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Thomas Arnold

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Helping emerging artists thrive

The Supporting Act Foundation is committed to creating better opportunities in the arts. We strive to carve out spaces for emerging artists — especially those from underrepresented communities — and we support nonprofits that are already doing this work.

Every year, we run grant programs where our independent selection committees review applications, giving artists the resources they need to they need to realize their ambitions. We believe in a trust-based approach to giving, no strings attached.

Sarah Ama Duah
Jail Time Records
Ankie van Kasteren
Como Você
Afield
Halar Soomro
Lele Bonizzi
Gifty Amoateng
Haiqing Wang

Mission statement

Our mission is to enable emerging artists dedicated to fulfilling their creative potential, prioritizing those from under-represented or marginalized groups. We aim to support ambitious non-profit organizations, helping them to create more equitable art scenes and fostering opportunities for growth and expansion in their work.

We are a self-governing non-profit and we welcome support from individuals, families, foundations, corporations — and artists themselves. We believe in artists giving back to artists, and warmly welcome donations from the creative community.

Support us
Black Girls Glow

Our grant programs


Artist Grants support emerging artists from underrepresented groups whose work benefits their community through collaboration or collective creative practice. Our goal is simple: to improve artists' living conditions, give them more time to create, and help their work get the recognition it deserves.

Impact Grants support arts-focused nonprofits that provide non-financial support to emerging artists from underrepresented groups — particularly those whose work aligns with our mission of improving artists' lives, amplifying their work, and building their confidence.

More about our programs

Find out more about the emerging artists and nonprofits we’ve supported

Our grantees

Institute for Postnatural Studies

“Passion and talent alone mean very little if you don’t have access or support — and that’s why institutions like The Supporting Act Foundation are so important.”

- Ramon Theobald, conductor

News & stories

  • May 4, 2026

    Voices of memories and joy

    Canto Diáspora draws on a broad array of Latin American traditions, growing a sense of community and belonging among both members and audiences

  • April 10, 2026

    Harnessing music as a force for good

    Cue Collective works to offer artists career-changing visibility, while building musical projects that create positive social and environmental change

  • March 27, 2026

    Platforming underrepresented artists, with a little chaos along the way

    Berlin’s 90mil space empowers artists and embraces communities in the face of spatial insecurity, censorship and political turbulence

  • March 9, 2026

    Fighting systemic exclusion in dance through education

    Exis Inclusive Dance Company strives to counter exclusionary outlooks and practices through a truly participatory take on dance

  • February 20, 2026

    Folk, fabric, heritage, and community

    Nilgün Özer reflects on the power of an organic approach to making art, and the threat of consumerism