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OPEN STUDIOS GRANT
The Black Artist Foundry Open Studios Grant provides mid-career Black artists without dedicated studio space with temporary access to a physical space for creative practice, experimentation, project development, open studios, and public programming.
The inaugural grant provides space rather than a financial award, recognizing dedicated workspace as an important resource for sustaining and expanding an artistic practice. But space alone is not enough. Artists also need capital to purchase materials and supplies, fabricate new work, develop workshops and public programs, and support the time and labor required to bring new ideas to life.
Black Artist Foundry is actively raising funds to provide direct financial support to our inaugural grantee and to grow the Open Studios Grant into a program that pairs space with financial support for future artists.
Help us build the next layer of support.
Space creates possibility.
Capital helps artists use that possibility fully.
Your contribution helps us provide materials, supplies, programming resources, and direct financial support to Open Studios artists.
2026 OPEN STUDIOS GRANTEE
Aliyah Sidqe
Handle with Care: Inside the Studio
1515 H Street Sacramento, CA
Through October 31, 2026
ABOUT GRANTEE
Aliyah Sidqe is a Sacramento-born fine artist and muralist whose work centers the intimate, unfiltered narratives of modern Black womanhood. Working primarily in painting, her practice blends figurative expression, autobiographical storytelling, and richly layered color palettes to honor the everyday rituals, emotional landscapes, and generational connections within her community.
Her paintings often depict tender domestic scenes or women caring for themselves in moments of quiet resilience. These works elevate ordinary routines into sacred acts, revealing beauty in the overlooked. Through expressive brushwork, warm skin tones, and a palette that vibrates with pinks, greens, and blues, Aliyah captures the softness, strength, and complexity of the women in her world.
Aliyah’s work has been exhibited throughout Sacramento, including her acclaimed solo exhibition The Babymama Effect at Sacramento State University. This body of work explored motherhood, identity, and the cultural weight carried by Black women, blending personal narrative with collective experience. In addition to her studio practice, Aliyah has painted murals across the city—from schools to public spaces—continuing her mission to make art that is accessible, reflective, and community-rooted. Whether on canvas or on a large-scale wall, her work celebrates authenticity, storytelling, and the power of seeing everyday life as art.
Learn more about open studio dates & connect with Aliyah here
How Artists Are Selected
The inaugural Open Studios Grant was developed as a pilot in response to the availability of a specific space. For this first iteration, Black Artist Foundry directly selected an artist whose established practice, need for dedicated workspace, and commitment to public and community engagement aligned with the opportunity. What we learn from this pilot will help shape future iterations of the program, including potential open calls and panel-based selection processes as additional spaces and resources become available.
This grant is made available by partnerships with
