The Idea Fund Round 19 Application Portal is Now Open
Deadline: Monday, January 5, 2026, 11:59PM
APPLY NOW
Application Portal is Now Open:(Houston, TX, October 28, 2025) – The Idea Fund is pleased to announce that its 19th round of funding for artist-centered projects is now accepting applications. The Idea Fund will award a total of $60,000 in Round 19 to artists or collectives in the Greater Houston Area with grants up to $5,000.
The Idea Fund is a re-granting program administered by DiverseWorks in partnership with Aurora Picture Show and Project Row Houses and funded by the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. Grants will support artist-generated or artist-centered projects that exemplify unconventional, interventionist, conceptual, entrepreneurial, participatory, or guerrilla artistic practices.
The application portal is now open and the submission deadline is Monday, January 5, 2026, 11:59pm. Through this funding, The Idea Fund seeks to equitably and authentically propel artistic growth across the Houston metro area. Applicants may submit their proposals online in written or video form and choose to apply for the level of funding they believe best suits their project.
The Idea Fund grantees will be selected by a three-person jury panel. Key considerations for applications will include the artistic and creative strength of the proposed project, the overall vision of the applicant, and the capacity of the applicant to realize the project.
Individual artists and collectives are eligible to apply. Applicants are invited to attend one of three Info Sessions to learn more about the application process and how The Idea Fund supports Greater Houston area artists.
For more information, including eligibility guidelines and frequently asked questions, please visit www.theideafund.org.
APPLY NOW
Application Portal is Now Open:
Deadline: Monday, January 5, 2026, 11:59PM
Grant Amounts: $2,500 – $5,000
Geographic Eligibility: The lead artist must reside in one of the following counties: Harris, Galveston, Brazoria, Fort Bend, Waller, Chambers, Liberty, Austin, or Montgomery.
Info Sessions:
Wednesday, November 5, 2025, 6 PM
Dupree Room at the Eldorado Ballroom. Hosted by: Christelyn Nash.
2310 Elgin St, Houston, TX 77004.
Registration Required
Thursday, November 20, 2025, 6 PM
Aurora Picture Show. Hosted By Camilo Gonzalez.
5601a Navigation Blvd, Houston, TX 77011
Registration Required
Monday, December 8, 2025, 6 PM
DiverseWorks (Virtual on Zoom). Hosted by Ashley DeHoyos Sauder.
Registration Required
THE IDEA FUND OFFICE HOURS
The Idea Fund will provide office hours starting November 3 – December 19 on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday between 12:30 PM – 2 PM. Applicants can schedule a 15-minute meeting with the TIF team members to discuss specific questions about their proposal.
Please email info@theideafund.org to schedule your one-on-one.
ABOUT THE IDEA FUND:
The Idea Fund is a re-granting program administered by DiverseWorks in partnership with Aurora Picture Show and Project Row Houses and funded by the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. The Idea Fund provides grants for artist-generated or artist-centered projects that exemplify unconventional, interventionist, conceptual, entrepreneurial, participatory, or guerrilla artistic practices.
The Idea Fund is one of 39 Regional Regranting Programs developed and facilitated by arts organizations in Albuquerque (NM), Atlanta (GA), Baltimore (MD), Boston (MA), Buffalo (NY), Chicago (IL), Cleveland (OH), Denver (CO), Detroit (MI), Homer (AK), Honolulu (HI), Houston (TX), Indianapolis (IN), Iowa City (IA), Kansas City (MO), Knoxville (TN), Rapid City (SD), Los Angeles (CA), Miami (FL), Milwaukee (WI), Minneapolis (MN), Mobile (AL), New Orleans (LA), Newark (NJ), Oklahoma City (OK), Omaha (NE), Philadelphia (PA), Portland (ME), Portland (OR), Providence (RI), Raleigh (NC), Saint Louis (MO), Salt Lake City (UT), San Francisco (CA), San Juan (PR), Seattle (WA), Tucson (AZ), Utica (MS), and Washington, D.C.
The Regional Regranting Program was established in 2007 to recognize and support the movement of independently organized, public-facing, artist-centered activity that animates local and regional art scenes but that lies beyond the reach of traditional funding sources. The program is administered by non-profit visual art centers across the United States that work in partnership with the Foundation to fund artists’ experimental projects and collaborative undertakings.