Terra Foundation Exhibition Grants

Grants to nonprofit organizations for arts exhibitions that increase the appreciation and understanding of historical American art (circa 1500–1980). A Letter of Inquiry is required before submitting a full application. Particular interest is given to exhibitions that will travel outside the United States or Chicago, where the Foundation is headquartered.

Recognizing the importance of experiencing original works of art firsthand, the Terra Foundation supports exhibitions that increase the understanding and appreciation of historical American art (circa 1500–1980). The foundation has a particular interest in exhibitions that travel outside the United States or to Chicago, where we’re headquartered. For exhibitions that travel outside the United States, we encourage:

• A focused thesis that makes a significant contribution to scholarship on historical American art
• International curatorial involvement
• Inclusion of international catalog essayists
• A presentation that is meaningful to international audiences

Visual arts that are eligible for Terra Foundation Exhibition Grants include painting; sculpture; works on paper (prints, drawings, watercolors, photographs); decorative arts (typically handmade functional objects of high aesthetic quality); design (objects of high aesthetic quality; excludes industrial design); performance art; video art; and conceptual art. Excluded are architecture and commercial film/animation.

Exhibition Grant proposals will be reviewed by an external panel of scholars and curators who are specialists in historical American art.