Programs - Erik Brunetti Foundation for the Arts

Programs & Initiatives

Strategic Infrastructure for Cultural Persistence

The Erik Brunetti Foundation for the Arts advances its mission through a suite of discreet, non-commercial initiatives designed to protect legacy, incubate counter-institutional practice, and construct new models of cultural viability. Each program operates as a standalone framework with defined curatorial oversight, infrastructural support, and long-horizon outcomes.

The Foundation does not operate via open calls or public competitions. All programs are invitation-based or governed by internal selection processes aligned with the Foundation’s archival, strategic, and aesthetic directives.

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Current Programs Include:

— The FTW Grant

A nomination-only award supporting artists whose work confronts dominant narratives and reclaims aesthetic agency.

— The Applied Arts Fellowship

A program for individuals advancing functional disciplines as forms of radical mastery.

— The Residency

An on-site residency at Elderwell Estate supporting artists whose work operates outside commercial or institutional constraint.

— The Elderwell Estate Initiative

A preservation and activation plan for the Elderwell property as a multi-platform cultural site and headquarters of the Foundation, encompassing two formal nonprofit programs: an architectural and archival stewardship project (The Dr. Porter W. Shimer House Preservation Program) and an ecological restoration initiative focused on native species and symbolic landscape design (The Elderwell Wildlife Sanctuary & Native Garden).

— The College Hill Jiu-Jitsu Lab

A seasonal program offering no-cost Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instruction to youth and local participants, held in a private training facility on the Elderwell grounds. Led by professional black belt athletes and supported by the Foundation, the Lab explores martial arts as a form of applied aesthetics—discipline as expression, movement as form. Open by application, May through October.

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Funding & Stewardship Inquiries

To inquire about funding the FTW Grant, the Applied Arts Fellowship, the Residency, or the College Hill Jiu-Jitsu Lab, or to propose aligned collaboration related to the maintenance, restoration, or activation of the Shimer House, Sanctuary grounds, or training facilities, contact:

foundation@erikbrunettifoundation.org

A 501(c)(3) public charity. Contributions may be tax-deductible.