Trellis Art Fund Announces Inaugural Cohort of Grant Recipients
Trellis Art Fund Announces Inaugural Cohort of Grant Recipients
Twelve Artists Nationwide to be Awarded Unrestricted Grants totaling $100,000 Each
New York, NY – July 22, 2024 – Trellis Art Fund, a newly established private foundation committed to supporting the creative work of individual artists, is pleased to announce its inaugural cohort of grantees. Twelve artists will be awarded a total of $100,000, distributed via two $50,000 installments over the course of two years. In recognition of the challenges working parents often face, two grants were reserved for artists who are parents of children under twelve.
Speaking on behalf of the anonymous jury, Trellis Art Fund Advisory Board Member Arlene Shechet said, “There is nothing simple or straightforward about the process of elimination and selection, but we are immensely pleased and grateful that, in this inaugural year for Trellis, twelve astoundingly dedicated and talented artists will receive substantial, no strings attached, funds towards realizing their dreams and sharing their visions.”
In January of this year, more than 75 curators, historians, artists, and other nationwide art world professionals were invited by Trellis Art Fund’s advisory board to nominate up to three artists. Nominations were open to any artist eligible to work in the United States. The nominated artists were invited to apply in February, after which an anonymous jury of five decided the final twelve awardees from a pool of 157 applicants.
The nomination process yielded an applicant pool that reflects the diversity and vitality of the visual arts community, with artists ranging in age from 30 to 89 years old; 81% of artists were of color and 37% identified as LGBTQIA+. While most candidates came from the greater NY or LA areas, the two largest art markets in the US, applicants hailed from 25 of the 50 states including Puerto Rico.
The selected artists work in a variety of media including painting, sculpture, video, performance and social practice. They demonstrate a trajectory of excellence, sustained professional commitment, and a consistently engaged practice. The funds awarded to these artists are unrestricted, meaning recipients can use it to create their work, or to fund other personal or professional needs.
In addition to grants, Trellis will provide the cohort with professional resources to aid their creative endeavors long-term. In Fall 2024, Trellis will host their first annual retreat in New York City in order to build a creative community and offer professional development services. Grantees will participate in workshops, share their work, and meet one another. In time, Trellis Art Fund hopes its alumni will form a network of diverse and mutually supportive artists.
2024 Grant Recipients:
Candida Alvarez, Chicago, IL and Baroda, MI
American Artist, New York, NY
Ja’Tovia Gary, Dallas, TX
Jorge González Santos, San Juan, PR
Every Ocean Hughes, New York, NY
Autumn Knight, New York, NY
Young Joon Kwak, Los Angeles, CA
Lorraine O’Grady, New York, NY
Paul Pfeiffer, New York, NY
Ronny Quevedo, New York, NY
Alison Saar, Los Angeles, CA
Shizu Saldamando, Los Angeles, CA
Ronny Quevedo and Shizu Saldamando are the 2024 Trellis Art Fund Artist-Parent Grantees.
About Trellis Art Fund
Trellis Art Fund is a private organization based in New York City, dedicated to providing support to individual artists so they may pursue their creative endeavors. The foundation envisions a world where the work of individual artists is recognized for its intrinsic value. Trellis believes that visual art offers essential benefits to humanity, both as the quintessential expression of our times and as an unparalleled means to understand ourselves and connect with other human beings, and that its practitioners deserve recognition and sustained support to cultivate their work. To achieve this, Trellis creates a community wherein artists are supported as they deepen and expand their practices.
Headshot credits (from top left to right bottom):
- Candida Alvarez, photo by Sarah Ayers, cropped.
- American Artist, photo by S*an D. Henry-Smith, cropped.
- Ja’Tovia Gary, photo by JerSean Gollatt, cropped.
- Jorge González Santos, photo by José Castrellón, cropped.
- Every Ocean Hughes, photo by Märtha Thisner, cropped.
- Autumn Knight, photo courtesy of the artist, cropped.
- Young Joon Kwak, photo by Joe Pugliese, cropped.
- Lorraine O’Grady, photo by Lelanie Foster, cropped.
- Paul Pfeiffer, photo by At Maculangan, cropped.
- Ronny Quevedo, photo by Taylor Miller, cropped.
- Alison Saar, photo courtesy of the artist, cropped.
- Shizu Saldamando , photo courtesy of the artist, cropped.
Media Contacts:
For interviews, background and images, please contact:
Katrina Stewart
Blue Medium, Inc.