Franklin Furnace Fund

Initiated in 1985 with the support of Jerome Foundation, Franklin Furnace annually awards grants to early career artists selected by peer panel review to enable them to produce major performance art works in New York City.

In the spring of 2008, Franklin Furnace combined the Franklin Furnace Fund for Performance Art and The Future of the Present into one program, entitled the Franklin Furnace Fund. Franklin Furnace made the decision to combine these programs because during the past decades, artists have created temporal works on every point of the spectrum between the body of the artist and the circulatory network of the Internet. The Franklin Furnace Fund is supported by Jerome Foundation and the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council. Fund grants range between $2,000 and $10,000 based on the peer review panel allocation of funding received by Franklin Furnace. Artists from all areas of the world are encouraged to apply; however, artists selected by the panel are expected to present their work in New York City. Full-time students are ineligible.

Franklin Furnace has no curator; each year a new panel of artists reviews all proposals. We believe this peer panel system allows all kinds of artists from all over the world an equal shot at presenting their work. Every year the panel changes, as do the definitions of “early career artist” and “performance art.” So if at first you don’t succeed, please try again. Since 1985, the Fund has helped launch the careers of Jo Andres, Tanya Barfield, Jibz Cameron aka Dynasty Handbag, Lenora Champagne, Patty Chang, Papo Colo, Brody Condon, Nicolás Dumit Estévez Raful Espejo Ovalles, Ayana Evans, Karen Finley, John Fleck, Coco Fusco, Kate Gilmore, Pablo Helguera, Donna Henes, Murray Hill, Holly Hughes, Liz Magic Laser, Shaun Leonardo, Taylor Mac, Robbie McCauley, Jennifer Miller, Naeem Mohaiemen, Rashaad Newsome, Clifford Owens, Pope.L, Dread Scott, Pamela Sneed, Fiona Templeton and Diane Torr, among other Franklin Furnace Fund recipients.