The Ford Foundation and The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation team up to support artists with disabilities

The Ford Foundation and The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation are teaming up to launch the only financial award in the US for disabled creatives from all disciplines. The initiative, called Disability Futures, aims to increase the visibility of disabled artists, address the lack of professional development opportunities available to them, and account for the unique financial challenges they face.
The program is launched with an 18-month fellowship for 20 artists. Each will receive $50,000 to fund their work. United States Artists will administer the grants, which amount to a total of $1 million.
The initiative was born out of a year-long research study that involved interviewing dozens of disabled artists and creatives across the country to determine how philanthropists could better support their work. A group of disabled practitioners nominated and selected the fellows.
“Institutional structures have not served disabled artists in the past,” Emil Kang, director for Arts and Culture at Mellon Foundation, said. “Disability Futures is the result of listening, collaboration, and humble engagement.”
For more information: https://mellon.org/news-blog/articles/ford-and-mellon-foundations-are-teaming-launch-first-its-kind-fellowship-disabled-artists-and-creatives/