Grants & Commissions Program

CIFO's Grants and Commissions Program offers emerging, mid-career and established contemporary Latin American artists the opportunity to develop and present experimental and engaging new work. The program enables artists to develop their work outside the constraints of the commercial marketplace, and provides them with a unique platform to present projects to local and international audiences in Miami. Up to six emerging artists, and up to three mid-career or established artists, are offered the opportunity, funds, and space to develop and exhibit new work. The foundation also presents one established artist with an Achievement Award in recognition of their career.  

The Selection Process:
Each year, up to 10 artists are nominated by CIFO’s Honorary Advisory Committee comprised of leading art professionals, curators and artists from Latin America, the United States, and Europe. The committee helps identify visual artists from Latin America who are creating some of the most challenging and innovative work today. Once nominations are in, CIFO appoints a Selection Committee composed of Advisory Committee members who recommend finalists for the program. The Selection Committee, while closely reviewing all nominated artists, will consider the existence of a coherent discourse, engaging concepts, and formal resolutions; how each of these elements is expressed in the work; and how they relate within the context of the artist’s chosen discipline. In order to ensure a fair and impartial process, Selection Committee members cannot vote for their nominees. And, after a rigorous review process by the committee, the finalists are presented to the foundation's Board of Directors, at which time the annual recipients of CIFO's Grants & Commissions are selected and ratified.

The program is by invitation only, and has been known to springboard its recipients to the next level of their careers.

Advisory Committee Members:

• Sonia Becce (Argentina)
• Gustavo Buntinx (Peru, USA)
• Pablo León de la Barra (Mexico / England)
• Kaira Cabañas (USA)
• Ramón Castillo (Chile)
• Rosina Cazali (Guatemela)
• Elizabeth Cerejido (USA)
• Ana Paula Cohen (Brazil)
• Moacir Dos Anjos (Brazil)
• Cecilia Fajardo-Hill (USA)
• José Luis Falconi (Peru/USA)
• Elvis Fuentes (Puerto Rico/New York)
• Carlos Garaicoa (Cuba/Spain)
• Isabel García Pérez de Arce (Chile)
• Jaime Gili (England, Venezuela)
• Julieta González (Venezuela)
• Nicolás Guagnini (New York, Argentina)
• Inti Guerrero (Spain)
• Maria A. Iovino (Colombia)
• Roberto Jacoby (Argentina)
• Inés Katzenstein (Argentina)
• Rodolfo Kronfle Chambers (Ecuador)
• Sharon Lerner (Peru)
• Miguel Ángel López (Peru)
• Michy Marxuach (Puerto Rico)
• Beatriz Milhazes (Brazil)
• Gean Moreno (Miami)
• Gerardo Mosquera (Cuba)
• Oscar Muñoz (Colombia)
• Santiago Olmo (Mexico)
• Adriano Pedrosa (Brazil)
• Taiyana Pimentel (Cuba/Mexico)
• Tahía Rivero Ponte (Venezuela)
• René Francisco Rodríguez (Cuba)
• Oscar Roldan-Alzate (Colombia)
• Alam Ruiz (Los Angeles)
• Adrienne Samos (Panama)
• Guillermo Santamaria (Mexico)
• Raquel Schwartz (Bolivia)
• Berta Vicario (USA)
• Cristina Vives (Cuba)

CifoTalks

The CifoTalk program gathers curators, scholars, and artists to discuss themes within modern and contemporary art. These talks provide an opportunity for the public to hear from art professionals working today and to learn about relevant cultural issues in the art scene. The format — a combination of lecture and panel discussions —  allows for dialog and Q&A between the audience and guest speakers providing an environment for lively discussion. 

Miami-Dade Public Schools Museum Education Program

Over thirty years ago the administrators of the Art Education Program developed the Museum Education Program, a collaborative effort between Miami-Dade County Public Schools, local museums, and galleries. This program is designed to provide all students attending art classes, kindergarten through senior high school, an opportunity to view and discuss original works of art and architecture in a museum, historic site, or gallery setting.

Our Museum Educator, who is a Miami-Dade County art teacher, guides students through interdisciplinary tours of modern, classical, contemporary, and student produced art. Specially designed educational resource guides emphasize the connection between art, language arts, math, science, social studies, and career awareness. On-site and follow-up art, reading, and writing activities reinforce the concepts explored through the museum tour. These multi-curricular experiences serve to foster student awareness of the link between themselves and artists who express personal thoughts, feelings and experiences through works of art. The art reflects the cultural, historical, social, and economic climate of the times in which it is created.

This unique program has become a national model recognized by the National School Boards Association as one of the outstanding curriculum ideas in the United States. To plan a Miami-Dade Public School field trip to the CIFO Art Space, please visit - Museum Education Program Sites and Staff Directory. Private Schools please send your request to info@cifo.org 

Art workshop with Sweet Water Elementary, Miami in collaboration with CIFO