Indianapolis Creative Risk Fund
A Project of the Herbert Simon Family Foundation
Risk-taking, experimentation and exploration are critical for developing and supporting a progressive arts scene and creative economy, and Herbert Simon Family Foundation desires to encourage this type of creative action in the community.
The Indianapolis Creative Risk Fund is a program of the Herbert Simon Family Foundation to provide funding for individual artists, artist collectives, and collaborations of individual artists to take creative risks.
In addition to grant funding, Creative Risk Fund recipients will have their work showcased in a public event and exhibit curated by Creative Director and Performing Arts Curator Rishard Allen and Visual Arts Curator Lindsay Lord.
Rishard Allen, Creative Director and Performing Arts Curator
Lindsay Lord, Visual Arts Curator
Previous Creative Risk Fund recipients can be found here.
GRANT DETAILS
- The award size for 2025-2026 Creative Risk Fund recipients is $20,000. The same award size will be made to individuals or to collaboratives/collectives.
- Up to 10 awards will be made.
- Two-step application process:
- Short written application through online form.
- Q&A call with the selection committee for finalists (finalists must be available Oct. 6-9 for Q&A calls).
- Recipients will participate in check-in meetings with the full cohort approximately four times, in addition to one-one-one calls with the Creative Director and Performing Arts Curator Rishard Allen and Visual Arts Curator Lindsay Lord.
- A Digital Media Designer will create short-form videos for social media that profile each recipient and their project.
- Recipients will participate in a final event to showcase and celebrate the artists, their processes, and works created through this fund. This event will take place in October 2026.
ELIGIBILITY
- Past Creative Risk Fund recipients can apply as part of a collaboration or collective but are not eligible for individual artist consideration or as the lead applicant for collaborations/collectives.
- Awards will be made to Individual artists, artist collectives, or collaborations between individual artists.
- Open to the full spectrum of the arts, including but not limited to: visual arts, performing arts, musicians, fashion, interdisciplinary artists, multi-media artists, etc.
- Central Indiana-based artists.
- Marion, Boone, Hamilton, Madison, Hancock, Shelby, Johnson, Morgan, Hendricks counties
- Applicants must be at least 18 years old.
- The program will prioritize artists identifying as one or more of the following: BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, women, or persons with disabilities.
TIMELINE
IMPORTANT DATE | ACTION |
| Monday, June 23, 2025 | Application window opens. |
| Monday, Aug. 11, 2025 | Completed applications must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. |
| Oct. 6-9, 2025 | Q&A calls with the selection committee (candidates must participate to move forward for consideration). |
| By Oct. 20, 2025 | Artists selected and notified. |
| Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025 | Kick-Off Check-In with Selected Artists. |
| Nov. 2025 – Sept. 2026 | Project implementation
|
| October 2026 | Final event showcase (final date TBD) |
HOW TO APPLY
- Complete the online application below.
- Applicants are required to link to an artist website or social media account to provide work samples.
- Applicants have the option to upload an artist resume or CV.
- Applicants have the option to upload a project concept or supporting documents.
- Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 11. Late applications will not be accepted.
- Finalists will be selected and invited to short interviews with the selection committee. Artists must participate in the interviews to move forward. Interviews will take place during regular business hours on Oct. 6-9, 2025.