The Lillian Orlowsky and William Freed Grant

The Lillian Orlowsky and William Freed Grant is awarded annually to under-recognized American painters over the age of 45 who demonstrate financial need.

The mission of this grant is to promote public awareness of and a commitment to American art, and to encourage interest in painters who lack adequate recognition.

Recipients are selected by a diverse group of jurors—artists, curators, professors, writers—based on the strength of the materials submitted in this application as well as the perceived adherence to the spirit of the grant: to assist under recognized artists. Awards include a cash grant, ranging from $5,000 to $36,000 and an exhibition at PAAM.

The late Lillian Orlowsky and William Freed studied with Hans Hofmann in both New York and Provincetown. They were very active at PAAM as artist members and instructors in the summer school, and they served on a variety of committees throughout their 50 years on Cape Cod. Orlowsky, in particular, was sensitive to the challenges artists face, especially those working against the mainstream or outside of popular schools of art. Her desire to provide financial support to mature artists through this generous endowment gift speaks to her passionate commitment to art for art’s sake and art created regardless of the demands and whims of the marketplace.

ELIGIBILITY

• You are 45-years old or older.
• You are a painter. For the purposes of this grant, painting is considered the application of various media (oil, acrylic, gouache, ink, tempera, watercolor, egg tempera, casein, enamel) on paper, canvas, fabric, or wood. This includes fresco. This excludes mixed media, encaustic, collage, dry pastels, chalk, digital paintings, prints, and work in graphite or drawings. The use of multiple paint mediums is allowed (ie mixing acrylics with oil paints). Do not submit images in ANY of these excluded mediums as they will not be reviewed. Only paintings will be considered.
• You are American. You must be either a citizen of the United States or have permanent residency in the United States, though you can be presently living abroad.
• A need for financial support must be clear and demonstrated.

APPLY

The 2024 grant application is available online here, the entry deadline is April 1. A jury made up of three art historians, artists, curators, and critics will review the applications in the late spring. Applicants will be notified no later than July 1, 2024. 

Michelle Muldrow, Portland Trailer, 2021 Recipient

Elizabeth Tremante, Brownies, Goofing Off For A Camera, Get Sucked Into A Masterpiece Of Abstraction, 2021

Wilfredo Mercado, The Prize, 2019 Recipient

Randy Wray, Residuum, 2019 Recipient

Julie Buffalohead, A Little Medicine and Magic, 2019 Recipient

Tom Burckhardt, Orange Hell, 2019 Recipient

Brigid Watson, Tangerine Dream, 2019 Recipient

David Barnes, From the Land of Thrown Stones (detail), 2018 Recipient

Mie Yim, Argus, 2018 Recipient

Lee Price, Happy Meal (detail), 2018 Recipient

Ronald Hall, The Coming, 2018 Recipient

Shelley McCarl, Blue Shadows, 2018 Recipient

Deborah Salt, untitled 8, 2017 recipient

Mark Beyer, untitled 4, 2017 Recipient

Shinji Turner-Yamamoto, Sidereal Silence Irish Study 5, 2017 Recipient

Gail Spaien, Open Window I, Venice, 2016 Recipient

Frank Gregory, Preparators, Nymphs and a Satyr, 2016 Recipient

Masako Kamiya, Blue Fairy (detail), 2016 Recipient

Clay Wagstaff, Morning Breaks, 2016 Recipient

Marjorie Kaye, Many Turns of Fine Wire, 2016 Recipient

Dana Saulnier, A Month’s Mind (detail), 2015 Recipient

James Gouldthorpe, Particles,-Chapter 9, 2015 Recipient

Dorothy Robinson, Transitional Flow Regime (detail), 2015 Recipient

Lauren Mantecon, Blue (detail), 2015 Recipient

Stephanie London, Hear No Evil (detail), 2014 Recipient

Changha Hwang, Wrapping, 2014 Recipient

Daniel Bodner, Dock 1 (detail), 2014 Recipient

Susan Jamison, Trust in Me, 2014 Recipient

Santiago Hernandez, Labyrinth (detail), 2014 Recipient

Donald Beal, Woods with Black and White Dogs, 2013 Recipient

Steve DeFrank, wall installation, 2013 Recipient

Catherine Kehoe, SP in Orange, 2012 Recipient

Maria Napolitano, Garden Close Ups Toy Soldiers, detail, 2012 Recipient

Reiner Hansen, Self Portrait, 2012 Recipient

Irene Lipton, untitled, 2012 Recipient

Deborah Martin The Drawer (detail)

Joan Ryan, F U Superman (detail), 2011 Recipient

Jo Hay, Prince of Whales (detail), 2010 Recipient

D Morgan Russell, untitled, 2010 Recipient