Alaska Art Fund
Established in 2002 and initiated in 2003, the Alaska Art Fund (AAF), formerly known as the Art Acquisition Fund, stands as a testament to the partnership between Rasmuson Foundation and Museums Alaska.
The Alaska Art Fund fosters connections between Alaskan artists and museums by providing funding to museums to collect the works of living Alaskan artists.
In 2022, the program underwent an expansion. In additional to traditional art acquisitions, the program now supports the commissioning of outdoor art, including sculptures and murals. This evolution aims to diversify artistic expressions within museum collections and provide art that is accessible to the entire community.
In addition to enriching the state's museum and cultural center collections, the program also directly supports Alaskan artists.
By channeling funds to artists, the program not only enhances our state’s cultural heritage but also boosts local economies.
All applicants must be organizational members of Museums Alaska and must hold their collections in public trust.
Museums Alaska invites applications from 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, government entities, and tribes.
Your organization must located in Alaska, be an organizational member of Museums Alaska, and be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, government, or tribal organization that holds collections in public trust.
The organization must have completed the final reporting for any open AAF grants. Some exceptions are provided for open commission grants. You must contact Museums Alaska to receive an exception.
The artwork the museum seeks to purchase must be created by an artist currently living in Alaska. Some exceptions are made for artists temporarily attending an out-of-state school or if the artist passed away in the last calendar year.
The artist cannot be a board or staff member of Museums Alaska or of the organization applying.
If the organization seeks to purchase artwork from an artist who is a volunteer or an artist who is related to a board or staff member, they must show in the narrative that there was no conflict of interest in the decision-making process.
The artwork can be an already completed piece or a piece you would like to commission from the artist.
The artwork must be visual art. It must reflect the artist’s heritage and is not an appropriation of another cultural tradition.
The artwork must conform to the Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990, and the materials used must conform to current federal and state regulations concerning prohibited paleontological and archaeological materials.
The artwork cannot be considered sacred art unless the organization has permission from the Tribe to collect and/or display the art.
Awards up to $20,000 (per organization, per year).
Applicants may submit multiple applications per cycle, but the funding requests may not exceed $20,000 per year.
Organizations with a funded purchases must complete their final reports before submitting a new application.
Grant Cycles:
- Open: Friday, August 1, 2025
- Draft Review Deadline: Friday, September 19, 2025
- Close: Thursday, October 2, 2025
- Open: TBD
- Close: TBD
- This cycle will only be for small purchases.
Ready to get started?
The button below will take you to our application site hosted on GOSmart.
Explore the application guidelines and additional resources.
To apply, click the button below to visit our grant application website, GOSmart.
More information about the grant and how to apply can be found in the Application Guidelines linked above.
Grant Help
Informational webinar on the grant guidelines and application:
We want your grant applications to be successful and have provided the below resources to assist you:
Example Applications:
Explore successful applications that stood out. Dive into the nuances of these examples by referring to the provided notes with specific highlights. Double-click on the purple note symbols on the right side of the PDFs to unveil annotations.
Draft Review Period
Take advantage of the optional draft review period available for each grant cycle. Submit your draft application for a thorough review by our grant administrator. Initiate your draft review by emailing your draft to the director.
Grant Writing Tips
Explore these slides, developed as a resource for the 2019 Museums Alaska conference, provided freely for your reference.
Recommended Practices:
- Log in to the grant application website early and commence your application promptly.
- Thoroughly read the guidelines linked above.
- Initiate early contact with the grant administrator to discuss your application.
- For any inquiries or further assistance, please feel free to contact us.
Other Grants
If you are working on a grant application NOT administered by Museums Alaska, take advantage of our grant draft review — a benefit for Organizational Members. Coordinate your draft review by contacting us, ensuring your organization’s membership is current.
Please keep the following in mind:
- Grant draft review is a benefit for Organizational Members; ensure your organization's membership is current.
- Contact us early to schedule your review, allowing reviewers ample time to provide feedback.
- Draft reviewers typically return feedback within two weeks. For urgent cases, we'll do our best to accommodate your timeline.
PR Toolkit
Following the grant awards announcement, Museums Alaska distributes a press release to media outlets statewide.
For your own media needs related to the grant, please use the below resources and inform us of anything else you may require.
Alaska Art Fund
Social Media Handles
Museums Alaska
- Facebook - museumsalaska
- Instagram - museumsak
Rasmuson Foundation
- Facebook - rasmusonfoundation
- Instagram - rasmusonfoundation
- Twitter - rasmuson
Media Kit and Guidelines
Thank you to Rasmuson Foundation for funding the Alaska Art Fund for over 20 years!
