The Lillian Orlowsky and William Freed Grant is an annual award dedicated to under-recognized American painters over the age of 45 who demonstrate financial need. Established by the late Lillian Orlowsky and William Freed, both of whom studied under Hans Hofmann and were active members of the Provincetown Art Association and Museum (PAAM), the grant seeks to promote public awareness and appreciation of American art while providing critical financial support to mature artists who lack mainstream recognition.

Grant recipients are selected by a jury of artists, curators, professors, and writers who evaluate applications based on artistic quality and adherence to the spirit of the award. Selected recipients receive a cash grant ranging from $5,000 to $36,000, as well as an exhibition at PAAM to showcase their work. The grant is designed to support artists who have continued to create despite financial challenges and limited commercial exposure.

The application deadline is April 1, 2025. Applications must include 10 images of recent work, an artist statement, a resume, a written essay, and financial documentation to demonstrate need. Eligible applicants must be at least 45 years old, a painter, and a U.S. citizen or permanent resident (though they may be living abroad at the time of application). For the purposes of this grant, painting is defined as the application of various paint-based media (oil, acrylic, gouache, ink, tempera, watercolor, egg tempera, casein, enamel) on paper, canvas, fabric, or wood. Excluded mediums include mixed media, encaustic, collage, dry pastels, chalk, digital painting, prints, graphite, or drawings. Any submissions containing these excluded mediums will not be reviewed.

Applications are reviewed in late spring 2025, and selected artists will be notified no later than July 1, 2025. The grant is administered by PAAM, and artists are encouraged to apply through the museum’s website.

For more information, applicants can contact Grace Ryder-O'Malley at gryderomalley@paam.org.