Kindling Fund & Grantmaking

The Kindling Fund supports artist-organized projects that engage audiences and incorporate the visual arts in inventive and meaningful ways.

The Kindling Fund distributes approximately $65,000 annually for individual project support grants, with awards ranging from $3000–$5000 each, to artists across the state of Maine. Research and development grants of smaller amounts are offered at our jury panel’s advisement. Focusing on work that embraces experimentation, supported Kindling Fund projects value unconventional engagement, critical dialogue, collaboration, and create new models for presenting artists’ work.

The Kindling Fund is administered by SPACE as part of the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Arts’ Regional Regranting Program.

2025 applications were accepted until Sunday, November 24th, 2024 at 11:59pm via Submittable.com.

Please consider subscribing to SPACE’s weekly e-news for the most up to date info about SPACE and any open calls.

For more information about the history of the Kindling Fund, please see our 5-year capstone publication here with info at the end of the book about our grantmaking process.

Who can apply for the Kindling Fund?

– Individual artists, curators, art organizers, and art writers living in Maine
– Artist collectives, collaboratives, and artist-run spaces, with a lead applicant living full time in Maine

Who is ineligible?

– Incorporated 501(c)3 not-for-profit organizations as applicants or artist projects taking place as programs of 501(c)3 organizations (exceptions for public space projects)
– Artists who have received $15,000 from the Kindling Fund over the course of their lifetime
– Artists who have received a grant from SPACE in the previous year
–Applicants living outside of Maine (seasonal residency does not qualify)
– Enrolled students

Applications are reviewed by an independent panel of three individuals from both inside and outside Maine. Projects (or a new phase of a project, with a proposed public component) must take place within a year of the grant.

Information sessions with full application information, tips, examples, and opportunity for questions are offered during the application period online and in person.