We collaborate with the The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts to further support artists’ innovation throughout Oklahoma with project grants of up to $10,000. THRIVE Grants build upon our existing dedication to support artist-led initiatives and our belief in the power of artists to create a positive impact in our communities. THRIVE Grants will provide funding for collaborative artist-led projects across the state of Oklahoma that are open and accessible to the public. The funded projects must be ambitious, impactful, and experimental with a central focus on the VISUAL ARTS. As COVID-19 is limiting in-person events, this public-facing program may also be accessed digitally via a virtually accessible platform. The grants will prioritize artist projects that create new collaborations, connections, and partnerships.


THE APPLICATION

The next call for applications will open on April 1st, 2024



THRIVE GRANTS FAQs
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What are Thrive Grants?

Thrive Grants are a program of the Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition in partnership with the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts' Regranting Program. Thrive is an annual award program that funds 8 artists' projects with grants of up to $10,000. The projects take place over the course of one year and the program culminates in a celebratory event that includes a public presentation of each project.

What is the timeline?

April 1, 2023 - Grant Application Opens
​ April 13, 2023 - Virtual Info Session
We are offering a free info session where we will go into detail about the program, what projects qualify, how to write a winning application, and answer any questions.
May 15-18, 2023 - Office Hours by Appointment
Email the Administrative and Artist Relations Manager at ariana@ovac-ok.org to schedule an appointment during this window to get feedback on your application and add finishing touches before submitting your application by the June 1st deadline!
​ June 1, 2023 - Application Deadline is at 11:59 pm CST
All applications must be submitted through the Submittable portal. If you have any issues using this portal, please contact us to make other accommodations.
July 31, 2023 - Thrive Grant Recipients Notified!
August 2023 - June 2024 - Grant Funding Period
June 2024 - Thrive Reception
2023 Grant recipient public presentation and celebration

Who selects the grant winners?

We have a committee that includes local artists, arts administrators, a former Thrive recipient, and someone from the National Regional Regranting family.

How are the applications scored?

All applications will be scored on the following categories: Career Altering Potential, Artistic Merit, Community Impact, and Ability to Complete. Preference will be shown to projects that: serve under-represented regions of Oklahoma, include Native Peoples/People of Color, and/or utilize collaboration. View the full rubric here.

What types of projects will be funded?

This program celebrates risk and artists that are willing to push their own boundaries. What that actually looks like will vary greatly but we are open to innovative and experimental approaches to Visual Art-making, view past awardees here. The focal point of every project should be Visual Art and not firmly rooted in other forms of art like dance, theatre, music, or industry feature filmmaking.

What types of projects will NOT be funded?

Projects, which have a central focus and a Lead Applicant with a practice firmly rooted in theatrical dance, theatre, music, or industry feature filmmaking. Projects that do NOT meet the basic eligibility requirements will not be funded, review those here.

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Define the requirement for "public accessibility".

The selected projects should be accessible to the public via “process, production, presentation or publication” and this does not imply the “general public.” Thrive Grant Recipients can and should define the community with which they wish to connect, and then design their projects to build relationships with this audience. This community could therefore be large and abstract or small and defined.

Can I request funding for my solo exhibition?

No, traditional exhibitions will not be funded. Thrive Grants are aiming to support public engagement that goes beyond the passive viewing of finished artwork. With that said, there are certainly exceptions, for example, artists taking an innovative or thought-provoking approach to the exhibition platform. Review previously funded projects here. To seek funding for your art practice, try applying for a quarterly Grants for Artists Grant here.

As a student of the Arts, why am I not eligible to apply as a Lead Applicant?

Thrive Grants are intended to fund independent and experienced Artists. As a student, the potential is too high for their work to be heavily influenced by their university.

Can I include artists outside of Oklahoma?

Yes, but the majority of the artists must be current Oklahoma residents.

Can the grant funds be used to pay me or other artists?

Yes! You can use the funds however you like to accomplish your project. We encourage artists to pay themselves and collaborators for their time in completing the project.

How many applications may I submit as a Lead Applicant?

Only one application will be accepted for each Lead Applicant, but this individual is NOT prohibited from collaborating on another project. Be intentional with this choice and consider how you frame your participation in the other project.

What if we are an artist collective?

Sure, we encourage collaboration. You will need to select one artist to be the Lead Applicant. This will be the primary contact that we coordinate with, the person who applies, and who will manage the award funds.

I’m an Independent/Freelance Curator; am I eligible to apply for the grant?

Yes, Independent Curators may apply. If you identify as both an Artist and Curator, only submit one application; only one application per individual will be accepted.

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I am an artist with an LLC and profit off of my business as a creator, can I apply?

Yes! Independent Artists, even those with an LLC, can apply. 501c3 organizations or for-profit corporations are not eligible to apply.

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I am submitting video content, and I see there are restrictions on how much watch-time to provide. How strict is this rule?

You are technically allowed to submit video content without highlighting a maximum of 3 minutes for review but you must also consider the impact of not meeting the requested parameters. If you do NOT follow the instructions, it tends to make your application look rushed and unprofessional. We strongly encourage you to edit your clips down to the suggested time.

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I am a recipient of another OVAC program reward, can I still apply?

If you are awarded another OVAC grant you are still eligible to apply, however your proposed project may not be the same as your previously awarded project. We will require a year break period after the completion of any successful Thrive projects. This means if applicants were awarded in 2021, their funding period would end in 2022, and they would not be eligible to apply again until 2023.

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After the waiting period, can I reapply with the same project proposal?

No, you may not reapply with an exact copy of past proposals, but you might look for a way to expand upon previous projects. It is difficult to imagine that a new proposal that shifts its focus in such a way would be identical to past iterations. If you have questions regarding your eligibility, just ask!

Can I apply if I am NOT a U.S. Citizen?

Yes, you can apply but the Lead Applicant must have a social security number and have held residence in Oklahoma for at least 12 months.

Do I have to pay taxes on grant funding?

Yes, the IRS considers grant funding to be income, which means you could owe taxes. Your filing status—individual or LLC—can change how you report your funding. We recommend doing research at www.irs.gov and viewing the instructions on page 3 of form 990 to learn more on how to properly file the funds that will be used in your project.


Upcoming THRIVE Events

  • Come back soon for more THRIVE Events!

   ELIGIBILITY


  1. All events associated with your project must take place in Oklahoma and before the presentation at the end of the funding period.

  2. The proposed project must have a central focus on the visual arts. Artistic practices firmly rooted in dance, theatre, music, or industry/feature filmmaking are not eligible to apply.

  3. The proposed project must be publicly accessible and push the boundaries of the traditional exhibition experience. Be sure to think outside the box and put an emphasis on how to interact with your audience. 

  4. For collaborative projects, the individual who submits the project proposal will serve as the Lead Applicant and a detailed timeline and budget must be included. To download a budget template click the "THRIVE Grants Budget Template" button or click HERE.

  5. Artists currently enrolled as a student in an MFA/BFA or are seeking enrollment in the arts during the award year are not eligible to apply as a Lead Applicant but are allowed to be a collaborator.

  6. The Lead Applicant and the majority of the collaborators must reside in Oklahoma.

  7. Successful applicants may apply after one calendar year of award receipt but must propose a new project or an expansion of previous work. You will not be disqualified for continuing to grow and develop the visual arts of Oklahoma but please note that preference will be shown to creative projects that have not received funding in the past.

  8. 501c3 organizations or for-profit corporations are not eligible to apply. Artists with an LLC are eligible to apply.


2023 GRANTEES

Dylan Albertson

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Boy Mode is a short film about Reese, a closeted trans woman, coming out for a second time. Set in a dystopian, post-drag ban Oklahoma, this narrative drama will employ drag entertainers from Oklahoma City to work cast and crew positions, mentored alongside film professionals. We hope to foster conversations about gender dysphoria and euphoria, and provide an intimate, wondrous look into queerness. Blending multiple mediums, it is a collaboration between the OKC drag scene, Oklahoma queer visual artists, and Oklahoma filmmakers. It will feature visual art about drag, with queer voices in front of the camera and behind it.

Erin Turner

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TOTEM: As Monument & Archive is a workshop and lecture series designed to offer historical and contemporary context for the Ed Galloway Totem Pole Park. Activists, contemporary artists, curators, journalists, historians, and art historians are among some of the voices that parse out themes such as monumentality, the archive, vernacular art environments, tourism, Oklahoma history, Native policy, and cultural appropriation. Centering the voice of the Native community activates a much needed conversation around local history, cultural appropriation, and accountability. This series intends to generate interpretation methods so that the site can be a space of education, dialogue, and respect.

Isa Rodriguez

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Practice Practice is an accessible network of resources for artists, created by Isa Rodriguez and Dylan Cale Jones. It includes a workbook, newsletter, and podcast. Artists are taught to prioritize production and commercial success over everything—including relationships, rest, and mental health. This is harmful and unsustainable. We encourage artists to transform their creative practices by defining success for themselves. Our goal is to help artists build practices that align with their values. We envision creativity working in harmony with other important aspects of life. Practice Practice highlights definitions of success that balance sustainability, community, and individual well-being.

Jordan Vinyard
This Little Piggy Has Meaning, This Little Piggy Has None

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This Little Piggy Has Meaning, This Little Piggy Has None, consists of interactive kinetic sculptures that playfully address how we define community values and meaning.

Kara Lynch
The Promised Land

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The Promised Land imagines: what if Oklahoma had entered the U.S. as an all-black state? Consulting with local residents of Oklahoma's 14 incorporated all-black towns and Greenwood, we will co-create a flag that represents this dream of 40 acres and a mule that Indian and Oklahoma Territories once promised to African Americans after the Civil War. The co-creation process includes informal and formal conversations with town leaders, residents and culture bearers, intergenerational visioning workshops, and participatory decision-making. By sharing Black Speculative dreaming practices, our desired outcome is to co-create a beautiful flag to present to the residents of all-Black Towns in Oklahoma that represents their collective vision of the Promised Land.

Steve Liggett
Oklahoma Visionaries

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The Oklahoma Visionary Artists Exhibits at Liggett Studios, Tulsa, from October 13-November 3, 2023 and Owens Art Place Museum, Guthrie from March 15-April 19, 2024 will feature 20 artists who are: Oklahoma residents; self-taught, unconcerned with the mainstream artworld and driven by their uniquely personal visions; and, have experienced marginalization. The exhibits are the culmination of an 11-month search by co-curators Steve Liggett and Pam Hodges, which resulted in submissions by 57 artists. All eligible artists’ profiles will be assessable from an on-line Directory. Artists profiles will be continually collected for the second Oklahoma Visionaries Exhibit during 2025.

Warren Realrider
Native Sound Summit

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The Native Sound Summit is both a public facing and artist centered event taking place on November 11th 2023 at First Americans Museum in Oklahoma City. The summit will be a daylong event featuring experimental sound performance, panel discussions about relevant topics, networking, and information exchange. Warren Realrider is the program chair for the event and also will be participating as a performer, panelist, and attendee. He will be curating a selection of artist/performers that represent the diversity of approaches within the contemporary Indigenous creative world where visual art, performance, sound, and collaboration are melding to create new sonic worlds.


CONTACT US

Phone: (405)879-2400

Office Hours: Monday–Thursday, 9AM–5PM

Address:

Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition

1720 N. Shartel Ave. Suite B.

Oklahoma City, OK 73103

© 2024 Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition. All rights reserved. Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. EIN: 73-1328072.

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