Leeway Announces October 2007 Art and Change Grant Recipients
19 Grants Given to Women and Transgender Artists in the Philadelphia Region
PHILADELPHIA—The Leeway Foundation announces $45,446 in grants to nineteen 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.
October's deadline was the last for 2007 and marks the end of the third year of the Art and Change program, which for over 50% of the recipients is the first grant they've received. Of the nineteen recipients, only one artist was a previous applicant. The grants awarded went to artists working in a variety of fields including breakdancing and classical music composition.
This cycle's grantees, selected out of 58 applications, are:
Camae Dennis, Music
Cherina N. Booker, Film & Photography
Emiko Sugiyama, Dance
Ife Nii-Owoo, Mixed Media & Collage
J. Mason, Photography
Jenée Alicia Chizick, Writing & Graphic Design
Jeri Lynn Johnson, Music
Jessica Rodriguez & Pascal Emmer, Oral History & Media Arts
Joy Keys, Theater & Visual Art
Joy Rose, Playwriting
Katrina Clark, Video
Lonnie Grant, Photography & Writing
Lovella Calica, Writing, Oral History & Photography
Molik Harvey, Documentary
Nita Jalivay, Writing
Putery A. Long, Dance
Sasa Ynoa, Film & Media Arts
Sylvia Coleman, Writing & Web Design
Williena J. Owes, Crocheting
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 where Leeway is accountable, accessible, part of, and governed by the communities Leeway's programs support.
The Art and Change grants are distributed three times per year and are evaluated by an independent peer review panel. The October 2007 review panel consisted of Bernadine Mellis (documentary filmmaker), Bahiya Cabral-Johnson (community organizer), and Riley Snorton (artist/activist).
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. October's cycle was the last grant opportunity for 2007. New deadlines will be announced in January 2008.
