Foundation For Contemporary Arts Inc

Emergency grants: grants of $500-$3,000, awarded on a rolling basis to artists and collectives who incur unexpected expenses related to the public presentation of their work or receive sudden opportunities to present their work publicly. Applications are received on a rolling basis through an open application process. Staff review applications for eligibility, and each month an artist panel reviews them and determines grant recipients. In 2024, fca made 231 emergency grants totaling $465,000.

Warren prindle visual arts scholarship (cvas): fca administers an annual scholarship program for college-bound seniors from the housatonic valley regional high school for undergraduate study in the fine arts, with funds contributed by a connecticut foundation. Selection is made by a panel of visual artists based on merit and financial need. Since 2023, each new scholarship recipient receives $80,000 over four years ($10,000 per semester). $60,000 was distributed to three students in 2024. Formerly the contemporary visual art scholarship, the award was named after hvrhs art teacher warren prindle upon his retirement.

The ellsworth kelly award: this endowed award was established with a gift from the ellsworth kelly foundation in honor of the artist. The grant is made annually to create a solo exhibition opportunity for a contemporary visual artist at a u.s. Art museum or university or college art gallery. Fca identifies and invites applications from such institutions annually. The foundation's board reviews applications and selects the recipient. The 2024 award was $45,000.

Creative research grants administration:creative research grants of $10,000 are awarded by fca to support critical exploratory phases of the artistic process. Launched in 2024, the program is made possible by a generous bequest from the estate of margo leavin. Fca invites prior recipients of emergency grants to apply for activities that would inform and enhance their artistic practice over an 18-month period. Applications are reviewed by staff for eligibility and subsequently reviewed by an artist panel in two phases to select the recipients. Recipients sign a grant agreement and are asked to submit a final report upon the conclusion of funded activities, describing how they used their grant and its impact. The resulting $300,000 in creative research grants were awarded in january 2025 and do not appear in the grant total.