Materials & Digitization Grants

Analog audiovisual materials provided to Visual AIDS by David Hirsh, co-founder of The Archive Project, 2019.

Women's Empowerment Art Therapy Group at Prospect Park, collective group cyanotypes, July 2019. Photo by Nancy Chong.

Since 1996, Visual AIDS has awarded Material Grants to artists living with HIV who are in need of financial assistance in obtaining materials to create their artwork.

COVID-19 Emergency Grants

In response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Visual AIDS is temporarily replacing Materials Grants with $400 cash Emergency Grants.

Emergency Grants are available to Artist Members who have lost income or face financial hardship due to COVID-19.

APPLY FOR A JULY 2021 Emergency grant by clicking here.

Emergency Grants will replace our normal Materials Grants for fiscal year 2021 (July 1, 2020 and February 1, 2021). It is anticipated that regular Materials Grants will return beginning July 2021.

Please email [email protected] if you have any questions or need support with submitting your application.

"With this year’s grant, from B&H Photo, I was allowed to purchase a digital scanner in order to document many of my 35mm slides, and negatives. Currently, I have been able to process close to 150 of these archival photos into my PC, representing past artworks, many of which were stolen or lost from my possession. Much of this earlier work has not been seen by the public in over 35 years, and in many cases, is the only evidence and or, historical reference to the work." - M.B

I’m currently working on a male nude series on works on paper for an upcoming solo show next year. The grants allow me to purchase many supplies so I may continue printmaking. – Carmine Santaniello, Queens, NY

I was able to finish a project I had begun on women with HIV and pregnancy. I am combining digital work with more traditional printmaking. I have a solo show coming up, that certainly the art supplies have made possible. - Nancer LeMoins, San Francisco, CA

The grant has certainly been an inspiration to go on and keep busy to my art and it’s creativity, especially when hardly any other materials were available. It was like a fresh, new breath of creativity. Inspiration to keep motivated even in most difficult times. - Edith Alvarez, New York, NY

The new materials have helped spur on a new resurgence in my artistic energies. The first night after purchasing the new materials, I went right home and promptly started three new paintings. The materials provided make this work directly possible. – Richard Treitner, Pine Hill, NY

Thanks to Visual AIDS so much for the gift certificates over the years. It has afforded me to continue making art which is healing for me. I'm certain all the artists in the program feel the same way.
- Ronnie Queenan, Houston, Texas

Since I received the materials grant, I have been working on a photography series featuring the East end of Toronto. With the purchase of the Canon EF 17-40 mm lens, I am able to take wide shots, which I was unable to before. This way of capturing the material and natural world has been integrated into my art practice. - Dee Stoicescu, Toronto, Canada.

As a Fine Artist who is HIV positive, I would feel alone and looked for a community, even if online, to connect with and join. Visual AIDS has been so helpful in making me feel like I am part of something bigger than myself. It's also a space in which I feel safe to express myself fully.- J.Hartz, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania