Hauser & Wirth Institute

Charity Number: CUSTOM_DAF0F5B2

Annual Expenditure: £0.3M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $316,000 - $700,000 (varies by funding round)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: Not specified (varies by program)
  • Grant Range: $10,000 - $360,000
  • Geographic Focus: International (US, UK, Canada, Asia)

Contact Details

Website: https://hauserwirthinstitute.org

Email: info@hauserwirthinstitute.org

Phone: +1 212-476-9479

Address: Hauser & Wirth Institute, Brooklyn, NY, USA

Overview

Founded in 2018, Hauser & Wirth Institute (HWI) is an independent nonprofit 501(c)(3) private foundation dedicated to transforming the field of artists' archives by nurturing equity and innovation. Operating independently of commercial interests, the Institute provides grants for progressive archival projects, organizes programs that expand the discourse around artistic legacies, and processes archives as a free service. The Institute has distributed between $60,000 and $700,000 annually in various funding rounds, with a strategic focus on supporting marginalized communities and expanding access to collections. Recent notable initiatives include the Expanded Archives Network, a collaboration with UK-based Art360 Foundation forming a cross-cultural network for resource-sharing and innovation in artists' archives.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Grants to Organizations: $10,000 - $360,000

Provides funding to innovative archival projects, community groups, and nonprofits that take creative approaches to increasing access to artists' papers and archives related to modern and contemporary art. Recent examples include multi-year institutional partnerships ($360,000 over three years) and smaller project-specific grants ($10,000-$87,500).

Research Fellowships: Up to $10,000

Predoctoral Research Fellowship Program awards up to $10,000 to support two consecutive months of archival research related to individual modern and contemporary artists.

Educational Scholarships: $140,000 per student

Full tuition scholarships for graduate students entering dual-degree programs in library and information science and history of art and design (e.g., Pratt Institute).

Priority Areas

  • Archival processing and digitization projects
  • Oral history initiatives documenting artists and their legacies
  • Paid internship programs advancing careers of archivists from underrepresented communities
  • Projects expanding digital access to collections, particularly for marginalized communities
  • Full-time archivist positions at nonprofits serving their communities
  • Indigenous artists' archives and cultural heritage preservation
  • Feminist art documentation and archives
  • LGBTQ+ archives and HIV/AIDS activism documentation
  • Institutional archives for museums and art organizations

What They Don't Fund

While not explicitly stated, the Institute focuses exclusively on:

  • Artists' archives and modern/contemporary art-related materials only
  • Archive-based projects (not general arts programming)
  • Projects must relate to increasing access and equity in archival fields
  • Does not appear to fund individual artist projects unrelated to archival preservation
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Governance and Leadership

Executive Director: Lisa Darms

Advisory Board (provides guidance and serves on selection committee):

  • Martina Droth (Deputy Director of Research, Exhibitions, and Publications, Yale Center for British Art)
  • Darby English (Professor of Art History, University of Chicago)
  • Charles Gaines (Artist)
  • Joan Jonas (Artist)
  • Zoe Leonard (Artist)
  • David Joselit (Professor of Art History, CUNY; Editor at October)
  • Barry Rosen (Curator consulting with artist estates)
  • Dieter Schwarz (Independent Curator)
  • Francine Snyder (Director of Archives and Scholarship, Robert Rauschenberg Foundation)

Key Quotes from Leadership:

Lisa Darms, Executive Director: “The four grantees tackle long-standing obstacles to expanding the art historical record in creative and ambitious ways that align with our mission to foster equity and innovation in the field.”

“Underlying everything we do is increasing access.”

“People should have the choice” over how to preserve their histories.

"Our archives program is 'postcustodial.' We do not collect, but rather see ourselves as facilitators in the process."

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Applicants prepare two- to three-page narrative overviews of their proposed projects along with a simple budget, as well as images that document the organization's larger mission. The narrative should demonstrate creative approaches to increasing access to artists' papers and archives, with emphasis on initiatives supporting marginalized communities.

Applications are submitted through the Institute's website at hauserwirthinstitute.org/grants. The Institute recognizes that the term “archive” can encompass many forms of documentation and knowledge-creation, such as oral histories and other kinds of story-telling.

Decision Timeline

Specific decision timelines are not publicly disclosed and appear to vary by program. The Institute announces grant recipients periodically throughout the year. Past announcements have occurred in fall (November) and early spring (March).

Success Rates

Success rates are not publicly disclosed. The Institute appears to be highly selective, funding approximately 4-6 organizational grants per major funding round.

Reapplication Policy

Reapplication policies for unsuccessful applicants are not explicitly stated in available public materials. Some organizations have received multiple grants over different years, suggesting that reapplication is possible and previously funded organizations remain eligible.

Application Success Factors

What the Institute Values:

  1. Focus on Equity and Marginalized Communities: The Institute explicitly prioritizes projects supporting communities that “have not benefited from past collecting and preservation practices.” Successful applications demonstrate commitment to expanding the art historical record to include underrepresented voices.
  1. Creative and Innovative Approaches: As Lisa Darms notes, successful grantees “tackle long-standing obstacles to expanding the art historical record in creative and ambitious ways.” Think beyond traditional archival processing to innovative methods like oral histories, community-based documentation, and alternative forms of knowledge-creation.
  1. Increasing Access: Every project should clearly articulate how it will expand access to collections and serve communities of researchers. The Institute's postcustodial approach values facilitating access over simply collecting materials.
  1. Capacity Building: The Institute funds positions (full-time archivists), programs (paid internships for Black student archivists), and education (scholarships), recognizing that sustainable impact requires building field capacity.
  1. Strong Documentation: Applications require images documenting the organization's larger mission alongside the project narrative, demonstrating organizational credibility and alignment with the Institute's values.

Recent Successful Projects:

  • The Studio Museum in Harlem: Three-year institutional archive processing and digitization ($360,000)
  • Women's Studio Workshop: Full-time archivist position to activate archives documenting feminist print cultures ($180,000)
  • Institute of American Indian Arts: Expanding digital access to archives ($87,500)
  • South Side Community Art Center: Paid internship program for Black student archivists ($20,000)
  • Carolee Schneemann Foundation: Oral history project on the artist's legacy ($28,500)
  • EFA Robert Blackburn Printmaking Workshop: Video-based oral history project
  • Visual AIDS Archive Project: Collecting materials from artists living with HIV
  • YVR Art Foundation: Travel grants supporting Indigenous artists studying their cultural collections in museums

Key Terminology and Language:

The Institute uses terms like “equity,” “transformation,” “innovation,” “marginalized communities,” "expanded field of artists' archives,“ ”postcustodial,“ and ”increasing access." Successful applications should adopt this vocabulary naturally while demonstrating genuine commitment to these values.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Demonstrate equity focus: Clearly articulate how your project serves marginalized or underrepresented communities whose histories have been excluded from traditional archival practices
  • Think creatively about “archives”: The Institute welcomes non-traditional approaches including oral histories, community story-telling, and alternative documentation methods
  • Emphasize access: Every application should explicitly address how the project will increase access to materials for researchers and communities
  • Keep it concise: The application is refreshingly straightforward—2-3 page narrative, simple budget, and supporting images
  • Show organizational credibility: Include images documenting your organization's mission and track record
  • Build capacity, not just projects: Consider how your proposal builds long-term capacity in the field (positions, training programs, sustainable infrastructure)
  • International applicants welcome: Despite being US-based, the Institute has funded organizations in Canada, UK, and Asia—don't self-select out based on location
  • Selection is highly competitive: With only 4-6 major organizational grants per round, applications must be exceptionally strong and clearly aligned with mission

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References