Los Angeles Awards for Visual Artists in California

The 2025 Artadia Awards offer unrestricted financial support, exposure, and career development opportunities for contemporary visual artists in seven U.S. cities. Each city’s application period lasts one month, starting with Los Angeles from January 1 to February 1, 2025. Artists in cities such as Chicago, New York, and San Francisco Bay Area will have subsequent application windows. Awardees receive $15,000 in unrestricted funds, with a special $25,000 Marciano Artadia Award available in Los Angeles. The awards are aimed at supporting diverse, innovative artists and enhancing their careers through financial backing and professional connections. Applicants must be contemporary visual artists actively working in eligible contexts, such as museums, galleries, or public art. They must have resided within the specified counties of the application city for at least two years prior to the deadline. Artists enrolled in art-related degree programs, planning to enroll, or those who have previously received Artadia awards of $10,000 or more are ineligible. Collaborative applicants must identify all contributors, and long-term artist residency participants may only apply in their permanent city of residence. Applications are reviewed through a structured process. A jury of three curators, including one local juror, evaluates submissions to shortlist six finalists. These finalists participate in 45-minute virtual studio visits with a second-round jury, which selects three awardees. Finalists not chosen receive honorariums for their time. Awardees gain access to the Artadia Network, a resource for mentorship and connections that has historically led to significant career milestones, such as participation in major exhibitions like the Whitney Biennial. Eligible artists must apply via Submittable, the sole platform accepted by Artadia. Applications require digital images or time-based media to demonstrate the artist's work. Jurors review these materials individually during the first round before selecting finalists. Finalists are then notified for second-round evaluations. Applicants may log in and out of their Submittable account to revise their submissions until the deadline. Artadia prioritizes cities with a robust commitment to contemporary art, characterized by active local artist communities, innovative programming, art markets, and strong educational institutions. Beyond the seven primary cities, Artadia offers specialized awards such as the SEEN Award for women-identifying artists and collaborations with partners like 21c Museum Hotels. The program reflects Artadia's mission to support diverse artistic voices, with over half of awardees identifying as female and over 40% as persons of color. Interested applicants are encouraged to review the guidelines and prepare materials carefully to showcase their work and impact. For more details or to apply, visit Artadia’s website.