The DeHaan Artist of Distinction Award, administered by the Indy Arts Council with support from the Christel DeHaan Family Foundation, provides Indiana-based contemporary visual artists with up to $10,000 to pursue aspirational, risk-taking projects. The grant supports artists in pushing their creative boundaries and is intended to encourage innovation in contemporary visual arts. Final projects supported by this grant will be showcased at a special exhibition at Gallery 924 in Indianapolis.

Launched in 2017 and expanded statewide in 2021, the award is open to artists who work in visual disciplines such as drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics, photography, textiles, and digital media. Eligible applicants must have lived or worked in Indiana for at least three consecutive years prior to applying, possess a minimum of five years of documented experience in contemporary art, and demonstrate consistent income generated from their work in the visual arts over the past five years.

The application for the 2025 grant cycle opens on January 6, 2025, and is conducted in two rounds. Applicants may apply in either or both rounds. The deadlines for submission are May 4, 2025 (Round 1) and October 19, 2025 (Round 2). Applications are submitted online through a written format; however, alternate formats such as video or dictated responses in different languages are accepted upon request.

Application guidance is provided through video tutorials and virtual consultations with program staff. Artists seeking additional information about eligibility, technical issues, or the grants portal can contact Anna Tragesser, Program Manager, or email the general grants team at grants@indyarts.org.

The review panel for the 2025 cycle includes curators and professionals from institutions such as the Denver Art Museum, Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis, Harn Museum of Art, and representatives from the Christel DeHaan Family Foundation and Indy Arts Council.