additional information, artists can visit www.UrsaMajor.Fund or contact program staff at UrsaMajor@bunnellarts.org. The Ursa Major Fund serves as a vital opportunity for Alaskan artists to bring innovative work into the public realm, contributing to the state’s vibrant and evolving cultural ecosystem.

Attend info sessions before applying. Ensure project is grounded in a visual arts impulse and engages public meaningfully. Experimental and unconventional formats are encouraged.