Alaska Art Fund

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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.

Direct Impact

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.

Eligibility

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.

Organization

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.

Artist

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.

Artwork

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.

Funding

Awards up to $35,000 (per organization, per year).

Applicants may submit multiple applications per cycle, but the funding requests may not exceed $35,000 per year.


Organizations with a funded purchases must complete their final reports before submitting a new application.

Deadlines

Grant Cycles:

1st Cycle
2nd Cycle
Rolling Deadline

Application & Guidelines

Ready to get started?

The button below will take you to our application site hosted on GOSmart.

Application link

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.

Resources

Grant Help

Informational webinar on the grant guidelines and application:

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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:

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:

Media

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

The Alaska Art Fund (AAF) is funded by the Rasmuson Foundation and managed by Museums Alaska. We encourage you to tag Museums Alaska and Rasmuson Foundation when sharing updates about your art purchases.

Social Media Handles

Museums Alaska

Rasmuson Foundation

Media Kit and Guidelines

Feel free to utilize the Museums Alaska logos from the provided images, adhering to the logo use guidelines outlined.

Our Sponsor

Thank you to Rasmuson Foundation for funding the Alaska Art Fund for over 20 years!

"McCarthy Solstice" by Maria Shell, purchased by the McCarthy Historical Society through AAF in 2013
Rasmuson Foundation logo - The name of the foundation underneath a white winding road or river disappearing into a mountain range.
Rasmuson Foundation