The Bobby Anspach Studios Foundation Grant Program
Call for Proposals
Grants for Artists Creating Works that Foster Human Connection and Climate Consciousness
Application Deadline: December 30, 2025 (11:59 PM EST)
Grant Awards: Two $50,000 grants | Three $8,000 grants
Total Awards: 5 grants in inaugural year
About the Foundation
The Bobby Anspach Studios Foundation was created to carry forward the transformative vision of artist Bobby Anspach (1987–2022), whose work illuminated the ways art can bind people to one another and to the fragile ecologies we share.
Bobby’s practice was rooted in the conviction that art could change consciousness, that it could draw forth empathy, responsibility, and recognition of our interconnectedness at a time when both human relationships and world systems are under strain. He worked with everyday materials, transforming them through inventive processes into experiences that unsettled routine perception and offered a glimpse of transcendence.
At the center of his practice was “Place for Continuous Eye Contact”, a series of sculptural environments designed to create sustained moments of connection with oneself or between participants. These works embodied his belief that simple acts, meeting another’s gaze, sharing attention, entering a constructed space, could open profound pathways of healing, reflection, and solidarity. Though his career was brief, Bobby’s intensity was unmistakable. He lived his creative life as a form of devotion: committed, fearless, and unyielding in his search for art’s capacity to repair both individual and collective wounds.
As Taylor Baldwin, Professor of Sculpture at Rhode Island School of Design, reflected, “Bobby Anspach was a serenely implacable, deeply committed artist. He and his art had a special intensity reserved for true believers of a creative path, people willing to meet their talent with tireless effort, their vision with openness and fluidity, and their insecurity with a fearless willingness to venture far, far out to the edges of experience, perception, and consciousness and report back.”
The Foundation continues this legacy by supporting artists who share in that pursuit: those whose work invites us to pause, reflect, and imagine new ways of living with each other and the planet. We believe, as Bobby did, that creativity is not ornamental or a passing trend. Rather it’s essential, an active force for transformation, empathy, and renewal.
Contact and Information
Bobby Anspach Studios Foundation
Grant Program
Email: info@bas-foundation.com
Application link: www.bas-foundation.com/grants
Foundation Information: www.bas-foundation.com
For technical support or questions about eligibility, please review guidelines and contact: info@bas-foundation.org
Social Media:
Follow us on instagram @bobbyanspachstudiosfoundation for updates, grantee features, and Foundation programming announcements.
Program Overview
The Bobby Anspach Studios Foundation is proud to announce the launch of its inaugural grant program. This initiative celebrates Bobby’s vision while looking forward, investing in artists across disciplines who are exploring how creative empathy can deepen human connection, address our social condition, and inspire ecological transformation. We recognize that the climate crisis is not only environmental but also deeply social and emotional, demanding new forms of empathy and new languages of care.
The program will award two $50,000 grants and three $8,000 grants to artists whose work embodies this ethos. These are unrestricted awards, acknowledging that the most meaningful art often emerges when artists are given trust and freedom. Selected grantees may also be invited into future Foundation programming, exhibitions, residencies, and collaborations that further amplify their work.
A diverse jury of thought leaders from art, design, music, and science, including architect Suchi Reddy and musician Eluvium, one of Bobby’s close collaborators, will guide the selection process. We welcome proposals from artists in any medium or discipline whose work expands on Bobby’s conviction: that art can generate empathy, nurture collective awareness, and catalyze the healing of both people and planet.
2025 Grant Awards - Visual Arts Focus
Two Major Grants: $50,000 each
Three Emerging Artist Grants: $8,000 each
In its first year, the focus is on the visual arts, with plans to expand to other disciplines in subsequent years. All grants are unrestricted and may be used for any purpose that advances the recipient's artistic practice and vision.
Artistic Focus Areas
We are seeking artists working in any medium whose practice aligns with any of the following core sensibilities and themes pioneered by Bobby Anspach:
Environmental Consciousness and Climate Awareness
- Works that address climate change, environmental degradation, or humanity's relationship with the natural world
- Art that promotes environmental stewardship, sustainability, or ecological thinking
- Projects that explore the interconnectedness of human and natural systems
- Creative responses to environmental crisis that inspire hope, action, or deeper understanding
Human Connection and Empathy
- Art that fosters empathy, compassion, and understanding between people
- Works that explore shared human experience, vulnerability, or collective responsibility
- Projects that bridge divides and create spaces for meaningful dialogue
- Art that celebrates the interconnectedness of all living beings
Transformative and Consciousness-Raising Art
- Works designed to change viewers' perspectives, deepen awareness, or inspire reflection
- Art that challenges assumptions and opens minds to new ways of seeing
- Projects that promote mindfulness, presence, or spiritual connection
- Creative practices that encourage personal or social transformation
Foundation-Specific Values
- Transcendent Experience Creation: Supporting work that creates opportunities for profound, transformative encounters - art that invites sustained, intimate engagement and reveals beauty in everyday life.
- Contemplative Practice Integration: Advancing dialogue around meditation, mindfulness, and contemplative practices as both creative methodologies and healing approaches.
- DIY Innovation & Accessibility: Honoring Bobby's commitment to accessible materials and democratic art-making by supporting innovative approaches that don't require extensive resources or institutional backing.
Eligible Media and Practices
This grant welcomes artists working in any medium or approach, including but not limited to:
- Visual Arts: Painting, drawing, photography, printmaking, mixed media
- Sculpture and Installation: Large-scale, intimate, indoor, outdoor, or site-specific works
- Digital and New Media: Video, animation, virtual reality, interactive media, web-based projects
- Performance and Time-Based Media: Live performance, dance, theater, sound art, music
- Community and Social Practice: Participatory projects, community organizing through art, educational initiatives
- Documentary and Narrative Media: Film, photography, storytelling, podcasting
- Craft and Material Arts: Textile arts, ceramics, woodworking, metalwork, or other material practices
- Interdisciplinary Practices: Any combination of the above or innovative hybrid approaches
Application Timeline
September 30, 2025: Application portal opens
December 30, 2025: Application deadline (11:59 PM EST)
January/February 2026: Review and selection process
March 2026: Grantees announced publicly
April 2026: Grant period begins
Review Process
Initial Screening (January 2026)
Foundation staff conduct preliminary review to ensure eligibility and completeness.
Expert Panel Review ( January/February 2026)
Applications reviewed by distinguished jury panel including confirmed members Suchi Reddy and Eluvium, along with additional experts in contemporary art, psychology, ecological research, and contemplative practices.
Final Selection (March 2026)
Final grantees selected through careful deliberation and consensus building among jury and board members, with selections announced in early 2026.
Submission Checklist
These are the items you will need to complete the application.
- Artist Statement (500 words max)
- Project Proposal (750 words max)
- Visual Portfolio (5-10 files)
- Implementation Plan (300 words max)
- Budget Brief (upload file)
- CV
- References (2)