Appalachian Futurism
Queer Arts Liberation Fund
Our mission is to empower and support the vibrant creative expression of individuals and collectives who identify within the LGBTQIA2S+ community – ensuring their voices are celebrated and amplified throughout the region.
With seed funding from The Ford Foundation, we officially announced the launch of the Appalachian Futurism: Queer Arts Liberation Fund's inaugural round – providing one-year project grants in the amount of $5,000 to LGBTQIA2S+ individual artists, organizations, and/ or cultural workers in the Central Appalachian region, creating projects that support and impact the LGBTQIA2S+ communities that have been historically underserved.
The Queer Arts Liberation Fund welcomed applications from LGBTQIA2S+ individual artists; cultural workers; organizations; and groups living in, working in, and/ or have a demonstrated commitment to Appalachia who are looking to advancing queer visibility and cultural representation in Appalachia. After an overwhelming response, our AppalCore and voting member review committees narrowed it down to 30 grantees, totaling $150K in giving in 2024!
The Waymakers Collective are radical grantmakers dedicated to supporting community arts organizations and individual artists in the heart of Central Appalachia that are historically underfunded: those led by BIPOC [Black, indigenous, and people of color], youth, LGBTQIA2S+, and non-English speakers/ immigrants. Founded in 2022, Waymakers seeks to disrupt the traditional model of philanthropy through the direct distribution of monetary gifts towards "Appalachian Futurism," an inclusive path rooted in equitable justice, creative cooperation, and sustainable stewardship. This approach to charitable giving challenges traditional power dynamics between foundations and grantees and answers the urgent call to remove barriers for creatives and their communities to receive the resources they need and deserve.