SOULE; Seekers of Unity Love & Equality, a digital destination for news, opinions, life and culture for the LGBTQIA people of color.
07/09/2020
@Queer|Art, NYC’s home for connecting and empowering generations of LGBTQ+ artists, is pleased to introduce The Illuminations Grant for Black Trans Women Visual Artists. Developed and named in partnership with Mariette Pathy Allen, Aaryn Lang, and Serena Jara, this new annual $10,000 grant, awarded to draw attention to an existing body of work, sheds light on the under-recognized contributions of Black trans women visual artists and provides critical support to their continuing work. Winning artists will receive additional professional development resources and further guidance to bolster their creative development in the field.
The Illuminations Grant is made possible entirely through support provided by visual artist Mariette Pathy Allen, whose body of photographic work over the last forty years has been squarely focused on expanding cultural consciousness around gender and transformation. The development of this grant was stewarded by consultant and writer Aaryn Lang, working in collaboration with Mariette Pathy Allen, Serena Jara, and Queer|Art. “The Illuminations Grant not only highlights the lacking representation of Black trans women in the visual arts,” says Lang, “but also seeks to confront the systemic barriers that deny them artistic opportunities and a sustainable craft. By supporting this grant, Mariette Pathy Allen challenges herself and the art industry to see Black trans women as more than mere subjects, while forging a new pathway for visual artists within this community to thrive.” Throughout her work, Lang champions the social, economic, and political well being of the transgender community, specifically the needs of Black transgender women. Mariette Pathy Allen reflects further: “This grant is the first to be offered specifically for Black transgender women and femmes in support of their path within visual arts. I believe that it will have an important impact on the artists themselves and their influence on the art world.”
The Illuminations Grant is administered through Queer|Art with a rotating panel of judges, each of whom will conduct a studio visit with the winning artist as part of the award’s focus on supporting creative and professional development. Judges for the 2020 grant cycle include Thelma Golden, Juliana Huxtable, Texas Isaiah, and Kiyan Williams. Queer|Art staff will also provide the winning artist with consultations and further access to many of the tools they have developed in conjunction with the oganization’s cornerstone creative and professional development program, Queer|Art|Mentorship.
Qualified artists must be self-identified Black trans women and trans femmes working in visual art and based in the United States. Applications open June 29, 2020-August 30, 2020 and the grant will be awarded November 2020. For questions, email Illuminations Grant Manager ray ferreira at [email protected].
