Emerging Artist Grant

Anne Wu, Host and Guests, 2022

The Emerging Artist Award identifies promising, emerging, visual artists who demonstrate a serious commitment to a contemporary creative practice and have great potential to make a significant impact in the field.

RHMF’s Emerging Artist Grant is awarded annually to emerging artists in both the Los Angeles and New York City Metropolitan Areas. Eight visual artists are selected in each city to receive an unrestricted grant at $10,000. The grant honors Rema’s love for contemporary art and emerging artists. Artists who are nominated are invited to apply to the grant.

By supporting visual artists at an early career stage—by providing them with vital resources they need to focus on their work—we want artists to continue to thrive, develop important work, and make substantial contributions in the arts.

Jazmin Urrea, Red 40, 2017

Ander Mikalson

Sebastian Hernandez, Anther September 13, 2019

Rachel LaBine

Since its inception, the Emerging Artist Grant has recognized hundreds of promising visual artists at a critical juncture in their creative development and artistic careers. Past RHMF Grantees are represented by major galleries and their works housed in numerous museums, public and private American and International collections.

Many eventually went on to have solo museum shows, were represented in the Whitney Biennial, represented the United States in the Venice Biennial and several winners went on to be awarded the prestigious MacArther Foundation Genius Award. Our growing list of past recipients includes artists such as Korakrit Arunanondchai, Keltie Ferris, Rashaad Newsome, Virginia Overton, Dana Schutz, Sarah Sze, Mickalene Thomas, and Kehinde Wiley, among others.

“Receiving the grant has had a massive impact on my career. I would not be here if it weren’t for the fact that I was able to buy paint—cover my expenses during a time at which I had no other options.” —Kehinde Wiley, Emerging Artist Grantee

Mickalene Thomas, Portrait of Mnonja, 2010

Kehinde Wiley, John, 1st Baron Byron, 2013

Sarah Sze, Triple Point, 2013

Korakrit Arunanondchai, 2012-2555, 2012

Since 1996 RHMF has awarded the Emerging Artist Grant to promising visual artists in the greater New York City metropolitan area. In 2012, with support from the Department of Cultural Affairs in Los Angeles and Art Los Angeles Contemporary Fair, RHMF created the LA Initiative, replicating the Emerging Artist Grant in Los Angeles. We also initiated our first community-based grant program to fund artist projects, now the bi-coastal Artist Community Engagement Grant.

“There are so many layers of appreciation that I feel deep down, both in the short-term, what it will mean for my daily life for the next few months, but also the long-term, what receiving this award will mean in the longer arc of my life as a working artist.” —Lee Relvas, Emerging Artist Grantee

Athena Quispe, Yanapaway, 2018

Talia Levitt

RHMF is committed to maintaining diversity in its grant programs in terms of cultural background, geographic distribution, and areas of expertise. Jurors are not appointed to represent particular geographic areas or special interests, but are expected rather to use their knowledge of the arts in their deliberation and recommendations across media and genres.