Overview

The Ignite Fund supports the creation and public presentation of experimental, public-facing, and accessible visual arts-based work by Chicago-area artists and artist-led collectives.

The Ignite Fund prioritizes projects that:

1. Center the visual arts in form and content
2. Promote collaboration and connection to community
3. Raise awareness around social justice issues
4. Engage communities in the Chicago metropolitan area through process and/or participation
5. Incorporate accessibility services in public presentations

The Ignite Fund provides two types of grants:

• Project Grants ($3,000 and $6,000)
• Research & Development Grants ($1,500)

Artists may choose to apply for either (not both) a Project Grant or a Research & Development Grant.

Project Grants:

In 2022, up to 11 grants will be awarded at the $3,000 or $6,000 level.

Research & Development Grants:

In 2022, up to two grants of $1,500 each will be awarded.

Research & Development support the early stages of a new, public-facing project that may require time to be developed. The projects in development must make a meaningful impact and be ambitious, experimental, and visual arts focused.

Timeline

Eligibility

Who can apply for Ignite Fund grants?

Individual artists and artist-led collectives (up to 4 people) are eligible to apply for Ignite Fund grants. Throughout the application process, individual artists and the main contact for an artist-led collective will be referred to as the Lead Applicant.

If you are applying as an individual artist, note that Ignite Fund grants are not intended to support the creation of new solo work as part of an individual’s ongoing practice, but are intended to support an opportunity to produce one-time art projects with strong public-facing components and the capacity to have an impact on communities.

If applying as an artist-led collective, your group can be either long-standing or formed specifically for this opportunity. Each collective must identify one Lead Applicant to serve as the primary applicant and grantee contact (*).

Lead Applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Visual artists or artists with a history of presenting their work in visual art contexts/venues. (Performance, film, text, and sound artists are eligible if their proposed projects center the visual arts.)
• Current residents of the Chicago metropolitan area (Cook, DuPage, Kane, McHenry, Lake, and Will counties).
• 18 years or older.
• Not currently enrolled in a degree-granting program.
• Have an active artistic practice and be able to demonstrate recent work.

(*) If you are applying as an artist-led collective, the Lead Applicant is the person designated by your group to be responsible for: the receipt, management, and distribution of the funds; handling all communications with Ignite Fund; and completing all necessary grant reporting.

What types of projects are eligible?

• Projects must center contemporary visual arts practice as the primary root and impulse; other media and performing arts aspects are eligible if visual arts will be the central element of the finished work.
• Projects that can be completed within a one-year grant term.
• Projects that have a clear public component and robust community engagement. Eligible examples include exhibitions, public events/talks, roundtables, community collaborations, public art projects, screenings, publications, festivals, workshops, etc.

What type of projects will NOT be funded?

• Projects that are not based in the Chicago metropolitan area.
• Projects led by incorporated entities (LLCs, B Corps, 501(C)(3) and 501(c)(4) organizations), universities and schools (private, public, charter), and religious entities.
• Projects led by students currently enrolled in high school, college, or university.
• Projects with Lead Applicants who are younger than 18 years old. (Projects can include collaborators who are under the age of 18, but the Lead Applicant and collective members must be at least 18 years old.)
• Projects seeking support retroactively or seeking reimbursement for a past project.
• Proposals for funding for a solo exhibition, individual artist's ongoing work, travel costs, etc.
• Projects proposed by an individual artist to present their own work.
• Projects that do not have a substantial public component.

Info Sessions

• Info Session 1: May 18, 2022, 12:00-1:00pm (CT).
• Info Session 2: June 1, 2022, 5:00-6:00pm (CT). Access recording here.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with information about joining the meeting.

Office Hours:

Artists interested in applying for an Ignite Fund grant can meet individually with Ignite Fund staff (on Zoom) to discuss their project and application. Meeting times are limited. Artists are encouraged to attend or view a recording of an info session prior to registering for an Office Hours meeting.

• Register for a time between June 3, 2022, and June 17, 2022, Register HERE!

Selection Process

Proposals to the Ignite Fund are reviewed by a panel of jurors made up of four artists and/or professionals currently working in the arts and culture field, including one representative of another Regranting Program of The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. Criteria for review include the applicants’ past work and the strength, impact, and feasibility of the proposed project.

Selection Criteria (Project Grants):

Successful applicants will excel in the following:

• Artistic Impact: The project has a core idea/line of inquiry/theme and its presentation is experimental, imaginative, innovative, and/or unconventional, and furthers the applicants’ practices in important ways
• Context/Relevance: The project ideas take context into account by engaging artists/thinkers and audiences in relevant interactions
• Collaboration: The project engages multiple artists and thinkers in the development and presentation processes
• Feasibility: The applicants demonstrate the ability to carry out the proposed project within the one-year grant period

Selection Criteria (Research & Development Grants):

Successful applicants will excel in the following:

• Artistic Impact: The inquiry is experimental, imaginative, innovative, and/or unconventional, and furthers the applicants’ practices in important ways
• Context/Relevance: The research takes context into account by engaging with other artists/thinkers in relevant interactions
• Feasibility: The applicants demonstrate the ability to carry out the proposed research within the one-year grant period

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is the Ignite Fund?

• The Ignite Fund is a Regional Regranting Program of The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts that is administered by 3Arts.

What kinds of grants are offered?

• The Ignite Fund provides two types of grants:
  1. Project Grants support the creation and implementation of new, public-facing works that engage audiences through process, presentation, production, or publication. The projects must be visual arts-focused, make a meaningful impact, and be ambitious and experimental in nature. (At least 11 grants will be awarded at the $3,000 or $6,000 level).
  2. Research & Development Grants support the early stages of a new, public-facing project that may require time to be developed. The projects in development must be visual arts-focused, make a meaningful impact, and be ambitious and experimental in nature. (Up to two grants of $1,500 will be awarded each year.)

What do you mean by “meaningful impact?”

• That’s up to you and what you’re striving to achieve with your project. Please tell us what you hope to accomplish (e.g. provoke new ideas, encourage dialogue and debate, make change, connect people, etc.)

Does it cost anything to apply to the Ignite Fund?

• No, there is no application fee.

How many grants are awarded each year?

• 12-13 grants per year, for a total of $60,000 distributed to artists.

Who is considered the Lead Applicant?

• Individual artists and artist-led collectives (up to 4 people) are eligible to apply for Ignite Fund grants. Throughout the application process, individual artists and the main contact for an artist-led collective will be referred to as the Lead Applicant.

Who can apply for an Ignite Fund grant?

Lead Applicants (individual artists or primary contacts for artist-led collectives) must meet the following eligibility requirements:

• Visual artists or artists with a history of presenting their work in visual art contexts/venues. (Performance, film, text, and sound artists are eligible if their proposed projects center the visual arts.)
• Current residents of the Chicago metropolitan area (Cook, DuPage, Kane, McHenry, Lake, and Will counties).
• 18 years or older.
• Not currently enrolled in a degree-granting program.
• Have an active artistic practice and be able to demonstrate recent work.

Are there any additional eligibility requirements for artist-led collectives?

If applying as an artist-led collective, your group can be either long-standing or formed specifically for this opportunity. Each collective must identify one Lead Applicant to serve as the primary applicant and grantee contact. The Lead Applicant is responsible for: the receipt, management, and distribution of the funds; handling all communications with the Ignite Fund; and completing all necessary grant reporting. The Lead Applicant must meet all of the following criteria:

• Visual artists or artists with a history of presenting their work in visual art contexts/venues. (Performance, film, text, and sound artists are eligible if their proposed projects center the visual arts.)
• Current residents of the Chicago metropolitan area (Cook, DuPage, Kane, McHenry, Lake, and Will counties).
• 18 years or older.
• Not currently enrolled in a degree-granting program.
• Have an active artistic practice and be able to demonstrate recent work.

Do I need to be a U.S. citizen to apply?

• Lead Applicants must legally be able to receive taxable income in the United States. Citizens, permanent residents, or anyone who can provide a W9 and a Social Security Number (SSN) or an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) are eligible.

Is a grant from the Ignite Fund taxable?

• Yes. Ignite Fund grants are considered taxable income. Lead Applicants are responsible for receiving the grant funds and 1099 IRS tax forms.

Does everyone involved with the project need to identify as an artist?

• No. The Lead Applicant must identify as an artist. However, collaborators do not need to identify as artists.

How many proposals may I submit?

• You may submit one proposal as a Lead Applicant. However, you can be listed as a collaborator in other proposals.

What type of projects are eligible?

• Projects must center contemporary visual arts practice as the primary root and impulse; other media and performing arts aspects are eligible if visual arts will be the central element of the finished work.
• Projects that can be completed within a one-year grant term.
• Projects that have a clear public component and robust community engagement. Eligible examples include exhibitions, public events/talks, roundtables, community collaborations, public art projects, screenings, publications, festivals, workshops, etc.

What type of projects are NOT eligible?

• Projects that are not based in the Chicago metropolitan area.
• Projects led by incorporated entities (LLCs, B Corps, 501(C)(3) and 501(c)(4) organizations), universities and schools (private, public, charter), and religious entities.
• Projects led by students currently enrolled in high school, college, or university.
• Projects with Lead Applicants who are younger than 18 years old. (Projects can include collaborators who are under the age of 18, but the Lead Applicant and collective members must be at least 18 years old.)
• Projects seeking support retroactively or seeking reimbursement for a past project.
• Proposals for funding for a solo exhibition, individual artist's ongoing work, travel costs, etc.
• Projects proposed by an individual artist to present their own work.
• Projects that do not have a substantial public component.

Can web-based projects have scope beyond the Chicago area?

• Web-based projects should have their home in and primarily serve the Chicago area.

What are some examples of projects by individual artists versus collective-led projects?

Here are a few examples:

1. The Lead Applicant is a photographer who wants to organize a public exhibition of their work. Are they eligible?
2. No, they are not. The Ignite Fund does not support work proposed by an individual artist to present their work.
3. The Lead Applicant is a photographer who wants to organize a public exhibition of artwork by other photographers. Are they eligible?
4. Yes, they are. Although the Lead Applicant is the only curator of this event, multiple artists will be represented in the final public presentation.
5. An existing artist collective wants to organize an exhibition and public discussion about the role of visual art in Chicago social justice movements. The collective has a record of exhibiting work as a collaborative group and plans to feature only its own members in the programming. Is this project eligible?
6. No. The collective only features its own members and does not include artists outside its collective.
7. An existing artist collective wants to organize a panel discussion about the role of visual art in Chicago social justice movements. The collective will invite members from within and outside the collective to present on the panel. Is this project eligible?
8. Yes. Although the collective is hosting the panel and may include their own work, the project also features multiple artists and collaborators.

I want to work with an organization or institution as part of my Ignite Fund project. The organization is not able to pay artist fees or provide monetary support. Can I apply to cover costs?

• Projects supported by the Ignite Fund must be artist-initiated and cannot be part of the organization's regular programs. Funded projects can be presented at a variety of venues and organizations throughout the Chicago area that may be providing additional support (use of their facilities for a performance or event). The Ignite Fund will not cover production costs that should be covered by another host organization that made an explicit invitation to the applicant(s) to present work at their venue or as part of the host organization's regular program.

My project involves working with students. Can I still apply?

• Yes, you can still apply. However, the Lead Applicant and main collaborators cannot be students.

How long is the grant period?

• The Ignite Fund grant period is one year from the date funds are awarded (September 2022-September 2023).

How much funding can I request?

• Applicants can request $3,000 or $6,000 for Project Grants.
• Applicants can request $1,500 for Research & Development Grants.

In the Project Budget, can I include payment to myself?

• Yes. We encourage applicants to pay themselves and their collaborators.

How will payments be disbursed?

• Payments will be disbursed to the Lead Applicant via check or direct deposit.

Why are applicants required to make their projects accessible?

Projects should emphasize accessibility so that a wide range of people can access the presentation of the project. Grantees are encouraged to be transparent about the accessibility services that are offered. Consider including any or all of the following accessibility services:

• COVID-19 safety protocols that prioritize the health and safety of participants and the community.
• American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation.
• CART Services (Communication Access Real-Time Translation), real-time captioning.
• Captioning for videos.
• Audio description.
• Quiet spaces or sensory rooms.
• Wayfinding.
• Ramps and elevators.
• Aisles and restrooms that can accommodate wheelchairs.

Does the Ignite Fund support work outside of the visual arts?

• The Ignite Fund can support interdisciplinary practices. However, projects should be strongly grounded in the visual arts. Performing, media, or other arts are eligible when visual art is the key component of the finished project.

What does it mean for a project to be strongly grounded in the visual arts?

• The Ignite Fund has a broad understanding of the visual arts. If your project is connected to the visual arts and you can communicate this within your application, you are eligible. This could include visual/multidisciplinary artists who create original work in photography, video, fashion, ceramics, drawing, artist books, body art, weaving, installation art, painting, printmaking, curatorial concepts, sculpture, 3D/object work, media art, sound-based art, performance art, social practice, fiber/textile, illustration, murals, animation, design, and more. If you are uncertain, please reach out to our team to determine your eligibility. You can reach us at info@ignitefund.org

Do I need to have a confirmed venue to apply?

• No. We do not require you to have confirmed venues in place at the application stage. Further, we do not require that you have a written commitment from any service, affiliate, presenter, or space you choose to engage. However, your application may be considered stronger or more feasible if you can describe your proposed plans in detail, including potential or secured partners, venues, etc.

Can I apply for a grant to cover equipment?

• Yes. Equipment necessary for the completion of your project is an allowable expense, but the focus of your funding should support the production of the work and its public engagement.

Are there any reporting requirements for the grant?

• There is a mandatory midterm check-in meeting with the Ignite Fund program manager. This conversation is an opportunity for grantees to reflect on their progress to date and discuss the successes and challenges. A brief final report, due at the end of the grant period, is the only written report required. In addition to the written report, a 30-minute Zoom interview will be required for grantees at the end of the grant period

Who is on the jury panel for Ignite Fund grants?

• Proposals to the Ignite Fund are reviewed by a panel of jurors made up of four artists and/or arts professionals currently working in the arts and culture field, including one representative from another Regional Regranting Program partner.

What does the panel evaluate in an application?

• Projects will be reviewed on the basis of artistic impact, context/relevance, collaboration, and feasibility. This is described in more detail in the Apply section of the Ignite Fund website.
• Projects that support inclusion, diversity, equity, and access will be prioritized. In-person projects must incorporate COVID-19 safety protocols for the health and safety of participants and the audience
• Applicants also will be required to submit examples of recent and relevant work.

If I receive an Ignite Fund grant, am I considered a grantee of The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts or 3Arts?

• No, you would be considered an Ignite Fund grantee.