The Bader + Simon Empowerment Grant

$7,500. A new body of work. A bigger platform for your voice.

Great art and vision are not defined by advanced academic degrees, exhibition history, or professional connections.

Too often, access to the art world depends on credentials and opportunities that are not available to everyone.

Founded by the Bader + Simon Board of Directors in 2023, the Empowerment Grant supports emerging, underrepresented artists whose work invites dialogue, challenges perspectives, and explores the intersection of art, education, and social justice.

Through financial support, an exhibition opportunity, and community engagement, we're helping artists bring their creative vision to life and share it with a wider audience.

Who Can Apply?

The Empowerment Grant is intended for individual, emerging artists in the United States who:

Do not hold an MA or MFA degree.
Do not have extensive exhibition experience.
Create work that reflects and expands upon Bader + Simon's mission of art, education, and social justice.

We believe a compelling artistic vision matters more than an impressive résumé..

What the Grant Includes

$7,500 Artist Stipend

The selected artist receives a one-time $7,500 grant, distributed throughout the grant period.

An Exhibition at Bader + Simon

The opportunity to create and present a new body of work in the Bader + Simon gallery in Cincinnati.

A Platform for Your Voice

A featured conversation on B+S with Friends and an artist talk at the exhibition opening, with travel and accommodations provided by the gallery.

Creative and Community Connection

Check-ins with a representative of the grant panel and opportunities to engage audiences through exhibition-related community programming.

What We're Looking For

Art that starts conversations. Artists with something to say.

We're looking for emerging artists with a clear creative vision and a willingness to explore ideas that matter.

Your proposed work should reflect or expand upon Bader + Simon's mission to elevate underrepresented voices and bring communities together through art, education, and social justice.

We want to understand what you hope to create, why it matters to you, and how this opportunity could make a meaningful difference in your artistic practice.

How to Apply

Applications should include the following materials:

1. Artist résumé or CV

Include your contact information, educational background, and relevant artistic experience.

2. How you heard about the grant

Tell us how you learned about the Bader + Simon Empowerment Grant.

3. Artist statement

Submit a written statement of 250–500 words or a video statement of 3–5 minutes.

4. Statement of intent

Tell us about your proposed project, your creative development process, and how receiving this grant would make a difference for you.

Explain how your work reflects and expands upon Bader + Simon's mission.

5. Work samples

Provide at least five images of your work or a video portfolio of 2–4 minutes.

6. Three references

Include the names and contact information of three references. At least one reference must provide a written or video recommendation.

7. Proposed use of funds

Provide an outline explaining how you intend to use the grant funding.

Apply for the Empowerment Grant

Applications open December 19, 2026

Important Dates

Milestone

Applications open

Application deadline

Recipient announced

Grant funding begins

Date

December 19, 2026

February 28, 2027

April 1, 2027

May 1, 2027

Have Questions About Applying?

Join us for an online information session to learn more about the Empowerment Grant, review application requirements, and ask questions.

Date and registration details coming soon.

What Happens If You're Selected?

The grant recipient will:

Develop a new body of work to be exhibited at Bader + Simon.
Participate in periodic Zoom check-ins with a representative of the grant panel.
Appear as a guest on B+S with Friends to discuss their artistic practice and work.
Attend the exhibition opening and give an artist talk. Gallery-provided travel and accommodations are included.
Create work appropriate for the exhibition space, approximately 62 feet long, 16 feet wide, and 11 feet high.
Serve as a panelist for the following year's Empowerment Grant review.

Grant Payment Schedule

The $7,500 stipend is distributed as follows:

$2,500 upfront.
$2,500 in monthly installments from May through December.
$2,500 upon completion of the grant cycle and the body of work to be exhibited at Bader + Simon.

Final exhibition and completion dates will be determined in coordination with the gallery.

Meet Our Empowerment Grant Recipients

Bold ideas deserve to be seen.

The Empowerment Grant is about more than supporting a single project. It's about creating opportunities for emerging artists to grow, share their work, and contribute new perspectives to the conversation.

Explore the artists who have received this award and discover the creative voices shaping the program's story.