bar-fund is an experimental public art project and grant-building initiative composed of artists who wish to celebrate and assist other artists. 

Organized on the principles of direct action, cooperation, and self-determined power, bar-fund creates a space for local artists to work together in the spirit of mutualism and community care. It critiques the top-down infrastructure of most artist grants, and revisions this platform from the bottom-up, with artists directing the action. When comparing the incredible fundraising force that top-tier art institutions possess, it is clear that scarcity is particular to artists and is not the case for all of the art industry. Scarcity drives burnout, unhealthy competition, jealousy, creative block, and surrender. bar-fund attempts to lovingly counter these tendencies.

With local artists tending bar at twenty-nine art events, and with the accumulation of your generous tips and donations, this year we gathered enough money to distribute five grants of $1,202.48, each to artists living in Los Angeles. The grant is distributed in the single dollar bills that it was collected in through tips as a physical representation of abundance and the gift-economy. The dollar bills also represent the thousands of people involved in the process and serve as an analog representation of what is typically abstracted.

While bar-fund will discontinue, the Los Angeles Artist Census hopes to further its mission by more explicitly highlighting the needs of artists in Los Angeles. If you would like to learn more about the Census, or help support it, visit here.

bar-fund is a socially engaged art project founded and organized by Tatiana Vahan. With the help of twenty-nine other local artists, and twenty seven art spaces/orgs, we have collected a total of $17,635.24 and distributed fifteen grants from 2017-2019. This project owes gratitude to all of those involved.

L.A. Artists— It’s said that systemic change only happens when expectations are no longer being met. Lets raise our expectations.

For more information, please email us.  

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2019 ARTIST GRANT AWARDEES:

Alfonso Gonzalez Jr.
Dicky Bahto
En Plein Error
Jasmine Nyende
Sebastian Hernandez

2019 ARTIST GRANT PANEL: 

Bob Dornberger
Catherine Azimi
Christina Catherine Martinez
Emotional Store (Bailey Hikawa & Scotty Wagner)
Ethan Tate
Jacqueline Falcone
Jane Orr
Mark McKnight
Robby and Juniper Herbst
Sterling Wells
Uhuru Moor
Yoshie Sakai

2019 PARTICIPATING ART SPACES:

Armory Center for the Arts
Art Converge
Bel Ami
Ghebaly Gallery
gloria galvez and Tasha Bjelic (via Navel)
Hannah Grossman and Sarah Williams (via Armory Center for the Arts)
Ibid
ICA LA
Los Angeles Contemporary Archive (LACA)
Lowell Ryan Projects
Maiden L.A.
Main Museum
MAK Center for the Arts
Moskowitz Bayse
Other Places Art Fair
Various Small Fires
Yoshie Sakai (via bar-fund)

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2018 ARTIST GRANT AWARDEES:

Adam Feldmeth
Brandon Drew Holmes
Christina Catherine Martinez
Elliot Reed
Jamie Felton
Kim Ye
Mark McKnight
Stephanie Deumer
Uhuru Moor
Yoshie Sakai

2018 ARTIST GRANT PANEL:

Alli Miller
Amy Garafano
Andrew Berardini
Carrie Cook
Ceedric Tai
Christina Villamor
Elaine Stocki
Hailey Loman
Jeremy Kiracofe
Jessica Li
M. Whiteford
Matt Town
Tatiana Vahan
Yelena Zhelezov

2018 PARTICIPATING ART SPACES:

Armory Center for the Arts
Bob Baker Marionette Theater
Common Field
Commonwealth and Council
Charlie James Gallery
Fahrenheit
FLAX Foundation
Ghebaly Gallery
Human Resources
ICA LA
Ibid
Los Angeles Contemporary Archive (LACA)
LAXART
Ltd
Main Museum
Other Places Art Fair
PANEL
Various Small Fires
356 Mission Road

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ADVISORY BOARD:

Hailey Loman
Aurora Tang
Robby Herbst
Sarah Williams
Yelena Zhelezov

FOUNDED BY:

Tatiana Vahan