Mapplethorpe Foundation: Photography Grant

The Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation, established in 1988, supports photography programs at museums and public institutions. It promotes photography's recognition alongside other art forms and contributes to HIV/AIDS medical research. Notably, it has funded major galleries and initiatives, donating significant collections to renowned museums. The Foundation aids curators in developing photography exhibitions and provides financial support for acquisitions, exhibitions, and publications, ensuring Mapplethorpe's artistic legacy endures.

NOTE: There are no formal application deadlines. The Foundation’s Board of Trustees reviews all applications at its quarterly meetings. Applicants should be prepared to wait several weeks or months for a decision.
The Foundation subsequently awarded three major gifts supporting photography programs which resulted in galleries or facilities permanently named for Robert Mapplethorpe—at the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Hessel Museum of Art at Bard College, in Annandale-on-Hudson, NY, and the National Portrait Gallery, part of the National Galleries of Scotland in Edinburgh.
The Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation provides support for museums and other public institutions to expand photography programming, including acquisitions, exhibitions, and publications. As the beneficiary of Robert Mapplethorpe’s Estate, the Foundation has made contributions in the form of artworks or gifts of money to qualifying applicants.

Eligibility

The Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation provides support for museums and other public institutions to expand photography programming, including acquisitions, exhibitions, and publications.

Ineligibility

The Foundation does not provide scholarships or grants to individual photographers.