Next Level Awards

A unique concept in the grantmaking field in which a second award at a higher level is distributed to a past recipient, the 3Arts Next Level Visual Arts Awards reflect our belief that once is not enough and that artists thrive with continued investment at critical junctures.

With support from an Anonymous Donor at the Chicago Community Foundation, we have inaugurated this program by giving unrestricted cash grants of $50,000 to three women visual artists who are past 3Arts awardees practicing in the Chicago metropolitan area. We will offer this program again in 2021 to honor three additional women visual arts awardees. Our hope is to expand these awards for artists working in the performing arts.

Selection Process

3Arts awardees who meet the eligibility requirements are invited to submit an online application. A panel of three distinguished judges convene to review the applications and select the recipients. Recipients are artists who are actively making distinctive and compelling work; have plans to advance their next creative leap and/or project; and are at a critical juncture when an award of this size and nature could have a significant impact.