March 2012 Art and Change Grants Announced
The Leeway Foundation announces today $49,010 in grants to 22 women and transgender artists living in the six-county Philadelphia area (including Camden, NJ) to further their work integrating a variety of arts disciplines and social change.
The Art and Change Grant provides project-based grants of up to $2,500 to women and transgender (which includes those who identify as transsexual and genderqueer) artists who: have art and social change projects or opportunities that impact a larger group, audience or community; have financial need; and live in the Delaware Valley area. One of the more unique aspects of the Art and Change grant is its requirement for projects to be supported by a Change Partner—a person, organization, collective, or business, that supports the project in some way.
The March deadline was the first cycle for 2012. Of the 22 recipients, only eight artists previously received funding from the organization. The grants awarded went to artists working in a variety of fields including audio documentary, printmaking, traditional klezmer music, ceramic sculpture, and historical gardening.
This cycle’s grantees, selected out of 71 applications, are:
- Anne-Marie Mulgrew, Multi-disciplinary, South Philadelphia, $2,200
- Beth Patel, Media Arts, Walnut Hill, $2,500
- Cymande M. Lewis, Performance, Germantown, $2,500
- Eli J. VandenBerg, Visual Arts, South Philadelphia, $2,500
- Emmett Ramstad, Visual Arts & Media Arts, West Philadelphia, $2,500
- Germaine Ingram, Performance, Francisville, $2,500
- Kishwer Vikaas, Media Arts, Society Hill, $2,500
- Leila Ghaznavi, Performance, West Philadelphia, $2,400
- Madhusmita Bora, Performance, Germantown, $2,500
- Mama Kariamu, Multi-disciplinary, Glenside, $2,400
- Melissa Beatriz Skolnick, Joanna Siegel, and Kate Zambon of West Philadelphia, Multi-disciplinary, $2,500
- Michelle Angela Ortiz, Visual Arts & Media Arts, Bella Vista, $2,500
- Nancy Lewis Shell, Crafts and Textiles & Visual Arts, Crescentville, $2,500
- Sarah Mitteldorf, Performance, East Falls, $2,500
- Sarah Whites-Koditschek, Media Arts, West Philadelphia, $2,500
- Shaily Dadiala, Performance & Folk Arts, Fishtown, $2,500
- Susan Lankin-Watts, Music & Performance, Ardmore, $2,010
- Syd Carpenter, Visual Arts, West Mount Airy, $2,500
- Takeya Trayer, Media Arts, South Philadelphia, $2,500
- Vashti DuBois, Multi-disciplinary, Germantown, $2,500
The Art and Change Grants are distributed twice per year and evaluated by an independent peer review panel. The March 2012 review panel consisted of visual artist and educator Betsy Casañas (LTA ’08), visual and media artist Caroline Savage, and writer and activist Che Gossett (ACG ’11, ’10).
Applications are made available on the Leeway website and outreach events are held throughout the year. The next Art and Change Grant deadline is August 1, 2012.
Foundation staff members are available (by appointment) to provide support to potential applicants via workshops and advisory sessions. Applications may also be obtained by calling (215) 545-4078 or emailing info@leeway.org.
Press inquiries should be directed to Irit Reinheimer, Communications Assistant, at (215) 545-4078, ext. 15 or irit@leeway.org.
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