Scholarships

To qualify for a Scholarship, applicants must meet the following requirements:

• All applicants must be at least 21 years of age.

• Apply to the ACRE Residency Program by program deadline.

• Indicate eligibility for Scholarship and complete the financial aid section on the ACRE application form.

Scholarships are not guaranteed.

General Scholarships

A limited number of general scholarships are available each year. These are awarded based on both merit as determined by our admissions process and financial need as determined by an admissions committee review of financial need statements.

2025 Special Scholarship Opportunities

Equity Scholarships

ACRE offers 10 half-scholarships ($350 off full fee) to BIPOC artists. ACRE actively works to make our application process and residency experience equitable. We strive to create an inclusive environment and enable underrepresented artists to participate in all of our programs. This scholarship fund was established to provide an opportunity for artists traditionally underrepresented at residencies to attend ACRE at a discounted rate, reinforcing our goal of providing support to emerging artists in an inclusive and welcoming environment.

Individual artists as well as 2 and 3 person collaborative projects are eligible to receive this scholarship.

Northeastern Illinois University Alumni Scholarship

Initiated by Northeastern Illinois University Art Department faculty, this scholarship is offered to one accepted resident per year who is an alumni of NEIU. The Northeastern Illinois Alumni Scholarship will be based on successful completion of a degree program 12 months or more from the start date of the summer residency (June 2025). Though all alumni of NEIU are welcome to apply, preference will be given to artists who identify as members of underrepresented communities. 

To qualify you must have completed a Bachelor's degree between 2010-2024.

The School of the Art Institute of Chicago Alumni Scholarship

In partnership with the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), ACRE offers two scholarship opportunities to accepted residents who are Master’s level graduates from SAIC. This partnership was established to support the careers of SAIC graduates and provide free services to their alumni artists. Eligibility for the SAIC Alumni Scholarship will be based on successful completion of an SAIC Graduate Program within 12 months of the start date of the summer residency (June 2025). Both traditional and Low Residency MFA candidates are eligible.

To qualify you must have completed an SAIC Graduate Program between May 2023 - May 2025.

Virginia Aberle Memorial Scholarship

This scholarship was established to celebrate the life and honor the memory of our dear volunteer, alumni, friend and collaborator, Virginia Anne Aberle. A pillar of the ACRE community, Virginia wholly embodied the values of collaboration and mutual support that we strive toward as an organization. Virginia’s Memorial Scholarship will provide the opportunity for an artist working with an expansive, community-based practice to attend the residency program free of charge.

To qualify you must be an artist whose practice is rooted in or engages with communities. 

Southeastern US Equity Scholarship

Spearheaded by Florida artist Jason Lazarus, The Southeastern US Equity Scholarship enables artists of color residing in the Southeastern United States to attend the ACRE Residency free of charge. This scholarship also includes a travel stipend of $300. The Southeastern US Equity Scholarship supports our goal to engage partnerships that enable artists from outside our region to attend the residency and connect to our network. To qualify you must be an artist of color residing in the Southeastern United States.

For the intent of this scholarship, “Southeastern United States” includes Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Artist-Parent Scholarship

ACRE provides one scholarship each year for artists who parent children. This opportunity is intended to support artists with children by alleviating the financial burden of residency fees for artist parents who participate in residency programs. The Artist-Parent scholarship includes free attendance to the Residency Program, including food and lodging for the two-week residency period, and access to the myriad facilities and artist community available to ACRE residents. While ACRE, unfortunately, is not able to host anyone under the age of 18 onsite, we are proud to offer other support for artists with children that find being away from home for a two-week residency difficult to accommodate.

To qualify you must be an artist responsible for parenting at least one child.

Additional Financial Resources

We are unable to award financial aid to all accepted residents. Below are some additional resources outside of our organization that accepted artists may be able to use to help fund their ACRE residency.

Institutional Support

If you are currently enrolled in school, contact your advisor. There may be funds available through your program or department to attend “professional development” workshops or artists residencies such as ACRE. Some schools will even provide funding for alumni. Please let us know if we can provide additional support or documentation of your acceptance by emailing info@acreresidency.org.

Grant Opportunities

In addition to your state, county or other local opportunities, there are various small project grants available across the United States.

The Awesome Foundation is awesome because it uses rolling deadlines and numerous small grants to make an impact on the lives of young artists. There are many chapters across the US and Canada:

The Awesome Foundation

Some grants are available for unexpected opportunities, such as residencies, often with a quick turn-around such as:

Foundation for Contemporary Arts (note that residencies with an exhibition component are eligible)
Artists Communities Alliance – emergency funds for painters and sculptors to attend residencies
Minnesota State Arts Board – covers professional development

The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts has a number of small grants for individuals that are part of their Regional Regranting Program:

Alternative Exposure, San Francisco, CA – project support
The Idea Fund, Houston, TX – project support
Rocket Grants, Kansas City, MO – project support and career development
Precipice Fund, Portland, OR – project support
The Kindling Fund, Portland, ME – project support with public component
WaveMaker Grants, Miami, FL – project support with public component
Platforms, New Orlean, LA – project support and research and development support

In addition to these general grants, you may be eligible for specific geographical or culturally based grants that support individual artists. Below are resources for helping you find funding opportunities:

Funding Sources – Cranbook Academy of Art (includes opportunities by state)
Women Arts – Funding Resources
New York Foundation for the Arts – many resources and opportunities

Other grants for Individual Artists for project support:

Joyce Foundation – project-based support.
The Pollack-Krasner Foundation – visual artists with demonstrated need.
Creative Capital – project-based support.
Sustainable Arts Foundation – for artists and writers with children.
3Arts – Chicago-based artists.
Jerome Foundation – emerging artists.
Harpo Foundation – project-based support.
Rasmuson Foundation – Alaska-based artists.
Aaron Siskind Individual Photographer’s Fellowship – US photographers.
Joan Mitchell Foundation – emerging visual artists + emergency grants.
Artist Trust – artists living in Washington State.
Puffin Foundation – work that addresses social and environmental issues.
Institute of International Education | Artist Protection Fund – funding for artists whose practice or lives are threatened.
Artadia – arists in Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York and the San Francisco Bay Area.
Asian Cultural Council – for artists that advance cultural exchange between the U.S. and the countries in Asia.
Franklin Furnace – project support for performing artists.
Graham Foundation – project support for artists dealing with architecture.