New York Foundation for the Arts

The New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) is an independent 501(c)3 charity,^[1] funded through government, foundation, corporate, and individual support, established in 1971.^[2] It is part of a network of national not-for-profit arts organizations founded to support individual artists and emerging arts organizations, with a mission to "empower artists in all disciplines at critical stages in their creative lives."^[3] The organization has approximately 30 staff members, including executive director Michael L. Royce.^[2]

History

NYFA was founded in 1971 by the New York State Council on the Arts as an independent organization to facilitate the development of arts activities throughout the State. NYFA has since expanded their programming around the country and internationally focusing on four core program areas: Artists' Fellowships, Fiscal Sponsorship, Professional Development, and Online Resources.

Programs

NYFA's core programs for artists are: Artists' Fellowships, Fiscal Sponsorship, NYFA Learning (Professional Development), and Online Resources.

The NYSCA/NYFA Artist Fellowship Program provides unrestricted grants of $7,000 to New York-based artists every year. Since 1985, the program has awarded over $27 million to more than 4,000 artists. For the 30th anniversary of the fellowship program, NYFA is celebrating with multi-disciplinary programming around New York State. NYSCA/NYFA Artists Fellowships are administered with leadership support from the New York State Council on the Arts.^[4]

NYFA's Fiscal Sponsorship program enables individual artists and emerging arts organizations in all disciplines the ability to raise funds using NYFA's tax-exempt status as a 501(c)(3)-classified organization among other benefits.^[5]

NYFA Learning consists of an Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program, in-depth Boot Camps, an Arts Business Incubator, and one-on-one consultations with industry professionals either in person at NYFA's office or on Skype through distance consultations.^[6]

NYFA's Online Resources include NYFA Source, the nation's largest online database of grants, opportunities, and services to artists; NYFA Classifieds, a job, opportunity, and space board for artists and arts workers; a weekly series of Business of Art articles,^[7] and a monthly Artist Professional Development Day on Twitter called #ArtistHotline.

NYFA published a book, The Profitable Artist: A Handbook for All Artists in the Performing, Literary, and Visual Arts, with Allworth Press in 2011.

Notable artists

Artists who have received support from NYFA early on in their careers include Spike Lee, David Hammons, Meredith Monk, Julie Taymor, E.V. Day, Suzan-Lori Parks, Jennifer Egan, Tony Kushner, Andres Serrano, Todd Haynes, Boryana Rossa, Lisa Park, Ina Norris, Catherine Lacey and many other visual artists, writers, choreographers, architects, filmmakers, and inter-disciplinary artists.

Hall of Fame

In 2011, NYFA established the NYFA Hall of Fame to honor patrons of the arts and notable artists who have received NYFA's support.

• 2011 Inductees: Todd Haynes, Wendy Perron, and Andres Serrano.
• 2012 Inductees: Diller Scofidio + Renfro, Christian Marclay, and Suzan-Lori Parks.
• 2013 Inductees: Elliot Goldenthal, Mira Nair, Fred Wilson (artist), and Michael Findlay of Acquavella Galleries.
• 2014 Inductees: Deborah Kass, Terry McMillan, Dwight Rhoden, and the Ford Foundation.
• 2015 Inductees: Judith K. Brodsky, Antony Hegarty, Shirin Neshat, and Eric Overmyer.
• 2016 Inductees: James Casebere, Anna Deavere Smith, Faith Ringgold, and Zhou Long. ^[8]

References

External links

• Official website
• NYFA Current, NYFA's blog
• New York Foundation for the Arts at Charity Navigator