A. Eric Arctander Artist Grant

A. Eric Arctander Artist Grant 

The A. Eric Arctander Artist Grant was created by family and friends. The award is to honor Eric not only as an artist but as a teacher, mentor and friend of younger artists who assisted them in pursuing a life in art.

Eric Arctander was a visual artist who has been widely exhibited as a painter and the creator of site-specific public art for which he received the Municipal Art Society Certificate of Merit. He was co-founder and President of Collaborative Concepts, a not-for-profit, non-membership organization that has facilitated exhibitions since 2000. He initiated that organization’s Program for Advanced Environmental Art for college level art students.

Eric Arctander was a Professor of Art History for more than 15 years at Pratt Institute and on the faculty of the School of Visual Arts for over 25 years. He has published many articles and written critical catalog essays on advanced art.

“During the night some of the mountains moved. Presumably to higher ground. Now our valley seemed so low, but it still looked like home. It is where my family has been for generations. Only my grandmother was an outsider. She came from another valley. All her life she would regale us with the marvels of her valley. Like ours, it had a river dividing it and thus, like us, there are people from the other side. I have never been there as the journey is both dangerous and boring.

When I was a child the most extraordinary event occurred. A plane landed in our valley. The glittering wings stacked upon wings stood out among the cows in the field. Although foul smelling, the pilot was a dashing figure in a white scarf. Where he came from and where he was going, was a mystery to all. And because he spoke French it was never learned. I knew then what my destiny was to be. To Fly! To fly from valley to valley.

In my life, however, I have not been bitter or disappointed that such a fate would elude me (although I continue to study French). So it was that I came to be an artist. And still I paint those valleys of my dreams and take flight over distant mountains.”

Eric Arctander

THE A. ERIC ARCTANDER GRANT FOR 2025

GENERAL APPLICATION INFORMATION

GRANT OVERVIEW

The purpose of the GRANT is to support a working VISUAL ARTIST.
The application process begins April 15, 2025.
Submissions are due by August 15th, 2025.
The Grant is $500.00 and will be awarded at the September 2025 Art Show Opening. Exact date to be confirmed.
The work of the selected artist will be shown at the discretion of the Putnam Arts Council, at the Belle Levine Arts Center, Mahopac, N.Y.

WHO CAN APPLY:
1 You must be a Visual Artist, 25 to 55 years old, involved with one or more of the following areas: Drawing and Painting.   
2 Photography, Printmaking, Mixed Media (2D) and (3D), Installation Art and Sculpture.
3 The grant can be used for exploring materials, techniques and direction for your personal, professional and artistic development.
4. You must be a resident of Dutchess, Westchester or Putnam County in New York State.

THE AWARD PROCESS      
The selection of Award Applicants will be evaluated on the following criteria:
1. Artistic merit based on the quality of work   submitted.  
2. The applicant’s written intent to expand their artistic development.
3. The selection of the award will be decided by a panel of arts professionals.  All materials and information in the selection process are kept confidential and are viewed by the panelists. Materials not meeting the submission guidelines will render an application ineligible.

AWARD SELECTION
Decisions will be e-mailed to all applicants approximately one month after the deadline date of August 13, 2025.
A payment of $500 will be awarded through the Putnam Arts Council.
The award is subject to verification of information submitted and proof of residency in one of the three counties specified. The winning artwork will also be requested to be included in the September 13th Members Show at the Putnam Arts Council. Opening hours are 2-5 pm
The Show Theme is .

GENERAL-SUBMISSION-INFORMATION
Work submitted must have been created between 2022 and 2025.  Panelists are asked to evaluate work based on the materials submitted. Poor quality submission materials could affect the panel’s evaluation.
Your website with additional work is important but only supplemental to the images that must be submitted by the artist.

ONLINE APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS TO BE COMPLETED AT

 www.entrythingy.com/d=collaborativeconcepts.org  

All lines of the application with (*) must be filled out.
For assistance, contact: collabcon2@gmail.com

APPLICATION GUIDELINES: Fill in all required fields at this website.

Only entries through this website will be considered.           

See items 1-9 below.

1. Provide a personal artist’s statement of 400 words or less.
   2. Provide the purpose of the artist grant and how it will advance your development in the arts.
   3. Provide a one-page summary of your professional and educational art background.
   4. Provide Five (5) Images to be submitted using the following specifications.
   5. You must list Size, Medium and Title for each.
   
   6. Image size: 1240 pixels x 1240 pixels maximum, 300 dpi resolution.
   7. File size: No larger than 4 MB each. Image Format: JPEG only.
        
   
   8. The applicant must also include your website for any additional artwork and documentation of your work.

       9. The 2025 winner will be asked to submit a valid Social Security number and proof of age.