APPLICATIONS FOR THE APPALACHIAN VISIONARY ARTIST FUND
TO OPEN FROM JUNE 2, 2026 – AUGUST 4, 2026
$60,000 IN GRANTS AVAILABLE THROUGH THE ANDY WARHOL FOUNDATION
FOR THE VISUAL ARTS REGIONAL REGRANTING PROGRAM
The Waymakers Collective, radical grantmakers rooted in the heart of Appalachia and committed to challenging conventional philanthropy, proudly announces the opening of applications for its Appalachian Visionary Artist Fund on June 2, 2026.
Open to visual artists and artist collectives from Central Appalachia, the Appalachian Visionary Artist Fund is a Regional Regranting Program of The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, administered by The Waymakers Collective. The fund aims to support bold, community-centered, and experimental visual art projects that take place outside of the studio and engage the public.
Designed to uplift voices often excluded from traditional arts funding, the $60,000 fund will award twelve $5,000 grants to support imaginative and collaborative art projects that shift perception and resource imagination. Grantees will be selected by a three-person jury panel of internationally recognized artists, collectors, curators, administrators, gallerists, educators, and/or arts professionals.
“Artists are storytellers, systems breakers, and world builders,” said Joe Tolbert Jr., Executive Director of the Waymakers Collective. “This fund challenges the status quo by directing resources to those whose creativity redefines what’s possible in Central Appalachia. We’re not just supporting art, but investing in a more just and imaginative future.”
The application period runs from June 2, 2026, to August 4, 2026, and there is no application fee. Grantees will be announced in September 2026. The Appalachian Visionary Artist Fund welcomes submissions from independent artists and informal collectives, and prioritizes underrepresented voices often excluded from traditional arts funding streams. Eligible applicants must be 21 or older, reside in Central Appalachia, and have the proposed work created and located there. Two information sessions will be offered, including an online session on May 21, 2026, and an in-person question-and-answer session on June 4, 2026.
Applicants will be asked to describe their connection to the region and why they are the right person or collective to lead the work there. Eligible projects may consist of, but are not limited to, new or ongoing exhibitions, independent art spaces, public installations, performances, screenings, publications, residencies, a one-time event or performance, publications directly related to the visual arts, an artist’s residency, or online projects. For applicants who cannot submit online, the Waymakers Collective will provide submission support. Inquiries may be directed to waymakerscollective@gmail.com.
“We are excited to welcome the Appalachian Visionary Artist Fund into our network of partners for the Warhol Foundation’s Regional Regranting Program,” says Khadija Nia Adell, Regional Regranting Program Officer at The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, “The fund will encourage collaboration and foster new connections among artists in Central Appalachia contributing to the region’s rich cultural heritage by supporting innovative and experimental visual arts projects that speak to its community, traditions, and future.”
For more information and to apply, including a complete list of Central Appalachian counties eligible for the grant, please visit appalachianvisionaryartistfund.org.