The Virginia A. Groot Foundation’s Transformative Grants Empower Artists
This foundation offers annual grants to support sculptors and ceramic artists with funding, studio advancement, and opportunities for material exploration.
The Virginia A. Groot Foundation was established in 1988 by Candice B. Groot and named in honor of her late mother, Virginia A. Groot. Candice, an artist, educator, collector, and philanthropist, founded the organization with a belief in the impact dedicated support can have on artists working in three-dimensional media. Her commitment to artistic exploration continues to guide the foundation’s mission.
The foundation promotes three-dimensional art by awarding grants to sculptors, institutions, and curators, providing them with the resources needed to create new work, pursue research, attend residencies, or take on projects that expand their creative practice. Funding is flexible, allowing recipients to allocate support where it is most meaningful in their artistic development.
The grants are open to emerging, mid-career, and established artists working in three-dimensional forms. Applicants must meet specific eligibility requirements. They need to be at least 21 years old and not currently enrolled in a degree-granting program. All submitted work must be created independently rather than as part of academic coursework. Teachers may apply as long as the work represents their personal artistic practice. The application deadline for the 2026 Groot Grant is January 10, 2026.
Each year, the Virginia A. Groot Foundation commits to broader initiatives that strengthen the field of sculpture and three-dimensional art. Past support has included institutional grants, residencies, curated exhibitions, and publications. In 2017, the foundation awarded a three-year, $300,000 grant to Gustavus Adolphus College to establish a visiting artist-in-residence position in three-dimensional art — an initiative intended to champion both artists and educational communities.
The foundation also produces publications that document and celebrate the achievements of grant recipients, including catalogs such as Visual Perspectives: Fourteen Years of the Virginia A. Groot Awards, which showcase the diversity of artistic approaches supported by the program.
Through its commitment to artistic growth and three-dimensional practice, the Virginia A. Groot Foundation continues to honor Candice Groot’s vision by helping artists dedicate time to their craft, expand their creative direction, and engage more deeply with the broader creative community.
To learn more, visit virginiaagrootfoundation.org/grants.
