Artist Project Grants

Please note that our guidelines are changing for the 2021 grant cycle. Over the next few months, we will update our website to reflect these changes, please check back at that time.

The Mike Kelley Foundation for the Arts (MKFA) furthers Mike Kelley’s philanthropic work and honors his legacy through grants for innovative projects that reflect his multifaceted artistic practice. The Foundation’s Artist Project Grants provide support to Los Angeles nonprofit institutions and organizations for projects with visual artists. The goal is to benefit visual artists and arts organizations alike, and to support compelling, inventive, and risk-taking work in any medium.

The Foundation provides support to local nonprofits for artist projects, including the creation of new works and dynamic collaborations between artists and host organizations. Grants may also support works in progress, presentations of under-recognized or lesser-known existing works to new audiences, or multi-artist projects. Projects of any duration and type are welcome, from one-night performances to traditional object-based exhibitions.

The Foundation is particularly interested in supporting work that has proven (or may prove) difficult to undertake or fund due to its content, complexity, or other factors. Grants may cover any or all phases of a project, from planning to implementation, but the project must culminate in a publicly presented work in the region. Grant awards range from $10,000 to $50,000.