Leeway Foundation Announces 2014 Transformation Awards
Nine women and trans* artists representing three counties in the Greater Philadelphia area have been named 2014 Leeway Transformation Awardees, the foundation announced today.
The Awards are granted annually to artists who have demonstrated a practice of art and social change for five years or more. The 2014 awards were presented to a diverse group of artists and cultural producers working in a range of disciplines including literary, media and performance arts.
“In our ninth cycle of the Transformation Award, the brilliant women and trans* award recipients we have supported are doing crucial work at a critical time,” says Program Director, Sham-e-Ali Nayeem. “In the midst of bleak times, they are creating art and impacting communities in innovative and purposeful ways. They each guide us towards the world we want to see.”
Leeway’s Transformation Award recognizes women and trans* artists and cultural producers whose work has impacted a larger group, audience, or community. The $15,000 award is merit-based; project proposals are not required and the funds are unrestricted.
Out of over 70 applicants, the following nine artists were selected to receive the 2014 Leeway Transformation Award (in alphabetical order):
- Annie Mok of West Philadelphia, Literary Arts and Visual Arts
- Debora Kodish of West Philadelphia, Folk Art
- Ezra Berkley Nepon of West Philadelphia, Performance and Literary Arts
- Kariamu Welsh of Wyndmoor, Performance and Literary Arts
- Michelle Myers of Camden Riverfront, Performance
- .O of North Philadelphia, Performance
- Sara Zia Ebrahimi of Wyndmoor, Media Arts
- Sosena Solomon of Fairmount, Media Arts and Visual Arts
- Tokay Tomah of Upper Darby, Music and Folk Art
A national panel convened to review applications and work samples in two stages. The 2014 panel consisted of: writer and producer fayemi shakur; poet and professor Lorna Dee Cervantes; performance artist and arts educator S.T. Shimi; media artist and documentarian Seyi Adebanjo; and media artist and previous Transformation Award recipient Yowei Shaw (LTA ’13, ACG ’13, ’12, ’11, ’10, ’09). Sage Crump, cultural strategist, facilitated the second stage.
The selection process began in the spring of 2014 with an open application. A panel of national artists, activists, and cultural producers representing a variety of artistic and cultural practices met in the summer and made selections for a group of finalists to move on to the second stage. In the winter, the panel reviewed the second stage applications along with work samples, and made final decisions for the awards to be given to a group who, as emerging, mid-career, and established artists, fully embody Leeway’s mission.
Applications are made available on the Leeway website, and may also be obtained by calling 215.545.4078 or emailing info@leeway.org. The next Leeway Transformation Award deadline is May 15, 2015. Potential applicants are encouraged to attend one of the many workshops and support sessions held throughout the year, or schedule an appointment with a foundation staff member for one-on-one support.
Press inquiries should be directed to Denise Beek at (215) 545-4078, ext. 14 or dbeek@leeway.org.
*We use the term “trans” in its most inclusive sense, as an umbrella term encompassing transsexual, transgender, genderqueer, Two-Spirit people, and more generally, anyone whose gender identity or gender expression is nonconforming and/or different from their gender assigned at birth.
Download a PDF of the 2014 LTA Press Release with Artist Profiles and Panelist Bios.
