Artists recognized at annual event held at the American Visionary Art Museum
BALTIMORE, MD (May 24, 2018) – Over 125 people attended the Individual Artist Awards (IAA) Ceremony at the American Visionary Arts Museum (AVAM) on Sunday, May 20 where the Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC) presented $225,000 in grant monies to 78 winning artists. This year’s awardees were chosen from a group of 367 applicants and have received grants of $1,000, $3,000 or $6,000 in recognition of their outstanding achievement and in support of their continued artistic growth. The full list of 2018 IAA awardees can be found here.
“We were thrilled to welcome the 2018 IAA recipients to AVAM to celebrate their accomplishments and thank them for all they do to make this state such a culturally rich and vibrant place, “ said IAA Program Director Steven Skerritt-Davis. “Excitement was in the air as the guests mingled among works created by artists from the crafts and photography categories. And the music performed by awardee Joshua Espinoza and his trio of musicians was the perfect upbeat complement to the afternoon’s event.”
The MSAC’s competitive IAA Program is administered in partnership with the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation and recognizes artists in 19 disciplines divided into three groups, with awards presented in each discipline every three years. This year’s awardees represented the fields of non-classical music composition and solo performance, crafts, photography, and playwriting. Awardees were chosen, based solely on artistic merit, by an out-of-state jury of discipline-specific experts.
“This was my first application and grant for the MSAC individual award. I am humbled to accept this award and to join past recipients, as well as this year’s recipients, whom I have admired,” said crafts award winner Atsuko Chirikjian. ”While there are many grants given in STEM, I was happy to show my family that Maryland’s extensive art community could also provide opportunities for creative people. I feel we are fortunate to have this supportive organization and stimulating art environment in this state.”
The 2019 IAA application period opened on May 21st, with a deadline of July 25th. Eligible categories for 2019 are creative non-fiction/fiction, media, digital/electronic arts, theater solo performance, painting, and works on paper. IAA Program and application information can be found on the MSAC’s Individual Artist Awards webpage.
About MSAC
Founded in 1967, the Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC) is an agency of the State of Maryland Department of Commerce, Division of Tourism, Film and the Arts, and encourages and invests in the advancement of the arts for all Marylanders. Its grants and programs support artists and arts organizations in their pursuit of artistic excellence, ensure the accessibility of the arts to all citizens, and promote statewide awareness of arts resources and opportunities. MSAC awards grants to not-for-profit, tax-exempt organizations and individual artists, and provides technical and advisory assistance to individuals and groups. The agency is funded by an annual appropriation from the State of Maryland and a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. MSAC may also receive contributions from private, non-governmental sources. For more information, go to msac.org.
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