Call for Submissions

Call for Proposals: Curatorial Initiatives

Teiger Foundation

195 Chrystie Street Suite 809G
New York, NY 10002

Deadline

Sep 15, 2022

Posted

Jun 30, 2022

Teiger Foundation Launches Inaugural Call for Proposals
Supporting Ambitious Curatorial Projects across U.S.

Awarding up to Total of $3.5 Million Annually, New Grantmaking Initiative
Includes Climate Action Pilot Program Dedicated to
Advancing Sustainable Curatorial Practices

Call Opens for Submissions Today

New York, NY – June 27, 2022 – Teiger Foundation announced today the launch of its first-ever Call for Proposals, a new grantmaking initiative that will award up to a total of $3.5 million on an annual basis in support of innovative curator-led projects within the field of contemporary art. The new initiative builds on the vision of founder David Teiger (1929 – 2014), who during his lifetime acted as an advocate for curators pursuing ambitious and unconventional projects with visionary contemporary artists. Successful applicants will receive grants of up to $150,000 and the opportunity to be involved in a Climate Action pilot program that advances sustainable curatorial practices.

The Foundation will begin accepting proposals via an application portal on its website starting today through September 15, with the first round of grantees expected to be announced by February 2023. All proposals must advance new ideas and original research in the field of contemporary art and be affiliated with a U.S.-based nonprofit organization. An information session for prospective grantees will be held on Wednesday, August 3, with registration details available on the Foundation’s website.

“With our first-ever Call for Proposals, Teiger Foundation aims to open up new opportunities for contemporary art curators to experiment, innovate, and expand the impact of their work,” stated Larissa Harris, inaugural Executive Director of Teiger Foundation. “Our Call was designed with input from the field to address gaps in the funding sector, including support for hosting traveling exhibitions and for independent curatorial research, both of which are relatively uncommon. In the same vein, we are launching a pilot Climate Action program as part of the Call so that we can broaden conversations with and ultimately provide more impactful support to curators in incorporating climate considerations into their everyday practice in ways that are relevant to their contexts and capacities.”

Through this new grantmaking program, the Foundation will support four types of initiatives, including unique grant opportunities developed in consultation with the field that provide curators with new ways of advancing their work. These include:

  • Development and presentation of a major project or program at a mid-to-large scale institution (individual awards up to $150,000);
  • Development and presentation of three years of curatorial programming at a smaller-scale nonprofit with an operating budget under $3M annually (up to $150,000);
  • Presentation and community integration of a touring exhibition(s) at a host institution, including offsetting costs for touring fees (up to $50,000); or
  • New, independent research, including funds to support a curator’s institution should they require leave to complete the research (up to $50,000).

Grantees will be able to opt into the Foundation’s Climate Action pilot program, which will be developed and formalized over the course of the next two years and offer tailored support for curators to embed climate-consciousness into their work.

The Call for Proposals marks the first program of its kind to be launched by the Foundation, which previously awarded grants exclusively through a nomination process. The program is part of a new phase of activity that began with the sale of David Teiger’s collection in 2018 and 2019. This established the Foundation’s endowment and was followed by the appointment of Harris as the Foundation’s inaugural Executive Director in December 2020 and the expansion of the Board, which now includes John Silberman as President, Joel Wachs as Treasurer, and Directors Gary Garrels, Kati Lovaas, Yasmil Raymond, and Zoé Whitley.

Since 2020, the organization has distributed a total of $8.5 million, supporting exhibitions at nonprofit institutions and curator-led organizations; coalitions and initiatives that support and challenge the field of visual art; as well as relief efforts that help artists and cultural workers in need. Teiger Foundation was the main donor for the 59th International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia, The Milk of Dreams.

John Silberman, President of the Board, stated: “Teiger Foundation has an expansive history of supporting rigorous curatorial initiatives—exhibitions and projects that have broken boundaries and challenged a reconsideration of systems and of the pressing issues of the day. Acknowledging the uncertainty during this time of loss and continual change, the Teiger Foundation remains ever more committed to supporting experimentation and furthering new perspectives that result in positive shifts within the field of visual art.”

More information about the call for proposal process is available at Teiger Foundation’s website. Although its inaugural call for proposals is for curators working in the U.S. and territories only, Teiger Foundation is committed to funding international curatorial projects in the future.

About Teiger Foundation
Teiger Foundation advances innovative curatorial practice and rigorous investigations in contemporary art. Through its grantmaking initiatives and newly launched annual call for proposals, Teiger Foundation aims to catalyze positive change within the field through its support of curatorial projects that further new research, broaden opportunities for diversity and inclusion, and embrace more sustainable practices.

Established by collector and art patron David Teiger (1929-2014) in 2008, the Foundation honors the spirit of its late founder who acted as an advocate for contemporary artists and curators pursuing ambitious, innovative, and unconventional projects. The Foundation moved into a new phase of activity following the posthumous sale of Teiger’s collection in 2018-19, which established the Foundation among the largest of its kind dedicated exclusively to contemporary art.

For more information, please contact
Juliet Sorce
Resnicow and Associates
jsorce@resnicow.com
212.671.5158