Press release via the Pew Center for Arts & Heritage
PHILADELPHIA (Dec. 17, 2024) — Eleven fellowships totaling $1,185,000 have been awarded to Black, Latino, Asian, and Indigenous Philadelphia artists. These unrestricted grants are provided as part of Philadelphia’s Cultural Treasures (PCT), a funding initiative administered regionally through a collaboration among The Barra Foundation, Neubauer Family Foundation, The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage, William Penn Foundation, and Wyncote Foundation.
The Philadelphia’s Cultural Treasures artist fellowships recognize and reward the efforts of remarkably talented, Philadelphia-based Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) artists and cultural workers who make a material difference in their communities over and above the already challenging work of sustaining their own careers. This year’s fellowship recipients are artists working in visual art, traditional craft, music, performance, and community-based art forms. Many of the artists have made a meaningful difference in Philadelphia’s cultural landscape for more than 20 years, using the arts to preserve a cultural heritage, shine a light on important community stories, and support other local creatives.
The 2024 Fellows are: Naw Doh, Ruth Naomi Floyd, Leo Gadson, Charlyn Magdaline Griffith-Oro, Vaughnda Hilton, Germaine Ingram, Anthony Mendez, Michelle Angela Ortiz, Alex Shaw, Richard J. Watson, and the artist collective FORTUNE, comprised of Andra Palchick, Heidi Ratanavanich, and Connie Yu. More information on the artists follows. (Read more about the 2024 Fellows HERE.)
The fellowship awards range from $75,000 to $120,000 in unrestricted funds, with the higher amounts awarded to artists whose contributions have made an impact on the region for 20 years or more. Additionally, $15,000 in retirement savings are awarded to each fellow along with professional development opportunities to promote their well-being and assist with advancing their work.
The Philadelphia’s Cultural Treasures program is a component of America’s Cultural Treasures, which was initiated by the Ford Foundation in 2020. Recognizing a persistent history of unequal access to resources among Black, Indigenous, and People of Color communities—the impacts of which were further compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic—Ford partnered with local philanthropic leaders nationwide to implement a relief effort to honor and celebrate BIPOC cultural groups, artists, and organizations. The three-year initiative has infused $9.9 million of new funding into the greater Philadelphia region to support this community.
In 2022, Philadelphia’s Cultural Treasures awarded over $6 million in multi-year general operating support for 16 organizations, followed by more than $1 million in fellowships for 12 individual artists. In early 2024, PCT awarded $1 million to support 39 BIPOC-led organizations and artists in developing and presenting creative projects. The 2024 fellowships are the culminating awards of this funding program. More information on the local initiative can be found at philadelphiasculturaltreasures.org.
“We’re honored and gratified to be a part of this philanthropic collaboration with our regional partners to advance BIPOC-led work and shine a spotlight on the remarkable and diverse talent that makes Philadelphia such a vibrant cultural destination,” said Paula Marincola, executive director of The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage. “Artists are essential to a city’s vitality, and the 2024 Philadelphia’s Cultural Treasures fellows represent the region’s extraordinary artists and their exemplary community-driven work. This funding recognizes their achievements and supports them in their future endeavors.”