In 2003, the Urban Institute conducted a study which revealed that 96% of Americans valued art in their lives, while only 27% valued artists.* Motivated by the study and in response to the NEA’s severe budget cuts, four inspiring leaders of the Ford, Rockefeller, Rasmuson, and Prudential Foundations spearheaded the launch of an organization to illuminate the value of artists to American society and address their economic challenges. The organization was originally established in Los Angeles by founding CEO Katharine DeShaw in 2006, and then moved its headquarters to Chicago in 2014 under the leadership of Carolina García Jayaram. During Deana Haggag’s tenure as President and CEO, from 2017 until 2021, USA saw unprecedented growth, expanding its Fellowship award program, launching the Berresford Prize, and developing multi-year partnerships with foundations and other nonprofits to advance support for individual artists and the field. 

Since our founding, we have awarded more than 700 artists and cultural practitioners with over $33 million of direct support through the USA Fellowship. Recognizing the country’s most compelling artists in all disciplines including Architecture & Design, Craft, Dance, Film, Media, Music, Theater & Performance, Traditional Arts, Visual Art, and Writing. With this unrestricted award, recipients decide for themselves how to best use the money—whether it is creating new work, paying rent, reducing debt, getting healthcare, or supporting their families. 

Most recently, USA spearheaded Artist Relief, a $20 million emergency initiative to support artists facing dire financial circumstances due to COVID-19. Organized by a multi-disciplinary coalition of nonprofit individual artist funders, Artist Relief provided emergency grants to artists practicing across ten disciplines and in nearly every state and US territory starting in April 2020, distributing $5,000 grants for a total of more than $20,000,000.

To make this work possible, we actively fundraise each year and receive support from a broad range of philanthropic foundations, companies, and individuals committed to cultivating contemporary culture in the United States. Additionally, we work annually with select nominators, panelists, and USA’s Board of Trustees to determine each year’s class of awardees. It is through the intersection of these relationships and in the spirit of collaboration that we are honored to support the country’s most compelling artists and cultural practitioners.

*From “Investing in Creativity: A Study for the Support Structure for U.S. Artists,” 2003.