Anonymous Was A Woman Award
Anonymous Was A Woman
$50,000
$50K unrestricted award for women artists 40+ (nomination only)
An annual, unrestricted award given to women-identifying visual artists over the age of 40 who are at a significant juncture in their lives or careers. Begun in 1996 in response to the National Endowment for the Arts ending support for individual artists, the program has awarded more than $8 million to over 400 artists. Since 2024 the award amount has been $50,000 per recipient (doubled from $25,000), with 15 recipients selected each year. NOMINATION ONLY: artists may not apply directly; an annual panel of distinguished women nominators (art historians, curators, writers, and past recipients) selects recipients from across the country. An artist or business cannot self-apply. Recognition is based on accomplishments, artistic growth, originality, and potential, and is not need-based.
- Funding type
- Award
- Level
- Foundation
- Amount range
- $50,000 – $50,000
- Realistic amount
- Recipients receive the full unrestricted award of $50,000; the amount is fixed per recipient…
- Deadline
- Annual — NOMINATION ONLY; artists may not apply directly. Recipients are selected by an annual nominator panel.
- Status
- active
- States
- Nationwide
- Payment model
- lump-sum
Who qualifies
- NOMINATION ONLY — artists may NOT apply directly; recipients are chosen by an anonymous nominator panel, so there is no self-apply path
- Woman-identifying artist (the program describes women, and arts-press coverage notes it includes gender non-conforming and trans women artists)
- Over 40 years of age
- At a significant juncture in her life or career
- Working in the visual arts
- Recognition is based on accomplishment, not financial need
Hard requirements
- Reserved for women owned businesses
- Must be women-owned
What it covers
Eligible expenses
- Unrestricted — recipients may use the funds however they choose to continue and grow their work
How to apply
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1
Be nominated (required — there is no application)
An annual panel of distinguished women nominators — art historians, curators, writers, and previous recipients — identifies artists from across the country. There is no application; artists cannot self-nominate or self-apply. Visibility within the visual-arts field is the only path to being seen by a nominator.
~0 hrs
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2
Selection
Nominators select recipients based on accomplishments, artistic growth, originality, and potential. The award is not need-based. Recipients are notified and announced annually.
~0 hrs
NOMINATION ONLY — there is nothing to apply for, so recognition flows entirely from the visual-arts field's nominators. The practical lever is being known to curators, art historians, and writers (the nominator pool): museum/gallery exhibitions, critical writing about your work, and relationships with institutions are what surface your name. Treat this as a recognition to position for over years, not a grant you can submit to. The award explicitly targets women artists over 40 'at a significant juncture,' so it favors sustained mid- and late-career practices over emerging ones.
Deadline & timing
There is no public application deadline because the award is nomination-only. An annual panel of women nominators selects recipients each year; over 600 individuals have served as nominators to date.
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Last reviewed 2026. GrantCompass is an independent funding-discovery tool and is not affiliated with any government agency. Always confirm details on the official program page.