Art Bridges Cohort Program
Art Bridges Cohort Program supports museum partnerships sharing American art through research, art loans, and exhibitions to expand access, strengthen collaboration, and deepen community engagement.
Funder: Art Bridges Foundation
Due Dates: March 1, 2027 (Applications open) | June 1, 2027 (Applications close)
Funding Amounts: Direct payments and flat-funding awards across three phases; $500 per object loaned in Phases 2 and 3; no matching funds required
Summary: Supports multiyear museum partnerships sharing American art to expand access, strengthen collaboration, and deepen community engagement.
Key Information: Cohorts must include 4–6 US museums, and prospective cohort members must be invited to participate.
Description
The Art Bridges Foundation’s Cohort Program supports multiyear, multi-institutional partnerships that share American art among museums nationwide. Each cohort includes a lead museum serving as the administrative hub and cohort members working together over 4–6 years. The program aims to build self-sustaining relationships for art sharing, collaboration, and community engagement that continue beyond its support.
Through research and development, small art shares, and large art shares, partners make lending, borrowing, and displaying existing collections more efficient and environmentally sustainable. Priorities include dismantling siloed workflows, reducing registration and conservation bottlenecks, and broadening loan agreements’ climate parameters that restrict access, especially in underserved areas. The program also supports sustainable exhibition practices and long-term, reciprocal, community-led engagement.
