Artist Professional Development Grants promote the growth and development of visual art in Kentucky by helping improve the critical skills, resources, knowledge, and connections of fine artists. APDG Grants support and forward artists’ careers by encouraging them to engage with the broader contemporary art world and raising the bar for art being produced in the region. Developing fine artists’ awareness of and participation in the national and international contemporary art world, this program aims to strengthen the level of critical discourse among artists in the state.