Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis Announces
5th Annual ARTIST FELLOWSHIPS –
Reaches $1 Million Milestone
ST. LOUIS (February 27, 2018) – For the fifth year in a row, the Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis (RAC) has awarded $20,000 fellowships to ten local artists as part of its annual Artist Fellowship program. With this fifth round of grants, RAC has now awarded a total of $1 million to help regional artists further their artistic careers.
Instead of supplying funds for a specific project, the Artist Fellowships allow for the development of the individual artist’s craft, providing the crucial gift of time to study, reflect, experiment, explore and create. These awards are not grants in the traditional sense. These fellowships are considered a financial endowment or investment in the careers of St. Louis artists. Recipients can use the funds to buy materials or studio space, pay collaborators, or even take sabbaticals, or engage in residencies to focus on their art. The RAC Artist Fellowship program is one of only a few multi-disciplinary fellowship programs of its kind in the United States.
The program was inspired, in part, by a survey conducted by RAC and funded by the Kresge Foundation in 2012. The survey found that one of the most pressing needs for regional artists is financial support to pursue their art. The following year, 2013, a total of $200,000 was awarded to the first 10 fellowship recipients.
The latest fellowship recipients represent a wide variety of disciplines including visual arts, theater, music, literature, craft, media arts, and design. The 10 winners were selected from a total of 176 applicants after an in-depth review by 26 expert readers, a community advisory committee, and RAC Commissioners. A complete list of the artists and their bios can be found here.
The 10 RAC Artist Fellowship Recipients
Ellie Balk – Visual
Lamar Harris – Music
James Ibur – Craft and Traditional
Kahlil Irving – Craft and Traditional
Edward McPherson – Literature
De Nichols – Design
Kim Portnoy – Music
Justin Reed – Literature
Jacqueline Thompson – Theatre
Brett Williams – Media
If you have any questions about the Artist Fellowships, please contact James F. Anderson, Director of Grants at james@racstl.org or 314-863-5811.
About the Regional Arts Commission www.racstl.org
The Regional Arts Commission (RAC) is at the forefront of efforts to transform St. Louis into a more vibrant, creative and economically thriving community by elevating the vitality, value and visibility of the arts. It is the largest annual funder of the arts in the region, and since its inception in 1985, RAC has awarded more than 7,000 grants totaling over $100 million to support nonprofit arts, individual artists, cultural organizations, consortiums and programs. Directed by a board of 15 commissioners appointed by the chief executives of St. Louis City and St. Louis County, RAC is a pivotal force in the continuing development and marketing of the arts in the region. Visit www.racstl.org for more information, or follow us on Facebook at Regional Arts Commission or Twitter @RACStLouis.