Truffs Contemporary Art Foundation (TCAF) is an independently funded, invitation-only artist support initiative. TCAF arranges visibility opportunities and provides unrestricted grants directly to women and female-identifying visual artists in Southern California.

Our Pillars

Fearless Creativity

Too often, artists must choose between creative freedom and commercial viability. The financial pressure to create salable work can supersede creative risk-taking.

TCAF’s mission is simple: artists should not have to decide between making boring art or missing a rent payment. When creativity is pursued without compromise, the world benefits.

Grants are unrestricted. Awardees may use the funds according to their own priorities. TCAF requests a brief, non-financial reflection within ten months so we can understand the grant’s impact.

“Nobody says, ‘Picasso, the male artist.’” - Patti Smith

Male artists are often treated as the default. Even today, it is common to see lists framed as “female artists to watch,” without an equivalent male category. That distinction influences whose voices are heard.

Truffs Contemporary Art Foundation is built on the belief that diversity propels the economy of ideas. By focusing exclusively on female visual artists, the foundation expands what work is able to exist.

Serving our community

Truffs Contemporary Art Foundation is based in Southern California and serves the community it is part of. This regional focus allows for a more sustained and measurable impact.

  • TCAF’s 2026 grants are offered through an invitation-only pilot program. Artists are identified on a rolling basis through ongoing curatorial research and may be invited to submit a short grant request for consideration.

    Grants generally range from $500 to $2,500 and provide unrestricted support to women and female-identifying visual artists based in Southern California.

    There is no application fee. Grant recipients are not required to exhibit with TCAF, transfer or sell artwork, grant exclusivity, or participate in publicity without their permission.

    TCAF is not accepting unsolicited grant applications at this time. Any future open application or nomination cycle will be announced here and through TCAF’s official channels.

  • TCAF prioritizes artists whose work demonstrates experimentation, risk-taking, or a commitment to developing work beyond immediate commercial pressures.

  • For general inquiries, please use our contact form or contact us at info@truffscaf.org.

Frequently Asked Questions

Meet the Founder

Laurel Rohera is an attorney, independent curator, and founder of Truffs Contemporary Art Foundation. Based in Los Angeles, she established TCAF as an independently funded artist-support initiative providing unrestricted grants to women and female-identifying visual artists in the region.

Her interest in art began early through her mother’s work as an interior designer. Over time, that foundation developed into a broader interest in contemporary art and curatorial practice. Her legal background informs her approach to artist support, particularly her emphasis on clear expectations, creative autonomy, and respect for artists’ ownership of their work.

Through TCAF, Laurel conducts curatorial research, visits artists’ studios, develops exhibitions, and builds sustained relationships with emerging artists. She founded the initiative to create the kind of direct, flexible support that allows artists to experiment without requiring them to make commercially driven work.

TCAF is named after her dog, Truffles, reflecting the personal spirit in which the initiative began.