The Arts Innovator Award, presented by Artist Trust and funded by the Dale and Leslie Chihuly Foundation, is designed to recognize artists in Washington State who exhibit exceptional innovation in their practice. The award aims to support artists who originate new work, experiment with new ideas, take risks, and push the boundaries of their disciplines. Each year, two unrestricted awards of $25,000 are given to artists from any discipline. The grant is intended to help artists advance their careers by providing financial support that allows them to continue their creative experimentation.

The application period for the 2025 Arts Innovator Award runs from February 17, 2025, to March 17, 2025, with a deadline of 11:59 PM on the final day. The selection process involves a multidisciplinary panel of five artists from across Washington State, who review applications through Submittable, taking into consideration racial and geographic equity. Panelists score applications, select eight finalists—two from each of four categories (literary, media, performing, and visual arts)—and conduct interviews on May 8, 2025, before choosing the final two awardees. The notification of award status will occur in May 2025, with a public announcement made in the June newsletter.

To be eligible, applicants must be at least 18 years old and Washington State residents at both the time of application and payment, which will be made in June 2025. Applicants must be generative artists—meaning they create original works—and have a minimum of five years of professional art practice. They must also be available for finalist interviews on May 8, 2025. Certain restrictions apply; for example, previous recipients of the Arts Innovator Award or the James W. Ray Distinguished Artist Award are ineligible, as are current students, cultural organizers, curators, and individuals applying on behalf of a company, nonprofit, or fiscal sponsor. Employees or affiliates of the Chihuly Foundation or Artist Trust are also ineligible.

Applications are evaluated based on several criteria, including the advancement of the artist’s practice, the applicant’s experience and dedication to continued exploration of new work, and artistic excellence and innovation within their field. The most important part of the application is the submission of work samples, which should be high-quality and adhere to the guidelines. Written responses are also important, as they provide insight into the artist’s vision and creative process. Applicants can review previous successful applications in the Arts Innovator Award Reference Guide.

Artists can seek assistance through various support resources, including an information session on February 27, 2025, office hours on March 5 and 6, and a study hall on March 11. Applications must be submitted via Submittable, and late applications will not be accepted. If an application is found to be ineligible—such as by exceeding the maximum number of work samples—it will not be considered. The panel reviews all applications through a lens of racial equity, with an emphasis on supporting Black and Indigenous artists, LGBTQIA+ artists, and those from rural areas.

For further inquiries, applicants can contact Program Director Lydia Boss at lydia@artisttrust.org. General inquiries can also be made via info@artisttrust.org or by calling (206) 467-8734. The physical address for Artist Trust is 1835 12th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122.