TTFF have opened up applications for a new year of Grantees.
Photo courtesy of TTFF
A Queens-based arts foundation is once again offering local visual artists a chance to receive direct financial support through its Spring Micro Grant Cycle.
The Tallichet Freedman Foundation (TTFF) has announced that applications for its Spring 2025 Micro Grant are open throughout the month of April.
The grants are unrestricted, free to apply for, and available to visual artists living or working in the Queens zip code of 11385, which includes parts of Ridgewood and Glendale.
Founded with a mission to support Ridgewood’s vibrant and creative community, TTFF has been making a difference by offering not just financial support but opportunities for connection and visibility.
The foundation’s approach has always been to foster a nurturing environment for artists at all stages of their careers, providing both funding and professional exposure.
For the Spring 2025 cycle, TTFF will award 10 artists micro-grants of $1,138.50 each. The recipients will also have the chance to participate in a studio visit and a short interview, both of which will be featured on TTFF’s website.
These hands-on engagements, including the opportunity to be featured online, provide a platform for artists to connect with a wider audience and gain valuable visibility. Whether the artist is just starting out or is already established in their practice, this exposure can be a crucial step toward growing their reach and deepening their involvement with the community.
The foundation’s mission is deliberately hyperlocal, focusing its resources on investing in the neighborhood’s artistic fabric by supporting artists who live and work in Ridgewood and Glendale.
The grants’ unrestricted nature allows artists to use the funds in the way that best serves their creative process, whether that means purchasing materials, funding a new project, or simply allowing them more time to focus on their work.
TTFF’s investment in Ridgewood artists reflects a broader commitment to fostering community-centered creative spaces where artists can thrive and contribute to the neighborhood’s cultural landscape. Through the foundation’s initiatives, TTFF encourages local artists to continue their creative practices and, importantly, to share their work with their neighbors.
In addition to the financial support, the Spring 2025 Micro Grant Cycle also offers the chance for community members to engage directly with artists. The studio visits and interviews give the public a glimpse into the artistic processes that contribute to the neighborhood’s creative diversity.
TTFF encourages artists, neighbors, and community partners to help spread the word about this opportunity and encourage local creatives to apply.
Some of the 2024 Grantees include:
Stefa Marin Alarcon, a transdisciplinary Colombian-American artist based in Queens. Known for using music, theater, video, and performance, Alarcon explores themes of identity, home, and borders while seeking to create liberated, genreless visions that challenge colonial constructs of language and gender.
Steven Bukowski, a New York-based furniture designer who blends traditional craftsmanship with a modern, playful approach. His designs, characterized by bold shapes and vibrant colors, have been showcased at prominent venues like the International Contemporary Furniture Fair and Salone del Mobile, emphasizing functional and expressive design.
Marilla Cubberley is an artist who combines material experimentation with low-tech technologies like paper mache, knitting, and stop-motion, alongside 3D modeling. Her work, exploring the fragility of systems, has been featured in cities such as New York, Philadelphia, and Chattanooga. Cubberley holds an MFA from Tyler School of Art and has received several residencies.
Emily Janowick is an interdisciplinary artist and writer creating sculptural installations that explore physical, emotional, and sonic choreographies. Her work invites participants to reconsider how reality is constructed and offers a transformative experience through visual and aural elements.
Andrew Ross is an artist whose work delves into diasporic historiography. He blends speculative objects with found materials to examine the gaps in history and memory within diasporic communities. His practice spans ready-made objects, assemblages, and digital archives, pushing boundaries in contemporary art and historical inquiry.
For more information about the Grant Cycle, including eligibility criteria and the application process, or to learn more about TTFF’s mission and past initiatives, visit here.
