Creative Catalyst Fund Selects 10 Local Artists for Fellowships
The San Diego Foundation Creative Catalyst Fund has announced its 2015 Individual Artist Fellowship Program recipients, giving 10 local artists the opportunity to advance their careers while encouraging civic engagement in San Diego.
Artist fellows each receive a 12-month, $20,000 grant with the impact of that investment reaching beyond the individual. The Creative Catalyst program is grounded in the belief that direct support to artists has a positive and measurable impact on the vitality and vibrancy of our communities’ residents.
“Creative Catalyst Fellowships are investments in the creative entrepreneurship of our arts community,” San Diego Foundation CEO Kathlyn Mead explained. “The San Diego Foundation created a vision based on region-wide community feedback that advances four key areas: Work, Enjoy, Learn and Live (WELL). These fellowships link Work, Learn and Enjoy together to give artists and community members who value the arts the opportunity to make that connection.”
Launched in 2011, two rounds of Creative Catalyst Fellowships have been completed and 25 artists have received funds that ranged from $11,000 to $25,000. Already the program has seen artists flourish with the opportunity to take more creative risks and expand their professional growth. The investment has given them a “stamp of legitimacy,” that has opened doors to more work, as well as the opportunity to mentor other artists.
Creative Catalyst alum Wu Man was recently nominated for a Grammy in the category of Best World Music Album. Man has been an important voice for cross-cultural collaboration between her instrument – the pipa – a 3000-year-old Chinese plucking instrument – and musicians, composers and artists around the world. Man has premiered hundreds of new works for the pipa while spearheading multimedia projects to both preserve and create awareness of China’s ancient musical traditions.
Jill Hall, chair of the Creative Catalyst Fund Fellowship, noted that the 10 artists were chosen from a pool of 57 highly qualified applicants. From January through December 2015, the artists will implement projects focusing on a broad range of issues, from climate change and the preservation of our natural environment, to immigration and diversity, to the intersection of art, science and innovation.
The 2015 artists selected and their nonprofit sponsors include: Alicia Baskel and sponsor Mojalet, Todd Blakesley and sponsor Playwrights Project; Brian Goeltzenleuchter and sponsor San Diego Writers, Ink; Matthew Hebert and sponsor Escondido Arts Partnership; Bhavna Mehta and sponsor Oceanside Museum of Art; Ron Najor and sponsor Media Arts Center; Noe Olivas and sponsor New Children’s Museum; Roberto Salas and sponsor Camarada, Mike Sears and sponsor The Old Globe; Yale Strom and sponsor San Diego Rep.
Roberto Salas is sponsored by Camarada.
Category: Local News
