Big Field Fund (BFF) Research/Development Grants

Big Field Fund (BFF) Research/Development Grants

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts
Amount: US $3,000
Last Updated: August 15, 2025

Summary

The Big Field Fund (BFF) Research/Development Grants provide $3,000 to support artists and collectives in eastern Iowa. These grants focus on fostering publicly-engaged, experimental visual arts projects that may not qualify for traditional funding. BFF aims to support under-resourced artists and innovative ideas that engage with unique community resources. The initiative includes a public award celebration and mentorship opportunities, enhancing the artistic landscape while honoring Andy Warhol's legacy in the visual arts.

Overview

The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts was established in New York in 1987. Although Warhol’s own radical artistic experimentation was cut tragically short by his unexpected passing at the age of 58, he had generously made arrangements to help future generations of artists break new ground. He called for the creation of a foundation dedicated to “advancement of the visual arts,” in his will, leaving nearly his entire estate to the cause. Since its inception, the Foundation’s purpose has been to support experimental and challenging new artistic activity in the most meaningful way possible, and to preserve and expand Warhol’s artistic legacy. Those two goals are intertwined: every initiative the Foundation supports is considered through the lens of Warhol’s maverick approach to art and life, from his fundamental sense of freedom to be new and different, to his forward-thinking generosity. Following Andy Warhol’s will, the mission of The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts is the advancement of the visual arts. The foundation manages an innovative and dynamic grants program while also preserving Warhol’s legacy through creative and responsible licensing policies and extensive scholarly research for ongoing catalogue raisonné projects. To date, the foundation has given nearly $300 million in cash grants to over 1,000 arts organizations in 49 states and abroad and has donated 52,786 works of art to 322 institutions worldwide.The Regional Regranting Program was established in 2007 to recognize and support the movement of independently organized, public-facing, artist-centered activity that animates local and regional art scenes but that lies beyond the reach of traditional funding sources. The program is administered by non-profit visual art centers across the United States that work in partnership with the Foundation to fund artists’ experimental projects and collaborative undertakings. The 36 regranting programs provide grants of up to $10,000 for the creation and presentation of new work. Programs are developed and facilitated by organizations in Albuquerque (NM), Atlanta (GA), Baltimore (MD), Boston (MA), Buffalo (NY), Chicago (IL), Cleveland (OH), Denver (CO), Detroit (MI), Honolulu (HI), Houston (TX), Indianapolis (IN), Iowa City (IA), Kansas City (MO), Knoxville (TN), Rapid City (SD), Los Angeles (CA), Miami (FL), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), Mobile (AL), New Orleans (LA), Newark (NJ), Oklahoma City (OK), Omaha (NE), Philadelphia (PA), Tucson (AZ), Portland (ME), Portland (OR), Providence (RI), Raleigh (NC), Saint Louis (MO), San Francisco (CA), San Juan (PR), Seattle (WA), and Washington, DC. Big Field Fund (BFF) Research/Development Grants The Big Field Fund (BFF) awards grants to artists and collectives to support publicly-engaged experimental, collaborative, and connective visual arts projects in eastern Iowa. For the Research/Development Grants, the Big Field Fund awards $3000 to support artists in the early stages of an ambitious project that will fulfill one or more of the following focus areas: projects that manifest new and inventive models to present/nurture/deploy visuals arts in Iowaprojects that support under-resourced artists and creative communitiesprojects that engage with vulnerable or underutilized resources, structures, systems, or ecologiesprojects that would likely not otherwise be eligible for financial support due to their multidisciplinary, ephemeral, or risk-taking nature BFF R/D Grants are intended to support eastern Iowa artists (this year, defined as within 80 miles of Iowa City and in the state of Iowa). In addition to the financial award to support their work, BFF will support grantees with: a public award celebrationa grantee cohort gatheringa studio visit/consultation with an artist, curator, or specialist in the fieldpromotion of their projects via BFF’s communication channels

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. Applicants must:be at least 18 years oldreside and plan to produce the project within 80 miles of Iowa City and in the state of Iowahave an active artistic practice and be able to demonstrate recent workhave the ability to complete work proposed within one year of the grant award (largely in the calendar year 2026) R/D proposals must:support progress towards a future publicly-realized project in the visual arts (painting, drawing, sculpture, social practice, performance art, film/video, photography, textiles, ceramics, cross-disciplinary, public art, etc.)incorporate activities that expand your ability to pursue a future project (such as learning a new technical skill, building relationships with potential collaborators/partners, conducting research through reading/ interviews/site visits, creating prototypes, etc.) Eligible budget expenses: Paying artists (including yourself and collaborators) and other workers, supplies, marketing costs, equipment (equipment purchase may only be 25% of your budget), documentation, venue costs, travel.

Ineligibility

Applicants may not be:a non-profit or incorporated business (501(c)(3)s, LLCs, S- or C-Corp, or partnership)enrolled in a full-time degree-granting programa BFF Project Grant awardee in the last two yearsR/D grantees will be eligible to apply for a Project grant the following year. Project Grant grantees (lead applicant) must wait two years after completing their project to apply again.