PHILADELPHIA – Today, the Leeway Foundation announced $42,500 in funding for 17 individual women, trans* and gender nonconforming artists and cultural producers in Greater Philadelphia, supporting their work to address a range of social change issues.
The spring cycle of grantees highlights a trend in cultural preservation and disability justice with grantees from Philadelphia, Bucks and Delaware County. In the wake of COVID-19, it is imperative to continue to support artists and activists in the Greater Philadelphia region in a way that is flexible and supportive of individual needs. This round of grantees has the ability to use funds to support their work and to address immediate needs as a result of COVID-19.
Leeway’s Art and Change Grant provides grants of up to $2,500 to fund art for social change projects by women and trans* artists and cultural producers living in Greater Philadelphia.
The Spring 2020 Art and Change grantees are (in alphabetical order):
Andrea Walls (West Philadelphia), Visual and Media Arts, $2,500
Arielle Julia Brown (Mt. Airy), Performance and Literary Arts, $2,500
Briyana D. Clarel (West Philadelphia), Performance and Literary Arts, $2,500
Cherry H. (Cedar Park), Media Arts, $2,500
Daria A. Marmaluk-Hajioannou (Springtown), Multidisciplinary, $2,500
Debbie Africa (Chester), Media Arts, $2,500
Elena Guzman (West Philadelphia), Media Arts, $2,500
Erlina Ortiz (West Philadelphia), Performance and Folk Arts, $2,500
Jasmine “Miss Jasz” Hawkins (Mt. Airy), Performance and Literary Arts, $2,500
Jennifer Randazzo (Warwick), Literary Arts, $2,500
Julie Terry (West Philadelphia), Visual Arts, $2,500
Maria Dumlao (Kensington), Visual and Literary Arts, $2,500
Misty Sol (Mantua), Literary and Folk Arts, $2,500
Nava EtShalom (West Philadelphia), Literary Arts, $2,500
Rachelle Erica Faroul (West Philadelphia), Media and Visual Arts, $2,500
Sage Sankofa (West Philadelphia), Media and Visual Arts, $2,500
Sound Museum Collective (Kingsessing), Multidisciplinary, $2,500
Art and Change Grants are distributed twice a year and evaluated by an independent peer review panel. The Spring 2020 review panel consisted of multidisciplinary artist, poet and trauma informed educator Candy Alexandra González (ACG ‘18), community educator and burgeoning medicine woman Shivon Pearl Love (ACG ‘16), and Indigenous artist and activist Tailinh Agoyo.
Applications are made available on the Leeway website and may also be obtained by calling (1 (215) 728 – 9273 or emailing info@leeway.org. Potential applicants are encouraged to attend one of the many support sessions offered throughout the year or schedule an appointment with a staff member for one-on-one support.
Press inquiries and photo requests should be directed to Brittnie Knight (215) 728 – 9273 or bknight@leeway.org
ABOUT LEEWAY
The Leeway Foundation supports women, trans* and gender nonconforming artists and cultural producers working in communities at the intersection of art, culture, and social change. Through our grantmaking and other programs, we promote artistic expression that amplifies the voices of those on the margins, promotes sustainable and healthy communities, and works in the service of movements for economic and social justice. For more information about Leeway, its grant programs, grantees and events, visit leeway.org.
*Leeway is a trans-affirming organization committed to gender self-determination, and we use the term “trans” in its most inclusive sense, as an umbrella term encompassing transsexual, transgender, genderqueer, Two-Spirit people, and anyone whose gender identity or gender expression is nonconforming and/or different from their gender assigned at birth.