After 513 artists submitted proposals in this year’s Next Step Fund, our panelists read and rated all of the applications in round one, determining the 65 finalists. Panelists then reviewed work samples in round two, and 31 grantees were determined.
We would like to extend our sincere gratitude for the hard work and thoughtfulness of the following panelists:
Adele Myers, Adja Gildersleve, Alyssa Andrews, AnaSofía Villanueva, Andy Sturdevant, Belo Cipriani, Carolyn Payne, Christopher Harrison, Claire Altendahl, Clarence Morgan, Davu Seru, George Rodriguez, Graciela Cain, Jamil Jude, Jared Tuttle, Joe Harjo, Joseph Bingham, Kahlil Irving, Katie Thornton, Leila Awadallah, Lena Wright, Nicole Havekost, Ritika Ganguly, Rosetta Peters, Ryan Stopera, Sequoia Hauck, Sun Mee Chomet, Taja Will, Tamara Gonzalez, Tia Keobounpheng, Timi Bliss
We would like to extend our warmest congratulations to this year’s grant recipients!
Alexandra Beaumont
Funding to support creating larger-scale textile works and exhibiting them across the United States.
Alison Hiltner
Funding for travel, per diem and accommodations for a research trip to explore possible projects as an artist fellow and make connections at Art|Sci Center part of UCLA Art in Los Angeles.
Amy Usdin
Funding for a floor loom to create sculptural weavings, extending my practice beyond current off-loom work and allowing continued growth as an exhibiting artist.
Atlas O. Phoenix
Funding to Atlas O. Phoenix to research, develop, and write monologues for their experimental documentary, Beautiful Boi, a film about their gender transition and mental health journey of 41 years.
Brian Malloy
Funding for research to create a collection of short stories centering the conflict between environmentalists and mining advocates on Minnesota’s Iron Range.
Caitlin Skaalrud
Funding to research and produce a graphic novel book proposal to present to potential publishers, and purchase supplies and professional-grade equipment.
Connor Rice
Funding for equipment to create a series of public projection mapping installations. The large format imagery will relate to Black diaspora themes and interact with the area’s architecture.
Douglas Little
Funding to purchase recording and music notation software, create a work space, and dedicate time and study to mastering new compositional tools.
Ellie Kingsbury
Funding for a performance-based exhibition that runs September 14 – October 21 2023, featuring images of individuals printed on large panels of silk.
gustavo Boada
Funding to create a bilingual puppet show for children.
Hend Al-Mansour
Funding for creation of a short animated film to expand my artistic expression.
Janna Kysilko
Funding for attending workshops on baroque vocal performance.
Joua Grande
Funding for a short film exploring neurodivergence where the filmmaker can develop and cultivate her own artistic voice through unleashing her ADHD in the creation process.
Kathryn Haddad
Funding to create a website of my work past, present and future for community connection.
Kevin Yang
Funding for the pre-production of the documentary “Troop 100”.
Kirsti Petraborg
Funding for a one-month residency in Havana, Cuba, to study improvisation on viola, as well as the dance and percussion related to the genre I perform in.
Kou B. Thao
Funding to finish editing my memoir and secure a book agent and publisher.
Loriene Pearson
Funding to provide technical graphic design training and use of the training to expand beyond hand drawing my Native designs.
Maiya Lea Hartman
Funding to continue the research and fabrication of a growing body of work titled “That Which Does Not Burn”.
Margaret Ogas
Funding to travel to New York City to participate in the Movement Research MELT Dance Intensive.
Mong Vang
Funding to purchase a camera and two lenses.
Sahar Hassan
Funding to make an audio visual recording of opera arias (songs) for virtual auditions. The purpose of this project is to increase my chances of being heard and getting hired by more opera companies.
Savannah Bustillo
Funding to create a new body of printed work to apply to graduate school, rent studio space, and buy materials.
Shanique Emelife
Funding to travel to my homeland, Akpa, Abagana, Nigeria for source material, to create and inspire my next body of work.
SHEN Xin
Funding to this project centers restorative practices concerning Tibetan language through performativity, land and family histories.
Steve Ackerman
Funding to create my first solo, touring puppet show, including the writing, rehearsal, and construction of a compact puppet theatre, tourable by bike and bike trailer.
Suzanne Costello
Funding to attend The World Congress 2022, No One Left Behind: Building Community Capacity, in Ottawa, Ontario, hosted by the Canadian Criminal Justice Association.
Tamara Aupaumut
Funding for artistic and academic research travels to the displaced Native artist’s ancestral homelands to assist in grounding and informing a new body of multidisciplinary work.
Crown Shepherd
Funding to finish the illustration and formatting production of 2 issue of Crown Comics.
Timothy Roy
Funding for my proposal will support a two-week stay in Oslo, Norway, for research and artistic creation at the Norwegian Center for Technology, Art, and Music.
Tsuab Yang
Funding for Tsuab Yang to take acting classes and seek mentorship from a professional actor to develop acting skills.
