The Cisneros Fontanals Art Foundation, known as cifo, is a nonprofit organization established in 2002 by Ella Fontanals-Cisneros and her family to support artists who are exploring new directions in contemporary art. CIFO fosters cultural understanding and educational exchange through three primary initiatives: Grants and Commissions Programs for emerging and mid-career visual artists from Latin America; an exhibitions program showcasing work by Latin American artists and international contemporary art from the Ella Fontanals-Cisneros Collection at CIFO Art Space; and foundation-initiated support for other arts and culture projects.
Grants & Commissions Programs
CIFO's Grants and Commissions Programs offer opportunities to emerging and mid-career contemporary artists from Latin America to develop and present experimental and engaging new work. The grants and commissions enable artists to develop their work outside of the constraints of the commercial marketplace, and provide them with a unique platform to present projects for local and international audiences in Miami.
Grants are awarded each year to ten emerging artists whose work is featured in a group exhibition at CIFO Art Space in the fall. Commissions are awarded to up to four mid-career artists annually to develop new works to be presented at CIFO in the spring. The Commissions Program includes a special award, the CIFO Achievement Commission, recognizing the contributions of a highly accomplished artist who would benefit from significant exposure and recognition in the U.S. Artists for both programs are nominated by CIFO's honorary Advisory Committee of leading art professionals, curators and artists from Latin America, the United States and Europe who help identify visual artists from Latin America who are creating some of the most challenging and innovative work today. On an annual basis, CIFO appoints a new Selection Committee composed of Advisory Committee members who recommend finalists for both programs. In order to ensure a fair and impartial process, Selection Committee members cannot vote for their original nominees. The artists who are selected to receive CIFO grants and commissions each year are chosen and ratified by the CIFO Board of Directors.
