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LACE Lightning Fund
October 2, 2020 @ 8:00 am - November 21, 2020 @ 5:00 pm
LACE is thrilled to announce the launch of the LACE Lightning Fund, a new regional regranting fund made possible by The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. For its inaugural round, the Lightning Fund will provide emergency relief grants for independent visual artists based in Los Angeles County who are experiencing financial hardship due to the severe economic impacts of COVID-19 on artists’ livelihoods and practices. This fund is in solidarity with partners in the Warhol Foundation’s Regional Regranting Network.
This effort reflects LACE’s commitment to artists, supporting their livelihood and practice with multifaceted care.
A total of 50 grants of $1,500 each will be awarded. Only applicants that are LA County residents, are at least 18 years of age, and are experiencing extreme financial hardship due to the impact of COVID-19 will be considered.
GUIDELINES
The application form below will ask you to: 1. Describe significant financial hardship or need through a combination of multiple-choice questions and narrative response, and 2. demonstrate an active visual art practice through a brief artist statement, website, or other online presence.
Additionally, optional demographic questions will help the selection panel better understand and review applications through an intersectional equity lens.
Applications will be reviewed by a panel of local cultural workers, artists, and members of the LACE staff. Panelists will evaluate applicants based on their case for financial need and active artistic practice. We encourage applications from artists whose communities are underrepresented in relationship to visual art opportunities, economies, and funding streams. Strong consideration will be given to Black, Indigenous, POC, elder, LGBTQ+, disabled, immuno-compromised, and immigrant artists.
As this is primarily a need-based grant, all grantees will remain anonymous.
Note: The Lightning Fund defines “basic needs” or “essential costs of living” as: food/groceries, housing/rent/mortgage, utilities, healthcare, essential medications, child/elder/dependent care, and transportation. If you are CURRENTLY able to afford basic needs and costs of living as described here, please refrain from applying for the Lightning Fund Emergency Relief Grant at this time, to allow those with urgent need to apply.
TIMELINE
- Applications open Monday, October 19, 2020, at 9:00 AM PDT and close Friday, November 20, 2020, at 11:59 PM PST. This deadline is firm.
- Applicants will be notified of decisions and funds will be issued in early December 2020
An FAQ section can be found below the application.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS REGARDING THE APPLICATION PROCESS AND AWARD
In the interest of reviewing the applications and distributing the funds as quickly and efficiently as possible, we have attempted to anticipate and answer any common or crucial questions below. Please refer to the FAQ’s before contacting Lightning Fund staff. We want you to apply with the knowledge and skills you have at hand. Please know that our panelists will take great care in reviewing your application.
If, after reviewing the FAQs, you still have an urgent question about eligibility, the application form/process, or the program at large, please contact a Lightning Fund staff member at lightning@welcometolace.org for questions.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHAT IS YOUR DEFINITION OF VISUAL ART OR VISUAL ARTIST?
We have an expansive definition of visual art practice. In addition to more traditional forms such as drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpture, installation, and similar mediums, we are also open to artists practicing in film/video, new media, sound art, performance art, and social practice. Artists whose practices are firmly rooted in dance, theatre, music, or industry/feature filmmaking are not eligible to apply. We are open to innovation, experimentation, and risk-taking in the field and are supportive of diverse approaches to visual art-making.
WHY IS THE GRANT EXCLUSIVE TO VISUAL ARTISTS?
The Lightning Fund is part of the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts’ Regional Regranting Network, which exclusively serves visual artists, in line with its founding mission.
HOW DO I DETERMINE IF I MEET THE FINANCIAL NEED REQUIREMENTS?
Eligibility is based on an applicant’s self-determination of need. We do not require proof of loss of income, cancellations, etc. We will ask applicants to identify their financial need via multiple-choice questions. They will also have the option to describe their need in more detail.
Relief aid is meant to serve those most vulnerable who are currently unable to afford essential costs of living, such as food, rent/mortgage, utilities, transportation, healthcare, prescriptions, caregiving, and childcare. Please be honest in assessing your own need, and mindful that we will receive far more applications than we will be able to fund. If you are currently financially stable (able to pay rent, buy food, etc.), please refrain from applying at this time.
DO THE GRANT AMOUNTS FLUCTUATE? CAN APPLICANTS REQUEST MORE OR LESS THAN $1,500?
No. All awardees will receive $1,500.
WHO IS ON THE PANEL?
Panelist names will remain confidential. Panelists include a mix of Los Angeles County-based artists, arts administrators, cultural workers, and LACE staff.
WILL GRANT RECIPIENT NAMES BE PUBLICIZED?
No, all awardees’ names will be kept confidential and will not be publicized by LACE.
WILL THERE BE ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLICATIONS OR DISTRIBUTION OF MORE FUNDS?
In 2020, we have a finite budget from the Warhol Foundation that covers grants as well as the costs of operating the program. We hope to secure additional funds through other channels that will allow the Lightning Fund to make more Emergency Relief Grants available in the future.
ABOUT THE LACE LIGHTNING FUND
The LACE Lighting Fund is a newly established annual grant for artists and artist-driven organizations, projects, and publications. For its inaugural funding round, the LACE Lightning Fund has pivoted to an emergency grant in response to the financial hardships faced by our artistic community due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Subsequent funding rounds will be project-based to support the arts ecology of Los Angeles.
SUPPORTERS
The LACE Lightning Fund is administered with lead support from The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts as part of the Regional Regranting Network of the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts.
LA COUNTY COMMUNITY PARTNERS
LACE recognizes our local partners who share the Lightning Fund opportunity with artists in their communities. Thank you to our friends and colleagues at:
18th Street
The Crenshaw Dairy Mart
GYOPO
KAOS Network
Self Help Graphics
Women’s Center for Creative Work
ABOUT THE WARHOL REGIONAL REGRANTING PROGRAM
The Regional Regranting Program aims to support vibrant, under-the-radar artistic activity by partnering with leading cultural institutions in communities across the country. The program allows the Foundation to reach the sizeable population of informal, non-incorporated artist collectives and to support their alternative gathering spaces, publications, websites, events and other projects. The Foundation plans to expand this program with partner organizations in areas where the level of on-the-ground, self-organized artistic activity is highest. The 12 re-granting programs–developed and facilitated by organizations in Albuquerque, Baltimore, Chicago, Houston, Kansas City, Miami, Minneapolis, New Orleans, Portland (OR), Portland (ME) and San Francisco–provide grants of up to $6,000 for the creation and public presentation of new work. Together the programs have funded more than 240 projects over six years. For more information, visit warholfoundation.org.
