About Us
funds in action
One of our primary goals is to directly support artists financially. Through our "Funds in Action" initiative, Black Artist Forward provides artists with the funding they need to thrive. We also offer honorarium awards to simplify the application process. By reducing the bureaucratic hurdles, we encourage African American artists to apply for our program and to pursue other grants available to them in the future.
2023-24 Recipients
These Black Artists were selected from our first Funds in Action distribution during our 2023-24 fiscal year. $1,000 in funds was distributed based on the value and impact of the project that each artist submitted.
2024-25
funding criteria
Application dates TBA
01
Community Impact
Black Artist Forward is looking for African American artists who are creating projects, bodies of work, or supporting their career as professional artists who can show how funding them will create an impact on the local community. This can be through creating jobs, building community connections, beautification, advocacy or activism, and more.
02
03
Creativity
Proof of Concept
We are looking for new and creative ideas to fund. This can be a spin on a traditional idea or a new exploration of an artistic discipline.
If you're looking for funding to support your professional career as an artist you can use this section to demonstrate the way you are creative in your work.
Don't let this scare you. Proof of concept does not mean that you have created or done this before. While that helps, if you can show research where this idea shows merit or success elsewhere it will also help. You can also show your past work or projects that can be different but still show a history of your success as an artist. If you're an emerging artist who hasn't done this before you can use examples from other similar projects done by other artists in your field.
FAQ
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Can I apply for someone else?No, the applicant must be the artist. If you think they would be a great fit for this award make sure to encourage them to apply, and you may help them with their application.
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Are collaborations or groups allowed?Artist groups or collaborations are allowed but not organizations or businesses.
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Who's NOT Eligible?Artists under 18 Artists that are not Black Artist Forward members Businesses and Organizations
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What happens if I fail to present the project in the end?BAF does not take back money given to artists through the funds in action initiative. We will look for projects that are feasible and show a high potential of success but the money given to artists are for them to use.
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Do you accept gore, nudity, violence, erotica, swearing, etc in art?BAF is for non censorship in art. In short, yes we would accept the application. (Tip: make sure that the message behind the art is strong to help the jurors on our panel see your vision. )
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Who's Eligible?Black Artist Forward Members (It's free to become a member) ages 18+ may apply All artistic disciplines including culinary arts, cosmetology, and martial arts Established and Emerging Artists Artists in North Carolina
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Can I use this to pay for school/certifications/courses/etc?Yes, you can apply for artist support which would include furthering your education.
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Can I insert an image, video, or gif in my FAQ?Yes. To add media follow these steps: 1. Enter the app’s Settings 2. Click on the “Manage FAQs” button 3. Select the question you would like to add media to 4. When editing your answer click on the camera, video, or GIF icon 5. Add media from your library.
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How do I add a new question & answer?To add a new FAQ follow these steps: 1. Click “Manage FAQs” button 2. From your site’s dashboard you can add, edit and manage all your questions and answers 3. Each question and answer should be added to a category 4. Save and publish.
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How do I edit or remove the “FAQ” title?You can edit the title from the Settings tab in the app. If you don’t want to display the title, simply disable the Title under “Info to Display”.
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What is an FAQ section?An FAQ section can be used to quickly answer common questions about you or your business, such as “Where do you ship to?”, “What are your opening hours?” or “How can I book a service?” It’s a great way to help people navigate your site and can even boost your site’s SEO.