Black Visual Arts Archives Grant

The Black Visual Arts Archives initiative, funded by the Getty Foundation, aims to enhance access to collections related to Black artists. This ongoing grant program supports projects that survey, process, and digitize archival materials while promoting public engagement through exhibitions and community events. By fostering awareness of Black contributions to the visual arts, the initiative strengthens the preservation of cultural heritage and encourages collaboration among libraries, universities, and community organizations.

Note: There is no annual deadline; grants are awarded on an ongoing basis.
The Getty Foundation partners with people and organizations in Los Angeles and around the world by awarding grants that support art historical scholarship, conserve art and architecture, increase access to museum collections and archives, and train visual arts professionals.
Enhancing access and visibility of collections related to Black artists.
Goal
Black Visual Arts Archives is expanding awareness of the contributions of Black artists by activating archival collections related to their work.
Background
Libraries, universities, museums, and other public spaces all hold important records of Black contributions to the visual arts in the U.S., ranging from individual artist papers to institutional records about exhibitions, educational programs, and more. However, many of these archives have been historically difficult to research, often because records are dispersed, not easily discoverable, or not yet formally processed.
The Black Visual Arts Archives initiative provides grants to survey, process, and digitize materials related to Black art in the United States. Organizations are also encouraged to develop programming including exhibitions, digital projects, and community events to activate the archives for broader public engagement.
Approach
In 2025, we expanded Black Visual Arts Archives into a multi-year funding program and announced seven new grants. Grantees engage in a range of activities including the inventory, processing, rehousing, and digitization of collections. Grants support can also include training for staff and community members and public programming.
Grantees convene periodically to enhance knowledge sharing among participants and build a community of practice around the stewardship of Black visual archives.

Eligibility

Non-profit organizations with archival collections related to Black visual arts, including public libraries, community arts organizations, and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Projects that are eligible for grant support include collection surveys, archival processing and/or digitization, technical training for established and emerging archivists, and public programming to engage new and existing audiences with the organization’s collections.