Thomas Arnold
Helping emerging artists thrive
The Supporting Act Foundation is committed to creating better opportunities in the arts. We strive to carve out spaces for emerging artists — especially those from underrepresented communities — and we support nonprofits that are already doing this work.
Every year, we run grant programs where our independent selection committees review applications, giving artists the resources they need to realize their ambitions. We believe in a trust-based approach to giving, no strings attached.
2026 Open Call for grants
“What you are doing with The Supporting Act is exactly what's needed: a responsiveness to the fact that artists need to live in order to make work. ”
- Tilda Swinton, actor
Sarah Ama Duah
Jail Time Records
Ankie van Kasteren
Como Você
Afield
Halar Soomro
Lele Bonizzi
Gifty Amoateng
Haiqing WangMission statement
Our mission is to enable emerging artists dedicated to fulfilling their creative potential, prioritizing those from underrepresented or marginalized groups. We aim to support ambitious non-profit organizations, helping them to create more equitable art scenes and fostering opportunities for growth and expansion in their work.
We are a self-governing non-profit and we welcome support from individuals, families, foundations, corporations — and artists themselves. We believe in artists giving back to artists, and warmly welcome donations from the creative community.
Our grant programs
Artist Grants support emerging artists from underrepresented groups whose work benefits their community through collaboration or collective creative practice. Our goal is simple: to improve artists' living conditions, give them more time to create, and help their work get the recognition it deserves.
Impact Grants support arts-focused nonprofits that provide non-financial support to emerging artists from underrepresented groups — particularly those whose work aligns with our mission of improving artists' lives, amplifying their work, and building their confidence.
Find out more about the emerging artists and nonprofits we’ve supported
News & stories
August 13, 2026TARKIB's approach to artistic exchange revolutionized the scene for Iraq’s emerging artists
Since 2015 the nonprofit has created a platform for the production, and presentation of contemporary art, giving conceptual and multidisciplinary artists a space for growth, exchange, and representation in the face of myriad challenges.
