Alternative Exposure Round 20 Application Portal is Open!

Apply here.

Alternative Exposure funds the presentation of Bay Area visual art projects by multiple artists. Selected projects receive awards of up to $5,000 to provide the seed funding to present artist-led visual art programs that are open to the public and presented outside of traditional art spaces. Possible projects include: exhibitions; publications, zines, or print series; festivals or events with a visual component; public learning opportunities for visual artists; new or ongoing projects; non-institutional spaces for art and artists; performances; screenings; web-based projects; and so much more!

Click here to learn more about our eligibility criteria for 2026 applications. 

Curious About 2025 Grantees?

Learn more about the recipients here.

About Alternative Exposure

Southern Exposure's Alternative Exposure (AltEx) grant program supports the independent, self-organized work of artists and small groups that play a critical and significant role within the San Francisco Bay Area arts community. AltEx provides monetary awards to foster the development and presentation of artist-led projects and programs that are open to the public and support the work of more than one artist. 

The Jonathan Bernbaum Memorial Award

Southern Exposure is honored to present an Alternative Exposure Award in memory of Jonathan Bernbaum. The first of these awards was made in 2022, as part of the Round 16.  Multi-media and video artist Jonathan Bernbaum tragically died in the 2016 Oakland Ghost Ship Fire at the age of 34. The Jonathan Bernbaum Memorial Award honors his work and his commitment to the Bay Area artistic community by supporting the work of a project that focuses on performance or multi-media work. The recipient is chosen from amongst the pool of Alternative Exposure applicants. Eligibility rules apply.

A Brief History

Alternative Exposure was launched in 2007 in partnership with The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts to recognize and support the movement of independently organized, public-facing, artist-centered activity that animates local and regional art scenes but that lies beyond the reach of traditional funding sources. Since then, AltEx has awarded over $1.2 million to 260 projects and The Andy Warhol Foundation has invested in the creation of a growing national network of 32 regional regranting programs. The Regional Regranting Program is administered by non-profit visual art centers across the United States that work in partnership with the Foundation to fund artists’ experimental projects and collaborative undertakings. Programs are developed and facilitated by organizations in Alabama, Albuquerque, Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Knoxville, New Orleans, Newark, Oklahoma, Omaha, Philadelphia, Phoenix & Tucson (AZ), Portland (OR), Portland (ME), Providence, Raleigh & Greensboro (NC), Saint Louis, San Francisco, San Juan, PR, Seattle, and Washington D.C. SoEx is proud to be the inaugural member of this important and growing nationwide system of support!