Artist Grant Program for Underrepresented Artists

Deadline: 01-Oct-2026

The Artist Grant Program offers 10 unrestricted grants of €10,000 each to emerging artists from underrepresented groups in selected European countries. The programme supports artists with two to ten years of professional experience whose collaborative or community-oriented artistic practices benefit their communities and who face systemic barriers to equal opportunities in the creative sector. What Is the Artist Grant Program? The Artist Grant Program supports emerging artists who are underrepresented within the European creative and cultural industries. The programme is designed to address economic, social, cultural, physical and other systemic barriers that can limit artists’ opportunities for career development, visibility and creative work. Rather than restricting funding to specific project expenses, the programme provides unrestricted financial support. This allows selected artists to use the grant to create more time and space for their artistic practice and professional development. The programme places particular emphasis on: - Collaborative artistic practices - Collective creative processes - Community-oriented art - Supporting underrepresented artists - Increasing artistic visibility - Building artists’ confidence - Overcoming systemic barriers - Strengthening creative careers - Creating positive community impact What Funding Is Available?

The Artist Grant Program will provide:

- Number of grants: 10

- Grant amount: €10,000 per artist

- Payment method: Monthly instalments

- Monthly payment: €1,000

- Total funding: €100,000

The grants are unrestricted, meaning recipients receive financial support intended to give them greater freedom and resources to develop their artistic practice. The funding can help recipients dedicate more time to creative work and address barriers that have affected their professional development. Why the Artist Grant Matters Emerging artists from underrepresented communities can face structural barriers that affect their access to opportunities, professional networks, visibility and financial resources. The Artist Grant Program aims to respond to these challenges by providing direct financial support rather than limiting assistance to a narrowly defined project budget. The programme also recognises that artistic practices can have wider social value when artists work collaboratively with communities.

Its objectives include:

- Improving artists’ living and working conditions. - Giving artists more time for creative development. - Increasing visibility within the cultural sector. - Supporting community-oriented artistic practices. - Strengthening confidence and professional development. - Helping artists overcome economic and social barriers. - Encouraging sustainable creative careers. Who Is Eligible? Applicants must meet all applicable eligibility requirements. Professional Experience

Applicants must be emerging artists with:

- At least two years of professional experience. - No more than 10 years of professional experience. The programme is therefore intended for artists who are beyond the very beginning of their careers but are still considered emerging professionals. Underrepresented Status Applicants must identify as belonging to an underrepresented group or as someone who consistently faces systemic barriers to equal opportunities. These barriers may affect areas such as: - Career development - Professional exposure - Access to opportunities - Visibility - Participation in the creative industries Applicants should be able to explain the barriers they experience and how the grant could help address them. Artistic Practice The applicant’s artistic work must involve collaborative, collective or creative processes that benefit their community. This means the application should clearly demonstrate the relationship between the applicant’s artistic practice and the communities or groups they work with. Community benefit can be demonstrated through the nature of the artistic process, collaboration or outcomes. Eligible Countries Applicants must be based in one of the following countries: Applicants must also have a personal bank account with an IBAN in one of these eligible countries. Additional Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must also:

- Be born in 2005 or earlier. - Maintain a public website or social media profile showcasing their artistic work. - Demonstrate their artistic development and professional practice. - Explain how the grant would help overcome relevant barriers. - Show how the funding would provide meaningful support for their artistic development. What Types of Barriers Can Applicants Address? Applicants should explain the specific barriers affecting their artistic and professional development.

Relevant barriers may be:

- Economic: Financial limitations affecting time, resources or career development.

- Social: Social exclusion or unequal access to professional opportunities.

- Cultural: Barriers associated with cultural representation or participation.

- Physical: Accessibility-related challenges affecting artistic practice.

- Health-related: Circumstances that create additional barriers to professional development.

The application should focus on the applicant’s actual circumstances rather than simply listing general disadvantages. How the Artist Grant Works The programme is designed to provide artists with flexible financial support rather than funding only a specific project.

Step 1: Confirm Your Eligibility

Check that you:

- Are an emerging artist. - Have between two and ten years of professional experience. - Are based in an eligible European country. - Have a personal IBAN bank account in an eligible country. - Were born in 2005 or earlier. - Belong to an underrepresented group or consistently experience systemic barriers. - Have a collaborative, collective or community-oriented artistic practice. - Maintain a public online profile showing your work.

Step 2: Document Your Artistic Practice

Prepare evidence t