Beginning January 5, our team will be available during regular operating hours, Monday through Friday, 9am–5pm, via phone or email. If you’d like to meet with a staff member in person or via video conferencing, reach out via email to schedule an appointment. You can also subscribe to our newsletter or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or BlueSky to stay up to date on upcoming open office hours at our new space and community locations.

Grants for Artists help individual Oklahoma artists create visual art for public presentation, develop their professional practices, and lead community projects. Grants are open to artists working in visual-based mediums, curation, and art writing. The grants committee supports the mission of OVAC and scores submissions based on the merit of each application according to the pertinent grant category and its associated criteria.


The Timeline

All four of our grant applications will be reviewed multiple times throughout the year on the following rolling schedule:


Professional Basics and Education Assistance Grants:

Applications must be received by 11:59PM on January 15th, March 15th, or October 15th and applications will be reviewed in the following weeks.


Creative Projects and Community/Artist Partnership Grants:

Applications must be received by 11:59PM on March 15th or October 15th and applications will be reviewed in the following weeks.


*Artists can expect notification within four weeks of the grant deadline.

Funded projects must occur after the grant application is accepted and within one year of receiving grant funds.


THE APPLICATIONS

   Eligibility

  • You must be 21 or older to apply for a grant.
  • Grant recipients must have held at least 12 months of residency in Oklahoma prior to the submission deadline.
  • If you are awarded a grant you must wait one year before reapplying.
  • Individuals can only only submit one application per cycle.​
  • You may not request a grant to reimburse spent funds.
  • Artists currently enrolled in BFA or MFA programs are not eligible to apply.
  • Recipients of MOMENTUM Spotlight and THRIVE are not eligible to apply within one year of their reward disbursement of the stated programs. If you are awarded a THRIVE Grant, you are eligible to apply, but your proposed project may not be the same as your Thrive proposal or a new iteration of said project.

GRANTS FOR ARTISTS FAQs
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How often can I apply for an OVAC Grant?

You can apply as often as you would like. If you are awarded a grant, you must wait one year from that grant cycle to apply again. Recipients of Momentum Spotlight are not eligible to apply within one year of their reward disbursement of the stated programs. If you are awarded a Thrive Grant, you are eligible to apply, but your proposed project may not be the same as your Thrive proposal or a new iteration of said project.

Can I apply for multiple grants in a cycle?

No. Individuals can only have their name attached to one application per cycle.

How long must I have been a resident of Oklahoma to be eligible to apply for an OVAC grant?

To be eligible for an OVAC grant, you must have held at least 12 months residency in Oklahoma prior to the submission deadline.

I’ve applied several times and not received a grant. Why?

Our grants are extremely competitive, particularly our Creative Projects grants. Please do not become discouraged by the possibility of having to submit over multiple occasions. We will provide feedback on each request, whether funded or not. We encourage you to use this feedback to strengthen your submissions for the future.

What sort of projects are not funded?

There are some limits on the types of projects we can fund. Our mission limits our focus to the visual arts and does not include documentary films, strong narrative films/productions, music, dramatic productions, dance, and others. We can fund video art, performance art, sound art, and other non-traditional art forms that still fall under visual art. Projects that raise concerns around cultural appropriateness will not be considered. If you are unsure of whether or not your project qualifies, please reach out to our Administrative and Artist Relations Manager at ariana@ovac-ok.org.

Can curators and arts writers apply for OVAC Grants?

Yes. Artists/writers/curators may only have their name(s) attached to one application per cycle. Artists/writers/curators who choose to submit as groups, upon award of grant, will be held to the same rules of eligibility as an artist/writer/curator who applies individually.

Can I apply as part of a group?

Yes. Artists may only have their name(s) attached to one application per cycle. Artists who choose to submit as groups, upon award of grant, will be held to the same rules of eligibility as an artist who applies individually.

Once I’m funded, when can I apply again?

Once you are funded, you have to wait one year from the grant cycle for which you were awarded. E.g. If you were awarded in October 2023, you cannot apply again until October 2024.

Do I have to be an OVAC member to receive a grant?

No, you do not have to be an OVAC member to apply for or receive a grant.

How are grant applications scored?

Each grant category has a different system of scoring.

Education and Travel Assistance grants are evaluated and awarded based on four categories: the quality of the educational opportunity, potential impact on the applicant's practice/career, the applicant’s abillity to complete the project, and on the relevance of the project based on provided work samples.

Professional Basics grants are evaluated and awarded based on three categories: the quality of the project, the applicant’s ability to complete the project, and on the relevance of the project based on provided work samples.

Creative Projects grants are evaluated and awarded based on four categories: the concept of the project, the quality of the work, how career altering the opportunity is, and the ability of the applicant to complete the project. "Extra Credit" will be given to projects that: serve under-represented regions of Oklahoma and/or include artist(s) Native Peoples/People of Color.

Community/Artist Partnership grants are evaluated and awarded based on four categories: the potential impact on the community from this project, the concept of the project, the quality of the work, and the applicant’s ability to complete the project. "Extra Credit" will be given to projects that: serve under-represented regions of Oklahoma, include artist(s) Native Peoples/People of Color, and/or utilizes collaboration.

Who reviews the grants?

OVAC staff organizes a panel of community members to review grants. These individuals are involved in the arts in a variety of ways, and are chosen for their informed opinions, diverse backgrounds and perspectives, and experience. OVAC staff does not decide who receives grants.


Questions?
Reach out to Administrative and Artist Relations Manager, Ariana Weir-Temoshok, at Ariana@Ovac-Ok.Org or 
(405) 879-2400 Ex. 5


Grants for Artists Events

  • Come back soon for more Grants for Artists Events!

Grants for Artists Application Dates


October Grantees

TIffany McKnight
Professional Basics Grantee
Art Basel Miami
Oklahoma City, OK

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Tiffany McKnight is a multidisciplinary artist, muralist, and surface designer based in Oklahoma City. Known for her bold patterns, vibrant color palettes, and intricate abstractions, her work is deeply influenced by African textiles, Art Nouveau, and Abstract Expressionism. McKnight has created large-scale murals throughout Oklahoma and beyond, transforming spaces into lively experiences that celebrate culture, community, and human connection. In addition to public art, McKnight’s surface design work brings her signature aesthetic to textiles, decor, and small accessories, offering art lovers a way to integrate pattern and color into their daily lives.

Marissa Raglin
Professional Basics Grantee
Artist Pro Panels
Oklahoma City, OK

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Marissa Raglin is a mixed-media visual artist living in Oklahoma City working mostly in analog collage. Raglin has exhibited her work nationally and can be found knee-deep in old illustration books and magazines plucked from thrift stores and half-priced bookshops. Raglin received her BA in Studio Art from Oklahoma Baptist University. She is the 2017-18 Skirvin Paseo Artist in Residence and 2015 Artist Inc. Live OKC Fellow. Raglin is a resident artist in the historic Studio Six gallery and studio located in the Paseo Arts District in Oklahoma City.

Aditi Heins
Education Assistance Grantee
Rooted Muralists Conference
Norman, OK

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Aditi Heins is a muralist, lettering artist and graphic designer from Norman, Oklahoma. She is passionate about empowering entrepreneurs and local businesses through vibrant murals and strategic design. Originally from Mumbai, India, Aditi seeks inspiration from her culture and travels to create work that can be described as bold, vibrant and uplifting. Her most recent clients include Goodwill, The Oklahoma City Thunder, Walmart, Shutterfly, and more. In 2022, one of Aditi's lettering pieces was published in the first Women of Type book, a book that celebrates typography and lettering created by women and non-binary artists worldwide.


Ting Wang-Hedges
Education Grantee
Letterpress Training and Studio Rental
Stillwater, OK

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Ting Wang is a Chinese-born Associate Professor of Graphic Design at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, OK. Growing up in Chengdu, China she had a passion for art and the written word at a young age. She underwent rigorous training in Chinese ink painting and calligraphy, and her work was published in newspapers in China. This early success set the stage for her future in graphic design. After receiving her BFA in Graphic Design from Sichuan Normal University, Wang immirgrated to the United States in 2009 to pursue her MFA in Graphic design at Kansas State University. She has taught graphic design courses in higher education at all levels in a career spanning over a decade. She is currently on sabbatical until Fall 2026.

Onyx Montes
Creative Projects Grantee
Hidden Heroines of Oklahoma
Tulsa, OK

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Onyx Montes is a pay transparency advocate, social sculptor, and founder of Tulsa Girl Power, an initiative offering hands-on workshops that build confidence through practical skills and creative expression. She has an art history background with academic training from the University of Washington and a MA from the University of Illinois Chicago. Recent projects include teaching Critical Thinking & Writing for Illinois Humanities, designing distance-learning programs for the Oklahoma City Museum of Art, and co-writing "Creativity is Boundless," an advocacy guide for immigrant artists. Her current practice centers socially engaged art, history, and community zine-making that uplifts overlooked stories across Oklahoma.

Joanne Petit-Frère
Creative Projects Grantee
Braided Sanctuaries
Tulsa, OK

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xJoanne Petit-Frère is a sculptor, braid-textile artist, and director of JoGoesWest Studios™, exploring the braid as both ancient technology and futuristic design language. Rooted in Haitian Créolité and Afro-Indigenous migrations, she transforms hand-braided strands into sculptural forms activated through performance, film, and installation. What began as childhood training in precision - evolved into a practice where each braid becomes architectural, carrying memory, labor, and communal knowledge. Through JoGoesWest Studios™, she positions the braid as archive and blueprint—honoring Black and Brown hair traditions while revealing craft as a living record of resilience, belonging, and the grace of the hand.

Narciso Argüelles
Community/Artist Partnership Grantee
Abstract Interludes
Edmond, OK

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Narciso Argüelles is a Chicano artist and art educator. Argüelles grew up in Tijuana, Mexico which had a lasting impact on his life and his art. He holds an MFA from the University of California, Irvine and has been teaching at the high school and university level ever since. His travels included a three year teaching stint at Robert College in Istanbul, Turkey. As an artist, he has exhibited at the Sydney Biennale in Australia; The Johannesburg Biennale in South Africa, Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions, Oklahoma Contemporary Art Center and Intar Multicultural Art Gallery in New York City.

Wesley Luster
Community/Artist Partnership Grantee
Juvenile Detention Center Mural
Oklahoma City, OK

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Wesley Luster is a portrait artist, muralist, and designer whose work blends vibrant color with deep emotion, born and raised in Midwest City, Oklahoma. Self-taught yet shaped by study, travel, and community, his art reflects both the nuance of the Black experience and the universal human story. From gallery walls in California to large-scale murals in Oklahoma, Wesley brings the same commitment: to create images that resonate, uplift, and endure. Bridging this love of art, he also produces and hosts Integrated OKC, a podcast spotlighting artists and cultural voices shaping today’s creative landscape on major streaming platforms & YouTube.


CONTACT US

Phone: (405)879-2400

Office Hours: Monday–Thursday, 9AM–5PM

ADDRESS

Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition

1720 N. Shartel Ave. Suite B.

Oklahoma City, OK 73103

© 2025 Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition. All rights reserved. Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. EIN: 73-1328072.

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