Truffs Contemporary Art Foundation provides unrestricted grants 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. For this reason, our funding is strings-free.
“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.
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Recipients are selected through curatorial research and by nomination. Artists of all career stages are invited to self-nominate.
Selection involves a holistic review of the artist’s body of work rather than traditional institutional metrics or prior recognition.
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TCAF prioritizes artists whose work demonstrates experimentation, risk-taking, or a commitment to developing work beyond immediate commercial pressures.
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Grant sizes are determined on a case-by-case basis but generally range between $250 and $2,500.
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Grants are awarded on a rolling basis.
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Grantees will be contacted directly. For nominations, grantees will be notified using the contact information supplied on the nomination form.
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For general inquiries, please use our contact form. Please note we only accept nominations through our form.
Frequently Asked Questions
Meet the Founder
Laurel Rohera is the founder of the Truffs Contemporary Art Foundation.
Her interest in art began early, influenced by her mother’s work as an interior designer. Over time, that interest evolved into a love of curation. Laurel created Truffs Contemporary Art Foundation to support artists directly.
The foundation is named after her dog Truffles, a reflection of the foundation’s deeply personal mission.