Understanding the Henry Moore Grants and Fellowships Program

The Henry Moore Foundation offers significant funding opportunities for those dedicated to sculpture. Their Grants and Fellowships program supports a wide range of projects, from research and exhibitions to conservation and publications. This initiative aims to foster a deeper understanding and appreciation of sculpture across historical, modern, and contemporary contexts. By providing financial backing, the foundation helps to expand conversations around sculpture, improve access to sculptural knowledge, and support the preservation of important works.

The program is open to non-profit organizations, researchers, academics, and conservators worldwide. Applications are accepted four times a year, offering flexibility for planning and project timelines. Whether you are developing an exhibition, publishing scholarly work, conserving a collection, or organizing a conference, the Henry Moore Foundation provides various funding categories to meet diverse project needs.

What the Henry Moore Grants Programme Supports

The Henry Moore Grants program is designed to support projects that make a meaningful contribution to sculpture studies. This includes efforts in public engagement, conservation, interpretation, and making sculptural works more accessible. Funding is available for both organizations and eligible individuals, depending on the specific category.

The program welcomes applications for a variety of projects, including:

• Sculpture exhibitions: Funding for the development and presentation of exhibitions focused on sculpture.
• Exhibition catalogues: Support for the creation of scholarly publications that accompany exhibitions.
• Sculpture commissions: Financial assistance for new sculptural works.
• Conferences and lectures: Grants for academic and public events discussing sculpture.
• Research initiatives: Funding for projects that explore sculpture history, theory, or practice.
• Non-commercial publications: Support for books and journals dedicated to sculpture studies.
• Collection acquisitions: Assistance for institutions to acquire new sculptural works.
• Sculpture conservation projects: Funding to preserve and maintain existing sculptural works.
• Cataloguing and display development: Support for organizing and presenting collections.
• Travel and archival research: Grants for individuals to conduct research away from their home institutions.

The foundation is especially interested in projects that offer fresh perspectives on sculpture’s history or enhance public understanding and appreciation of sculpture as an art form.

Categories of Henry Moore Grants

The Henry Moore Foundation offers several distinct categories of grants, each tailored to specific types of projects and applicants. Understanding these categories is key to submitting a successful application.

New Projects and Commissions

This category is for exhibitions, exhibition catalogues, and sculpture commissions. The goal is to encourage new ways of thinking about sculpture and to increase public engagement with its history. Projects might include museum exhibitions, contemporary sculpture installations, public art commissions, or scholarly exhibition catalogues. The maximum funding available under this category is £20,000. Organizations applying here should clearly show how their projects will advance sculpture discourse, public learning, or artistic innovation.

Acquisitions and Collections

Museums, galleries, and other collecting institutions can apply for funding to acquire new sculptural works, conserve their existing collections, or improve public access to their collections. This can involve cataloguing efforts or display improvements. Funding can support sculpture acquisitions, conservation treatments, documentation, and cataloguing, as well as improvements to how collections are displayed. The maximum funding available is £20,000. This category helps institutions preserve important sculptural heritage while making it more accessible to the public.

Conferences, Lectures, and Publications

Organizations planning academic or public events related to sculpture can apply under this category. Funding is also available for non-commercial books and journals that focus on sculpture studies. Eligible projects include academic conferences, public lecture series, research publications, and sculpture journals or symposiums. It is important to note that exhibition catalogues should be submitted under the “New Projects and Commissions” category. The maximum funding available for this category is £5,000.

Long-Term Research Grants

The Henry Moore Foundation also supports extensive research projects that may require funding over several years. This category is well-suited for major scholarly initiatives, such as creating comprehensive catalogues of permanent collections or conducting long-term archival research. The maximum funding available is £20,000. Applicants must provide detailed timelines, methodologies, and plans for the long-term impact of their research activities.

Research and Travel Grants for Individuals

Unlike most other categories that are restricted to organizations, the Research and Travel Grants category is specifically for individual scholars and conservators. Eligible applicants include sculpture historians, academics, and conservators. This funding supports research costs, travel expenses, photography, and access to archives. It can also be used for sculpture conservation research and historical or interpretive studies. The maximum funding available is £2,500. The foundation explicitly states that it does not fund projects intended to develop an artist’s personal practice or creative work.

Projects That Are Not Eligible

The Henry Moore Foundation has specific criteria for projects that do not qualify for funding. It is important for applicants to review this list carefully to ensure their project aligns with the foundation’s priorities.

Projects that are not eligible for funding include:

• Residency programs for artists.
• Building or general operational costs for institutions.
• Traditional memorials and figurative statues that do not engage with contemporary sculptural discourse.
• Commercial publishing projects.
• Community gardens.
• Wellbeing activities.
• Play equipment.
• Projects focused solely on the development of an artist’s independent practice.

Community project proposals are only considered if they are submitted by established non-profit arts organizations.

Application Process

The application process for Henry Moore Grants is managed through an online portal called Flexi-Grant. Applicants must first register for an account on this platform before they can submit their proposals. It is recommended that organizations complete their registration requests at least one week before the application deadline. Late registration requests will automatically be moved to the next funding round. Applicants can submit, manage, and review their applications directly through the online grants portal.

Why You Should Apply

The Henry Moore Foundation is a leading global supporter of sculpture research, preservation, and public engagement. Receiving funding from this foundation can significantly boost the impact and visibility of institutional projects. It can also enhance the long-term influence of projects within the arts and cultural sector.

For researchers and organizations committed to sculpture history, conservation, exhibitions, and public education, this opportunity offers more than just financial support. It also provides international recognition and credibility for their work. Applicants are strongly encouraged to prepare proposals that clearly articulate the significance, expected outcomes, and public value of their projects. The deadline for applications is June 1, 23:00 GMT.

Frequently Asked Questions