Leeway Announces March 2008 Art and Change Grants
22 Grants Given to Women and Transgender Artists in the Philadelphia Region
PHILADELPHIA-The Leeway Foundation announces $53,295 in grants to twenty-two women and transgender artists living in the six-county Philadelphia area (including Camden) 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 or in collaboration with a Change Partner-a person, organization, or business, that is part of the project in some way.
March's deadline was the first cycle for 2008 and marks the beginning of the foundation's annual grants and awards calendar. Of the twenty-two recipients, only five artists previously received funding from the organization. The grants awarded went to artists working in a variety of fields including clowning and hair artistry.
This cycle's grantees, selected out of 69 applications, are:
Allison Harris, Literature & Multimedia
Beverly Dale, Performance
Carol Finkle, Documentary Film
Charlotte Ford, Theatre & Clowning
Deborah Caiola, Painting & Film
Gage Johnston, Documentary Film
Jodi Netzer, Dance & Video
Julianne (Bernstein) Theodoropulos, Theatre
Kara LaFleur, Photography
Kimberly E. Rollins, Photography
Leo T. Watts, Literature
Maia Rosser, Audio & Photography
Martina G. J. Martinas, Dance
Mehret Mandefro, Film
Meredith McDonald, Painting & Photography
Qaadira Allen, Crafts & Writing
Rebecca Davis, Dance
Sarah McCarron, Theater & Performance
Ursula Rucker, Poetry & Photography
Valerie Gilbert, Dollmaking & Sculpture
Viji Rao, Dance
Yolanda Wisher, Poetry
The Leeway Foundation's grant-making programs honor women and transgender artists for their ability to create social change through their artistic and cultural work. The foundation is committed to art making as an integral part of social change, movement building, and anti-oppression work.
The Art and Change grants are distributed three times per year and are evaluated by an independent peer review panel. The March 2008 review panel consisted of Helen Haynes (Director of Cultural Affairs, Montgomery County Community College), Lai Har Cheung (Holistic Health Counselor/Writer), and Deborah Block (Co-Artistic Director, Theatre Exile).
Applications are available on the Leeway website and outreach events are held throughout the year. Foundation staff members are available (by appointment) to provide support to potential applicants via workshops and advisory sessions. Applications can be obtained by calling (215) 545-4078 or emailing info@leeway.org. There are two additional deadlines for the 2008 Art and Change Grant: June 16 and September 8.
