The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) gives away more than $120 million every year to artists in music, dance, film, and the visual arts. NEA offers several different grant programs for various purposes, such as bringing art to small towns and military bases or helping bring artists to schools. You can apply for fellowships and grants online at arts.gov.
The College Art Association offers grants and fellowships for individuals working in the visual arts. These grants, called Professional-Development Fellowships in the Visual Arts, are designated for advanced students and recent graduates. The grants are $5,000 each, to be used towards educational expenses or supplies. Full information is available at collegeart.org.
The Arts International Artists Exploration Fund offers grants ranging from $1,000 to $3,000 for artists to travel abroad to develop or expand their relationships with international artists and art organizations, explore artistic forms from other cultures, and create new work.
Artists Exploration Fund
Arts International
251 Park Avenue South
New York, NY 10010
212-674-9744
artsinternational.org.
The Banff Center for the Arts offers working fellowships for artists, who are provided with residencies at the Center for up to two months to work on new or continuing projects. Fellows live at the colony and are given meals and workspace. Full details are available at banffcentre.ca. The MacDowell Colony (macdowellcolony.org) and the Yaddo Artists' Colony (yaddo.org) offer similar residential fellowships.