Artadia: The Fund for Art and Dialogue
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The exceptional range of artists living and working in Houston was evident as three internationally prominent panelists selected the 15 Finalists for the Artadia Awards 2010 Houston. Panelists Deborah Cullen, Director of Curatorial Programs, El Museo del Barrio; New York, Toby Kamps, Senior Curator, Contemporary Arts Museum Houston; and Adam Pendleton, artist, New York, named the Finalists out of a record number 230 applications received for the fifth cycle of Artadia Awards in Houston.
The 15 Finalists for the Artadia Awards 2010 Houston are: David Aylsworth, Natasha Bowdoin, Margarita Cabrera, Jonathan Caouette, Lily Cox-Richard, Bill Davenport, Augusto Di Stefano, Nathaniel Donnett, Francesca Fuchs, J. Hill, Kurt Mueller, Jim Nolan, Jeff Shore & Jon Fisher, Carl Suddath, and Nestor Topchy.
First-round juror Deborah Cullen said of the process, “It was very exciting—and daunting—to view over 200 submissions from Houston-area artists working with a wide range of artistic concerns and in varied media. I was so pleased to learn about many, many artists I did not know previously, and while the selection was difficult, we worked well together as a jury and have put forth a strong list of Finalists. I am proud to have participated in Artadia’s excellent program!”
Applications for the Artadia Awards were open to visual artists in all media and at any stage of their career working and living in Houston, 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.
Mónica Ramírez-Montagut, Curator, Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, Ridgefield, CT, and Sandra Jackson-Dumont, Deputy Director for Education and Public Programs/Adjunct Curator, Seattle Art Museum will join Toby Kamps in Houston for the final-jury studio visits next month from Thursday, April 15 through Saturday, April 17, 2010. The jury will then select seven Artadia Awardees for two awards of $15,000 and five awards of $3,000. The list of seven Artadia Awardees will be announced the end of April.
Visionary support for Artadia in Houston is provided by Houston Endowment, Inc. and many generous individuals in Houston who share a deep commitment to supporting the arts. Special thanks to Joan Mitchell Foundation for kindly hosting the first-round jury in their New York offices, Lawndale Art Center, and DiverseWorks Artspace.
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 this year. Once Artadia commits to a community, it returns every other year to and also co-sponsors public programs with local institutions. 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. Since its founding, Artadia has distributed over $2 million in funds to more than 200 visual artists around the country.
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.
Last year 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. 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.
