Interested in being one of our 2026 Franklin Furnace FUND for Performance Art Recipients? For this info session, we were joined by multidisciplinary artist, 2017 Franklin FUND Recipient and panelist Verónica Peña, Franklin Furnace Ken Dewey Director Harley Spiller and Program Director Xinan Helen Ran.
The Info Session provided details about different funding opportunities, how to apply for a Franklin Furnace FUND support as an early career artist, and helpful tips on grant-writing and answers to questions regarding different sections of our guidelines.
Video documentation of the February 4, 2026, 7-8pm EST event of 2026-27 Franklin Furnace FUND for Performance Art Application Information Session. Recorded on Zoom, edited by Xinan Ran
About our guest
VERÓNICA PEÑA 
(Spain/US) is an interdisciplinary performance artist, independent curator, and international-community advocate, based in the US since 2006 and presently in Australia. Her work explores absence, separation, and the search for harmony through Performance Art, science, and technology. Peña’s durational performance installations integrate underwater submersion, visual metamorphosis, and audience participation to address global issues of migration, cross-cultural dialogue, violence, empathy, fluidity, and women’s empowerment. Peña performs and exhibits internationally. Australasia: Gasworks Creative Precinct (AU, 2025), Tiny Fest (NZ, 2024), Performance Art Week Aotearoa (NZ, 2024). Americas: SVA School of Visual Arts (NYC, 2024), Glasshouse (NY Upstate Art Weekend, 2024), Museo Ex Teresa / ZonaMACO (Mexico City, 2022), Satellite Art Fair (Miami Art Week, 2021), Grace Exhibition Space (NYC, 2021), NARS Foundation (NYC), Smack Mellon Foundation (NYC), Triskelion Arts (NYC), Hemispheric Institute (Chile), Queens Museum (NYC), SAIC (Visiting Artist), Times Square Alliance, Consulate of Spain in NY, among others. Europe: Est_Art Gallery (Madrid, 2023), Live Art Ireland (2022), Museo La NeomudéJar (Madrid), Friche La Belle De Mai (Marseille), La Tabacalera (Madrid), Zaratan Arte Contemporáneo (Lisbon), among others. Peña is the recipient of a Wellington Public Art Fund (2024, NZ), Foundation for Contemporary Arts Grant (2022, NYC), Creative Capital NYC Taller (2020), and Franklin Furnace Fund (2018). She published “The Presence Of The Absent”, was reviewed by Donald Kuspit, and featured in Hyperallergic. Peña curates Collective Becoming, and founded/leads Performance Art Open Call, a community of 32,000+ members. She holds an MFA from Stony Brook University (NY). veronicapena.com | @veronica.pena.live.art | Performance Art Open Call
