Art Jewelry Forum (AJF) is pleased to announce the 2023 Susan Beech Mid-Career Artist Grant opportunity for mid-career artists.  The purpose of this grant, established by San Francisco-based jewelry collector Susan Beech, is to recognize a mid-career artist who has made a substantial contribution to the field and to provide resources to develop and implement a significant jewelry-related project that the artist would not otherwise have the ability to undertake.

The 2023 Susan Beech Mid-Career Artist Grant is open to makers between the ages of 35 and 55 at the time of the proposal deadline, and must have an active and ongoing record of activity in the field. 

The proposed project should be about jewelry, loosely defined. There must be a specific outcome to the project, and it must be completed within a two-year time frame. Examples could include (but are not limited to) creation of a new body of work; a book, catalog, or other publication; research and development (including travel study); performance art involving jewelry; or an educational/social initiative involving jewelry. A proposed budget must be included as part of the proposal. 

A proposal that was previously submitted may be submitted again.

The grant recipient will receive a cash grant of $20,000, to be paid over the two years in which the project will be implemented.

Grant proposals must include:

• A biography of the artist
• A project proposal outlining the project, including an explanation of how the grant will help support the artist’s work and career and enhance the field
• A detailed budget
• A project proposal portfolio of five - ten images that support/define/clarify the project proposal

The jury of distinguished professionals for this grant cycle will be: AJF founder and collector Susan Cummins (US); curator and historian LaMar Gayles (US), and jewelry historian and curator Beatriz Chadour-Sampson (UK).

The deadline to apply is midnight, MST (Denver, CO, USA), on January 8, 2023. More information and complete guidelines can be found at www.artjewelryforum.org. 

The winner will be announced mid-March 2023.

About AJF

Art Jewelry Forum is a nonprofit organization spreading awareness and increasing appreciation of art jewelry worldwide since 1997. AJF advocates for art jewelry through an ambitious agenda of education, conversation, and financial support. It commissions critical writing that sets the standard for excellence in the field and publishes artjewelryforum.org, an online resource for original content on art jewelry.

Application Requirements

• Artist bio

One-page artist biography. (Note: The format is up to the applicant and can be narrative, résumé, or CV format)

• Project proposal

Two-page description outlining the project and how the grant will help support the artist’s work and career, and how it would enhance the field

• Proposal budget

One-page budget detailing how the monies would be used to implement the project, including materials, estimates from outside vendors, travel costs, and other expenses

• Project proposal portfolio

Five to 10 images that support/define/clarify the project proposal. (Images could be storyboard-style images to clarify the proposal; images that inspired the project; images of past work that support the new project proposal; etc.)

Each image must include a detailed caption that provides information about the image. Information could include: (if a piece of jewelry) title, year produced, dimensions, materials, photo credit; or an explanation of how the image supports or clarifies the proposal, including a photo credit

All images submitted should be available in high resolution (300 dpi or higher JPG or TIFF file) and available to AJF for use in print media and/or on its website. (Note: High-resolution images must be available to be used in promotional materials if you are selected; they do not need to be submitted in the application)

Project proposal must be submitted in English

Eligibility Criteria

The artist must be 35–55 years of age on January 8, 2023

The artist must have an active and ongoing record of activity in the field, which may include exhibitions, shows, gallery activity, published work, and other activities

Staff and board members of AJF are not eligible to apply