NATIONAL CURATORS SELECT SEVEN ARTADIA AWARDEES 2010 HOUSTON
New York, NY—Artadia: The Fund for Art and Dialogue is pleased to announce the Artadia Awardees 2010 Houston. For three consecutive days (April 15-17, 2010), three nationally known jurors—Mónica Ramírez-Montagut, Curator, Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, Ridgefield, CT; Sandra Jackson-Dumont, Deputy Director for Education and Public Programs/Adjunct Curator, Seattle Art Museum; and Toby Kamps, Senior Curator, Contemporary Arts Museum Houston—conducted 45-minute studio visits with 15 short-listed artists who were drawn from a record-breaking 230 applicants in Harris County, TX.
The two Artadia Awardees 2010 Houston at the $15,000 level are: J. Hill and Jeff Shore & Jon Fisher. The five recipients of the $3,000 awards are: David Aylsworth, Bill Davenport, Augusto Di Stefano, Nathaniel Donnett, and Nestor Topchy. (See attachment for images and descriptions of their work.)
“Houston’s large artist community resonates with deep talent and a commitment to enhancing our city’s quality of life,” says Annise D. Parker, Mayor of Houston. “Our creative community contributes to Houston’s worldwide reputation as an innovative cultural center. We are proud that an important national arts organization such as Artadia recognizes the incredible artistic talent we have in Houston. We appreciate Artadia’s ongoing awards to and support of our city's artists and cultural innovators.”
Artadia Founder and Board President Christopher E. Vroom commented: “One of the most gratifying aspects of our work at Artadia is the opportunity we have to meet the many committed individuals and terrific institutions that do so much to support Houston’s vibrant artistic community. We are proud to be a part of the creative ecosystem that makes Houston one of the most exciting places in the country.”
Applications for the Artadia Awards were open to visual artists in all media and at any stage of their career working and living in Harris County, TX. The application was available online for three months from December 1, 2009 – March 1, 2010. A total number of 230 applications were received in response to the open call to Houston artists. The three first-round jurors—Toby Kamps; Deborah Cullen, Director of Curatorial Programs, El Museo del Barrio; New York; and Adam Pendleton, artist, New York—named the 15 Finalists in New York in March. This is the fifth cycle of Artadia Awards in Houston.
Local juror Toby Kamps said of the process: “I was proud to introduce my fellow jurors to an incredible selection of artists in Houston. And helping Artadia with its work of providing unrestricted financial support to the seven awardees was especially gratifying. The Artadia Awards are a crucial force in keeping the visual arts in our city vital, and I’m sure this year’s recipients will do great, creative things with their awards.”
Artadia has long-standing, close relationships with local foundations, art organizations, and private patrons of the arts who recognize the importance of unrestricted funding to visual artists at the local level. Visionary support for Artadia in Houston is provided by The Houston Endowment and many generous individuals committed to the arts in Houston. Special thanks to Lawndale Art Center and DiverseWorks.
About Artadia: The Fund for Art and Dialogue
Artadia’s mission is to encourage innovative practice and meaningful dialogue across the United States by providing visual artists in specific communities with unrestricted awards and a national network of support. Artadia was founded as The ArtCouncil in 1997 by investment banker and art collector Christopher E. Vroom. The first awards were given in San Francisco, where Vroom was living at the time. Chicago was added as a program city in 2001. In 2003, Artadia added Houston to its roster, Boston in 2007, and Atlanta in 2009. Once Artadia commits to a community, it returns every other year and also co-sponsors public programs with a local institution. Started as an individual’s vision, Artadia’s base of support now includes private foundations, a national Board of Directors, a National Council, and members who are active in supporting the core of creative culture: the individual artist.
Artadia Awards are determined through a rigorous jury process that employs nationally prominent curators, artists, and critics. Artadia partners with local foundations and individuals in the host cities to raise funds that go directly to artists in that community. Artadia matches those contributions by providing the funds that administer the program. Once an artist receives an Artadia Award, he or she becomes part of a national network of support forever.
In 2009, Artadia launched a New York Artist Residency program, which brings Artadia Awardees from each of its program cities to New York for a three-month residency at the International Studio and Curatorial Program (ISCP) in Brooklyn. This groundbreaking addition to Artadia’s commitment to individual artists is the first of its kind in New York City for US- based visual artists and is supported by the National Endowment for Arts (NEA). Artadia also presents events in New York and Miami, which intend to not only demonstrate the tremendous creativity in partner communities, but also facilitate exchange and dialogue nationwide.
For press inquiries and information on Artadia, contact news@artadia.org.
For information on becoming a member or joining The National Council at Artadia, contact:
Lila Kanner, Executive Director, lilakanner@artadia.org; 212-727-2233 ext. 207.
