Artist grants awarded to five nationally known local artists and program names new award in memory of local filmmakers and digital artists – santamonica.gov

August 11, 2021 10:00 a.m.

SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA. – The Santa Monica Artist grant Program, now in its twelfth year, is the city’s highly regarded individual artist grant that distinguishes two artists with $ 16,000 artist grants, and three Artist with 4,200 USD project grants.

A new category has been created for this year’s program among Project grants. The city’s art commission launched the Kate Johnson Digital Arts Fellowship in honor of the popular local filmmaker and digital media artist who passed away in 2020 new award supports artists in the electronic and / or digital disciplines, including digital film, video, internet and game-based work as well as interactive visual arts.

This year’s Artist Fellows include choreographers Jacob Jonas and songwriter and visual artist Phranc. Project Fellows are filmmaker Yule Apricots, visual artist Debra Disman and artist Jody Cells receives the first Kate Johnson Digital Arts Fellowship.

One of the largest public individual artist programs in the United States, the City of Santa Monica Artist grant program was launched in 2009 as part of the city’s creative capital Cultural Plan that identified individual artist support as a critical component of the local art ecosystem. The program offers both emerging and established artists a platform and strengthens the residents’ long-standing appreciation for creativity and innovation.

“It’s hard to say how much it means to me as an artist to be recognized by my hometown of Santa Monica for past and present work on James Baldwin.” says Project Fellow and filmmaker Yule Apricots. “I plan to invite a group of local youth to participate my Development process to give back to the Santa Monica community that has supported me so far. “

“[I’m] grateful for this honor and the recognition of our work, “says Artist Fellow and Choreographer Jacob Jonas. “To be born and raised in Santa Monica means to the world that the city supports the arts and our global influence.”

This year’s evaluation round includes: former director of Santa Monica Pier Negin Singh; former LA County Arts Commissioner and former managing director of Self help Graphic by Tomás Benitez; visual artist and writer Max King Cap; former performing arts specialist for the Getty Museum and dramaturge Norman Frisch; and Scholar and writer Heather Dundas.

Bios and photos for the 2021-2022 scholarship holders

More information about the Artist Fellowship program can be found at santamonica.gov/process-explainers/artist-opportunities

An archive of previous recipients can be found at santamonica.gov/artists-and-grantees

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