Linda Fernandez
Linda Fernandez is a multicultural artist, educator and advocate for the arts in public spaces. She is a founding member of Amber Art and Design, an artist collective based in Philadelphia that creates public art through engagement with community members. Linda’s artistic practice is rooted in collaboration. Her work involves coordinating the creative exchange of messages, artwork and personal artifacts between people across physical, social and cultural divides. As a result, interactions through exchange create solidarity, unity and a sense of belonging which are important human needs. These collaborative works provide a platform for a diversity of voices, ideas and dreams. Linda has earned a Bachelor’s degree in Art Education from Tyler School of Art, a certificate in Contemporary Art from Metafora Escola de Arte Contemporaneo in Barcelona, Spain, and a Master’s in Public Administration from Austin W. Marxe School of Public and International Affairs. She is an alumni of National Urban Fellows and the Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute’s Intercultural Advocacy Fellowship.
Awarded Grants
2023
Window of Opportunity Grant (WOO)
Related grantees
Overview
Linda Fernandez (ACG ‘15, ’16; WOO ‘23) has been co-leading the Environmental Justice Brigade, an environmental justice program in Cobbs Creek for teenagers, for the past three years. The two week-long program, taking place at the Blanche A. Nixon library in July, facilitates student participation in immersive excursions, clean up days, and hands-on advocacy and art making, culminating in a final presentation and exhibition. This year, Linda will document the art pieces created in this program by developing a zine containing images of the artworks, along with writing from participants in the program. The WOO grant will support with finishing funds, particularly artist fees and printing production costs for the zine, which will be available in both print and PDF format for sharing and distribution.
2016
Art and Change Grant (ACG)
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Overview
Anne Harrison and Linda Fernandez plan to use community print making to educate and promote an increased understanding of economic justice issues on a micro-economic level. They will bring awareness to two small endeavors in the neighborhood – one neighbor sews and sells laundry bags, and another community group grows and sells produce in the neighborhood at a weekly farmers market. Their project will connect these two small enterprises together by creating a free printing activity that will encourage neighbors to print on shopping bags, commissioned by the local seamstress, as a way to help kick off the produce season at the farmers market.
Partner
2015
Art and Change Grant (ACG)
Related grantees
Overview
Linda and Anne will work with teens from the Norris Square Neighborhood Project to create functional and wearable works of art. The young people in Norris Square are faced with ongoing and residual effects of structural racism and poverty, at the same time, the neighborhood is rich with Latino culture and history. The pieces will be based in traditional crafts using natural and repurposed materials from the local neighborhood and garden. Linda and Anne believe that this project will give these young artists an opportunity to learn century-old crafts, develop their identities, and create economic opportunities. Linda and Anne will also create Hencho en Norris Square (Made in Norris Square), a craft fair in the local park where the teens, neighborhood artists, and crafts people will sell their wares and have an opportunity to connect with each other. Hencho en Norris Square will introduce the youth to traditional crafts and history, community engagement, and hopefully spark collaboration.
