The 2023 BANF Artist Awards is a initiative that will provide a one-time investment of up to $20,000 each to 50 artists who are members of Greater Houston’s Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian Pacific Islander, Middle Eastern and/or other community of color (BIPOC).
These awards are an investment in the artists and their commitment to Houston’s communities of color.
The BANF Artist Award invests in artists who have demonstrated consistent and ongoing creative engagement and interaction that has benefitted Greater Houston’s communities of color through arts and creative service.
This round is open to artists who reside and work in the Greater Houston area. The BIPOC Arts Network and Fund does not have a strict definition of the term “artist” and believes that the awardees will reflect multiple disciplines, media, processes, and ways of working. Artists, creative individuals, community organizers who employ creative techniques, culture workers, culture bearers, and any self-defined artist who can demonstrate a history of creative process and/or product and meets the criteria may apply.
Expectations of Awardees
This award is not tied specifically to any project or grant, so there are no questions about budget or expectations of a written final report.
Artists awarded in this process will commit to actively participating in an 18-month learning community to share experience, opportunity, and inspiration with other BANF Awardees. BANF will work with the awardees to determine shared ways of working and collective goals. While we do not determine a specific outcome from the time together, we believe that through the relationships built in the learning community, these artists will strengthen their capacities, open up the potential for new collaborations and ways of thinking/working, and as arts leaders, they will share their knowledge and experience with the city, region, and beyond.
Eligibility Overview
Applicant must:
- Demonstrate continuous residency in the 9-county region (including Austin, Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty, Montgomery, and Waller Counties) of Greater Houston for a minimum of 2 years.
- Be at least 21 years of age by January 1, 2023.
Individual artists who are affiliated with BANF Round 1 Grantees are eligible to apply. Reviewers will be notified of the association and may take that into consideration in identifying final awardees.
Review Criteria
Awardees will share these characteristics and experiences:
- Artists who self-identify as a member of Greater Houston’s Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian Pacific Islander and/or other communities of color will receive particular consideration.
- Artists whose creative work has been recognized by local, regional, or national cultural organizations, leaders, and artistic professionals.
- Artists have demonstrated a history of service and support for and with a community of color in Houston.
- Artists have demonstrated a history of and commitment to artistic activity/production.
- Artists have demonstrated a commitment to learning, offering expertise, and engaging with others in a productive and active manner.
Please see APPLICATION GUIDE for more specifics about the work samples, narrative questions, statements of support, and using the Submittable portal. Application guide is also available in Spanish.
