Tabletop Arts Fund

@tabletopartsfund.org

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Celebrating outstanding independent TTRPG and actual play creators through professional development, networking opportunities, and charitable grants. Learn more at https://www.tabletopartsfund.org. Reach out via email at contact@tabletopartsfund.org.

Illustrated banner for Vaesen: The Withering Wick. A lit candle glows at the center behind the word “VAESEN,” flanked by a group of illustrated characters in period clothing, some holding weapons or tools. Below, the title “THE WITHERING WICK” appears in gold lettering, with text at the bottom reading “premieres November 3rd at twitch.tv/bossjellybean.”
A worn tan backpack rests against a mossy boulder in a forest clearing. Overlaid white text reads “THE YOUNG,” with smaller text below: “A Walking Dead Actual Play.”
Title card reading “GODKILLER QISMAT” in large, glowing white and red letters. The text floats against a cosmic background filled with stars, red and blue nebula clouds, and a bright starburst near the top.
Graphic of a twenty-sided die viewed head-on, with bold black text reading “GAME MASTER MONDAY” stacked across the center. The die is light gray with dark outlines, set against a blue background with pale, looping scribble lines.
Close-up of an animal’s eye with glossy reflections in teal and red, filling most of the frame. The image has a grainy, distressed texture reminiscent of old videotape, with a visible VHS cassette edge on the right. Red text reads “Solemn Vale Homegrown,” and a small “VHS” label appears in the upper left.
Promotional graphic for the Tabletop Arts Fund 2026 Actual Play Grants. At the top center is the Tabletop Arts Fund logo, featuring a stylized book with a red d6 and yellow d10 on its pages, crossed by a pen and paintbrush inside a circle. The Text reads: 2026 Actual Play Grants “Open to any podcast or video actual play with at least three episodes released in 2025. Grants provide entry fees to all festivals in the 2026 Audio Fiction World Cup. Preference for all awards given to first-time festival participants and creators from marginalized backgrounds.” At the bottom, bold text states: Submissions close October 31, 2025 Link: https://apply.tabletoparts.fund/actualplay2026
Promotional graphic for the Tabletop Arts Fund 2026 Actual Play Grants. At the top center is the Tabletop Arts Fund logo, featuring a stylized book with a red d6 and yellow d10 on its pages, crossed by a pen and paintbrush inside a circle. The Text reads: 2026 Actual Play Grants “Open to any podcast or video actual play with at least three episodes released in 2025. Grants provide entry fees to all festivals in the 2026 Audio Fiction World Cup. Preference for all awards given to first-time festival participants and creators from marginalized backgrounds.” At the bottom, bold text states: Submissions close October 31, 2025 Link: https://apply.tabletoparts.fund/actualplay2026
Promotional graphic for the Tabletop Arts Fund 2026 Actual Play Grants. At the top center is the Tabletop Arts Fund logo, featuring a stylized book with a red d6 and yellow d10 on its pages, crossed by a pen and paintbrush inside a circle. The Text reads: 2026 Actual Play Grants “Open to any podcast or video actual play with at least three episodes released in 2025. Grants provide entry fees to all festivals in the 2026 Audio Fiction World Cup. Preference for all awards given to first-time festival participants and creators from marginalized backgrounds.” At the bottom, bold text states: Submissions close October 31, 2025 Link: https://apply.tabletoparts.fund/actualplay2026
A promotional graphic for a charity TTRPG stream raising funds for the Tabletop Arts Fund. The header reads “RAISING FUNDS FOR THE TABLETOP ARTS FUND” in bold text. Below are five framed portraits of the cast members, each with a name label: Taz – A smiling person with curly hair, glasses, and a backwards cap, standing in front of a brick wall. RahRah – A stylized, surreal image featuring a person with a sunflower for a face, purple hands, and butterflies floating around. GM Justin – A chibi-style illustrated character with dark skin, short hair, and a wide smile, labeled “GM Justin.” Tatiana – A smiling person with shoulder-length hair and a headset, seated indoors. Adam – A person with long curly hair and a mustache, smiling while standing outside near a tree, wearing a leather jacket. At the bottom of the image are the event details: TONIGHT! 6p PDT • 8p CDT • 9p EDT twitch.tv/TABLETOP_AF In the bottom left corner is the Worst Days logo—a blood-spattered circle with dice and Latin text “Certē Non Solūs Moriēris.” In the bottom right is the Tabletop Arts Fund logo featuring a quill, paintbrush, and dice.
Promotional graphic for Why We Fight, a tabletop RPG by Laurie Blake of Stop, Drop and Roll Games. The background features a parchment texture with bold navy and red framing. The title appears at the top in all-caps navy text, with the creator’s name and studio listed below. Two images are featured side by side: On the left: the cover art for Why We Fight. It shows a determined woman with braided hair drawing a bow against a backdrop of city skyline and helicopters. Her stance is focused and fierce, evoking resistance and survival. The title is rendered in a distressed white font. On the right: a photo of three smiling individuals standing in front of a booth for “Pugs in Mugs.” One has bright blue hair, one has long red hair, and one is bald with a goatee. All three wear lanyards and appear to be at a convention, radiating joy and camaraderie.
Promotional graphic for Legend of the Hidden Folk, a tabletop RPG by Lucienne Impala. The background features a parchment texture with navy and red trim. The title appears at the top in bold navy text, with the creator’s name below in a lighter blue. Two images are featured side by side: On the left: the cover of Legend of the Hidden Folk, a black-and-white line illustration of a dense forest landscape. It shows trees, rocky cliffs, and a waterfall, evoking a sense of Nordic or Appalachian wilderness. The title is written in elegant script across the top of the image. On the right: a color photo of Lucienne Impala smiling warmly at the camera. She has long auburn hair and wears a striped top. The background includes bookshelves and posters, giving a cozy, creative feel.
Promotional graphic for Runecycle, a tabletop RPG by Hiski Huovila. The background is parchment-textured with red and navy borders. The game title appears at the top in bold navy text, with the creator’s name beneath it. Two images are shown side by side: On the left: the Runecycle cover art. A surreal, minimalist landscape features tall, stone-like monoliths set in a desert beneath a pale sun or moon. Concentric runic circles overlay the structure, with the title RUNECYCLE centered across them. A tiny figure stands in the foreground, emphasizing the scale and mystery of the setting. On the right: a close-up photo of Hiski Huovila wearing a khaki hat labeled “Designer.” Colorful sticky notes are taped to the top, with one reading “GAME,” forming a playful DIY crown. Only the person’s eyes and the top of their face are visible.
Promotional graphic for Source of Dreams, a tabletop RPG by Sekayi Edwards of Hidden Quest Therapy. The background is parchment-textured with a red and navy border. At the top, the title appears in bold navy text, with the creator’s name and studio beneath it. Two images are featured side by side: On the left: a top-down photo of a tabletop playtest session. The table is covered with laminated cards, colored hex tiles forming a map, a clipboard with paper and pencil, dice, and reference sheets. The materials are neatly arranged, suggesting a structured and collaborative game environment. On the right: a color photo of Sekayi Edwards smiling warmly, standing in front of a white background with a leafy plant behind him. He has a shaved head, a full beard, and wears a dark shirt with a pendant.
Promotional graphic for We Wander Beneath Radiant Lights, a TTRPG by Kyle Tam of Urania Games. The background is parchment-textured with red and blue framing. The title appears at the top in bold navy and red text, with the creator's name and studio beneath it. Two images are displayed side by side: On the left: the game cover, a black-and-white illustration of a figure walking alone at night under a large, eerie full moon. The setting appears to be an alley or empty street, rendered in expressive, sketch-like strokes. On the right: a color photograph of Kyle Tam standing in front of a massive, curved bookshelf inside a brightly lit modern library, gazing upward at the books.
A promotional banner for the 2025 Tabletop Arts Fund TTRPG Grant Recipients. The title reads "2025 Tabletop Arts Fund TTRPG Grant Recipients" in bold blue text on a parchment-textured background. Below the title are five featured games, each with its name and cover art: 1. *We Wander Beneath Radiant Lights* – Black and white art of a figure walking down a stark alley under a full moon. 2. *Source of Dreams* – A photo of a tabletop playtest setup, including hex tiles, cards, and a clipboard. 3. *Runecycle* – Stylized art featuring a minimalist monolith in a desert, overlaid with concentric rune circles. 4. *Legend of the Hidden Folk* – A monochrome illustration of a dense forest and mountain landscape with hand-drawn text. 5. *Why We Fight* – Comic-style art of a determined woman drawing a bow, with helicopters and a cityscape in the background. Each game title is displayed in stylized font above its corresponding artwork.
A graphic titled “Demographics” shows four segmented pie charts representing different aspects of identity among applicants to the Tabletop Developer Grants. The statistics are: 64% of designers identify as LGBTQ+ (dark blue) 37% identify as BIPOC (dark red) 30% identify as disabled and/or neurodivergent (red) 23% are based outside the United States (tan) Each demographic is shown as a stylized wedge of a circle, with a parchment-style background and soft iconography behind the graphics.
A pie chart titled “Gender Identity” shows the gender breakdown of applicants to the Tabletop Developer Grants. The distribution is: Male: 43% (dark blue) Non-binary/Gender Nonconforming: 38% (red) Female: 19% (tan) The background has a parchment texture and a soft emblem behind the chart. The legend appears on the right side of the image.
A pie chart titled “Past Experience” displays the prior publishing experience of applicants to the Tabletop Developer Grants. The breakdown is: Self-Published: 52% (dark blue) First-Time Designer: 33% (dark red) Third Party Contributor: 11% (red) Third Party Published: 4% (tan) The background has a parchment texture with a faint emblem behind the chart. A color-coded legend appears on the right.
A pie chart titled “Team Structure” shows how applicants to the Tabletop Developer Grants organized their projects. The categories and percentages are: Solo Developer: 48% (dark blue) 2–3 Team Members: 31% (red) 4+ Team Members: 21% (tan) The background has a parchment texture with a subtle emblem, and the legend appears to the right of the pie chart.
A pie chart titled “Project Type” shows the breakdown of submissions for the Tabletop Developer Grants. The categories and percentages are: Game System: 71% (dark blue) Setting Guide: 10% (dark red) GM Resource/Toolkit: 9% (red) Rules Supplement: 5% (light brown) Adventure Module: 5% (tan) The chart has a parchment-style background with a subtle emblem behind the pie, and a navy border at the top and bottom. A color-coded legend appears to the right of the pie.
Promotional graphic for a livestream fundraising event supporting the Tabletop Arts Fund. The image features five cast members in portrait frames from left to right: Kelly (wearing elf ears and glasses), Dillin Apelyan (in a red hood), Kendo (against a teal and white backdrop), Angie Gone (with wavy hair and purple lighting), and Eli (speaking into a microphone). The event features a game of Kids on Brooms and airs “TONIGHT!” at 6 PM PDT / 8 PM CDT / 9 PM EDT on Twitch at twitch.tv/TABLETOP_AF. The background has a parchment-like texture, with a stylized logo featuring dice and paintbrushes in the lower right corner.
Promotional banner for a tabletop roleplaying event titled "Christ Heist." The top center of the image features the event title in large orange and black lettering. Below the title are headshots of five participants: from left to right, Zachary (with glasses and long wavy hair), Sadie (smiling with dark wavy hair), Grant (wearing sunglasses and a pink shirt), Jem (posing with a geometric sculpture and dyed red hair), and Forrest (smiling with long light brown hair, city skyline in background). Underneath the headshots is event information: "Tuesday, May 6th" with the times "7p PDT • 9p CDT • 10p EDT" in bold blue and black text. The Twitch channel link is listed as "TWITCH.TV/TABLETOP_AF."
The Tabletop Arts Fund Presents: A Charity Fundraiser for Trans Lifeline Tuesday, April 1st 6:00p PST/9:00P EST Guest GM MeadowTheGM runs Duck Duck Were-goose for Aundawyn, Daniel, Yuri, and Mika.
Promotional graphic for a talk titled Above The Table with Wythe Marschall: Remixing Genre, Setting, and Narrative Structure in TTRPGs, presented by the Tabletop Arts Fund. On the left is a portrait of Wythe Marschall, a bearded man with glasses and short brown hair, wearing a blazer and plaid shirt. On the right, the text describes the talk: tabletop designers often struggle to integrate genre, setting, and gameplay loop into a cohesive experience. Marschall will explore “thematic integration,” citing game studies scholar Sarah Shipp, and walk through major genres, settings, and narrative structures with examples. The event is on March 26, 2025, at 9:00 PM EST / 6:00 PM PST, streaming at twitch.tv/tabletop_af. The graphic has a decorative red and blue border and features the Stillfleet Studios logo.
Promotional graphic for a talk titled Above The Table with Wythe Marschall: Remixing Genre, Setting, and Narrative Structure in TTRPGs, presented by the Tabletop Arts Fund. On the left is a portrait of Wythe Marschall, a bearded man with glasses and short brown hair, wearing a blazer and plaid shirt. On the right, the text describes the talk: tabletop designers often struggle to integrate genre, setting, and gameplay loop into a cohesive experience. Marschall will explore “thematic integration,” citing game studies scholar Sarah Shipp, and walk through major genres, settings, and narrative structures with examples. The event is on March 26, 2025, at 9:00 PM EST / 6:00 PM PST, streaming at twitch.tv/tabletop_af. The graphic has a decorative red and blue border and features the Stillfleet Studios logo.
Deadline Extended! There's still time to apply for the Tabletop Arts Fund 2025 Designer Grants. Submit your application by March 31st, 2025 and bring your tabletop vision to life! Apply now! tinyurl.com/TTAFGrant2025
The Tabletop Arts Fund Presents: A Charity Fundraiser for Trans Lifeline Tuesday, March 4th 6:00p PST/9:00P EST Guest GM Gnome Anne runs SLUGBLASTER for Rah Rah, Juicy Garland, GM Justin, and Kim
A Charity Fundraiser for Trans Lifeline Tuesday, March 4th 6:00p PST/9:00P EST Guest GM Gnome Anne runs SLUGBLASTER for Rah Rah, Juicy Garland, GM Justin, and Kim
Above the Table w/ Brooke Whitney and Kari Jo Freudigmann "Finding Success on DriveThru RPG" You've finished your game or scenario -- now what? The team at DriveThru RPG are here to share their data-backed best practices for standing out on thh world's largest digital TTRPG marketplace, and tips to avoid common pitfalls on your quest for a coveted "best-selling" medallion. Live February 18th, 2025 7:00 PM EST / 4:00 PM PST Twitch.tv/Tabletop_AF
Above the Table w/ Brooke Whitney and Kari Jo Freudigmann "Finding Success on DriveThru RPG" You've finished your game or scenario -- now what? The team at DriveThru RPG are here to share their data-backed best practices for standing out on thh world's largest digital TTRPG marketplace, and tips to avoid common pitfalls on your quest for a coveted "best-selling" medallion. Live February 18th, 2025 7:00 PM EST / 4:00 PM PST Twitch.tv/Tabletop_AF
Tabletop Arts Fund Above the Table with Rowan Zeoli "How to Get Them To Talk About Your Thing" Journalists, influencers, and reviewers play an outsized role in the attention economy, and just like you they're over-scheduled, sitting on a too-full email inbox, and struggling to decide what to play next. In this talk, TTRPG journalist Rowan Zeoli discusses the steps you can take to get your project to the top of the should-play list. January 21, 2025 9:00PM EST / 6:00PM PST twitch.tv/tabletop_af
Tabletop Arts Fund Above the Table with Rowan Zeoli "How to Get Them To Talk About Your Thing" Journalists, influencers, and reviewers play an outsized role in the attention economy, and just like you they're over-scheduled, sitting on a too-full email inbox, and struggling to decide what to play next. In this talk, TTRPG journalist Rowan Zeoli discusses the steps you can take to get your project to the top of the should-play list. January 21, 2025 9:00PM EST / 6:00PM PST twitch.tv/tabletop_af
Tabletop Arts Fund Actual Play Grant Award Ceremony Friday, December 20th 4P PST // 7P PEST twitch.tv/tabletop_af
Tabletop Arts Fund Actual Play Grant Ceremony Friday, December 20th 4PST / 7P EST twitch.tv/tabletop_af
No cast members hold an identity - 0% of available points One cast member holds an identity - 25% of available points At least half of the cast holds an identity - 50% of available points Entire cast holds an identity - 100% of available points
1 Point - Poor. A substandard product, falling short in every aspect of production. 2 Points - Below average. Shows marginal quality in certain areas, but struggles in one or more key aspects. 3 Points - Average. Meets general expectations for a podcast or livestream. 5 Points - Above average. Exceeds expectations, demonstrating excellence in one or more areas. 8 Points - Remarkable. Presents the highest standards of actual play; a benchmark for others to aspire to.
A close-up photo of a t-shirt. The shirt is light grey with black text that reads "ASK ME ABOUT THE TABLETOP ARTS FUND" oriented around a logo. The logo features an ink pen and a paintbrush crossed over an open book, in the style of medieval heraldry. The pages of the book are decorated with a six-sided die and a ten-sided die.
ARE YOU A TTRPG PROFESSIONAL? If you're currently working in the wide world of tabletop role-playing games, we'd love your help. BE A JUDGE! Volunteer your expertise and help us select the inaugural class of grant winners. By lending your industry expertise, you'll ensure our grants go to the projects best positioned to succeed in shaking up the independent gaming space. BE A MENTOR! Volunteer your time and help guide winners towards indie success. Winners will receive advice catered specifically to their project -- your voice could make the difference in their publishing journey. Interested? Reach out to contact@tabletopartsfund.org for details.
CAN YOU PROVIDE A SERVICE? If you're an artist, designer, editor, or consultant, we'd love your help. OFFER YOU SKILLS Finding the right artist or editor is a challenge all its own. If you're willing to offer a small discount to your commission or per-word rates, we'll work with grant winners to connect them with professionals who can match their needs. SPREAD THE WORD! No doubt, you've met plenty of creators who could use our help. We'd rather spend our money on grants, not marketing. The more people you tell, the more likely we'll find the person who needs our help the most. Interested? Reach out to contact@tabletopartsfund.org for details.
Are You A Creator? If you have expertise you're willing to share, we'd love your help. SHARE YOUR SKILLS: Do you have a special expertise in design, narrative, marketing, or some other elements of the publishing process? Volunteer to lead a skillshare workshop -- we'll bring the audience, you'll bring thirty minutes of hard-won knowledge. JOIN A GAME: Can you run an incredible one-shot? Bring your skills as a GM or player to our channel for monthly charity games. Every dollar we raise goes directly into funding additional grants -- help us help more people. Interested? Reach out to contact@tabletopartsfund.org for more details.
An announcement image for the Tabletop Arts Fund. The top of the image features the group logo. Below, text providing information for awards. ART & WRITING - Open to original work, or community content published under a public license. - Grant provides support for editing, design, consulting, and similar services. ACTUAL PLAY - Open to any audio or video actual play with a public release in 2024. - Grant covers entry fees for all festivals in the 2025 Audio Fiction World Cup. Preference for all awards given to first-time creators and creators from marginalized backgrounds. Submissions open October 15, 2025.