diff --git a/backend/app/api/artists.py b/backend/app/api/artists.py
index f4f5e26..fa6da74 100644
--- a/backend/app/api/artists.py
+++ b/backend/app/api/artists.py
@@ -1,11 +1,14 @@
 """FC-3a: plural /api/artists endpoints — POST (find-or-create) +
-autocomplete. The slug-routed singular /api/artist/<slug> blueprint
+autocomplete. FC-3f: GET /api/artists/directory (cursor-paginated
+browse grid). The slug-routed singular /api/artist/<slug> blueprint
 stays separate and unmodified."""
 
 from quart import Blueprint, jsonify, request
 
 from ..extensions import get_session
+from ..services.artist_directory_service import ArtistDirectoryService
 from ..services.artist_service import ArtistService
+from ..services.source_service import KNOWN_PLATFORMS
 
 artists_bp = Blueprint("artists", __name__, url_prefix="/api/artists")
 
@@ -42,3 +45,39 @@ async def autocomplete():
     return jsonify([
         {"id": a.id, "name": a.name, "slug": a.slug} for a in rows
     ])
+
+
+@artists_bp.route("/directory", methods=["GET"])
+async def directory():
+    """FC-3f: cursor-paginated artists directory.
+
+    Mirrors /api/tags/directory shape: { cards: [...], next_cursor }.
+    """
+    args = request.args
+
+    cursor = args.get("cursor") or None
+    q = args.get("q") or None
+    platform = args.get("platform") or None
+    limit_raw = args.get("limit", "60")
+
+    try:
+        limit = int(limit_raw)
+    except ValueError:
+        return jsonify({"error": "invalid_limit"}), 400
+    if limit < 1 or limit > 200:
+        return jsonify({"error": "invalid_limit"}), 400
+
+    if platform is not None and platform not in KNOWN_PLATFORMS:
+        return jsonify({"error": "unknown_platform"}), 400
+
+    async with get_session() as session:
+        svc = ArtistDirectoryService(session)
+        try:
+            page = await svc.list_artists(
+                q=q, platform=platform, cursor=cursor, limit=limit,
+            )
+        except ValueError:
+            # Service raises only on bad cursor (limit was validated above).
+            return jsonify({"error": "invalid_cursor"}), 400
+
+    return jsonify({"cards": page.cards, "next_cursor": page.next_cursor})
diff --git a/tests/test_api_artists_directory.py b/tests/test_api_artists_directory.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..37459fc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_api_artists_directory.py
@@ -0,0 +1,104 @@
+"""FC-3f: /api/artists/directory API tests."""
+
+import pytest
+
+from backend.app import create_app
+from backend.app.models import Artist, ImageRecord, Source
+
+pytestmark = pytest.mark.integration
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+async def app():
+    return create_app()
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+async def client(app):
+    async with app.test_client() as c:
+        yield c
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+async def seeded(db):
+    alice = Artist(name="alice-api", slug="alice-api", is_subscription=True)
+    bob = Artist(name="bob-api", slug="bob-api", is_subscription=False)
+    db.add(alice)
+    db.add(bob)
+    await db.flush()
+    db.add(Source(
+        artist_id=alice.id, platform="patreon",
+        url="https://p/alice-api", enabled=True,
+    ))
+    db.add(ImageRecord(
+        path="/images/api/alice.jpg",
+        sha256=("a" * 60) + "0001",
+        size_bytes=10, mime="image/jpeg", width=10, height=10,
+        origin="downloaded", artist_id=alice.id,
+    ))
+    await db.commit()
+    return alice, bob
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_directory_returns_cards_and_cursor_keys(client, seeded):
+    resp = await client.get("/api/artists/directory")
+    assert resp.status_code == 200
+    body = await resp.get_json()
+    assert set(body.keys()) == {"cards", "next_cursor"}
+    assert isinstance(body["cards"], list)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_directory_card_shape(client, seeded):
+    resp = await client.get("/api/artists/directory?q=alice-api")
+    body = await resp.get_json()
+    card = next(c for c in body["cards"] if c["name"] == "alice-api")
+    assert set(card.keys()) == {
+        "id", "name", "slug", "is_subscription", "image_count", "preview_thumbnails",
+    }
+    assert card["is_subscription"] is True
+    assert card["image_count"] == 1
+    assert len(card["preview_thumbnails"]) == 1
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_directory_rejects_malformed_cursor(client):
+    resp = await client.get("/api/artists/directory?cursor=garbage!!!")
+    assert resp.status_code == 400
+    body = await resp.get_json()
+    assert body["error"] == "invalid_cursor"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_directory_rejects_unknown_platform(client):
+    resp = await client.get("/api/artists/directory?platform=myspace")
+    assert resp.status_code == 400
+    body = await resp.get_json()
+    assert body["error"] == "unknown_platform"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_directory_rejects_limit_out_of_range(client):
+    resp = await client.get("/api/artists/directory?limit=0")
+    assert resp.status_code == 400
+    resp = await client.get("/api/artists/directory?limit=500")
+    assert resp.status_code == 400
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_directory_q_propagates(client, seeded):
+    resp = await client.get("/api/artists/directory?q=alice-api")
+    body = await resp.get_json()
+    names = [c["name"] for c in body["cards"]]
+    assert "alice-api" in names
+    assert "bob-api" not in names
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_directory_platform_propagates(client, seeded):
+    resp = await client.get("/api/artists/directory?platform=patreon")
+    body = await resp.get_json()
+    names = [c["name"] for c in body["cards"]]
+    assert "alice-api" in names
+    assert "bob-api" not in names  # no patreon source