Arts Commission Awards Research And Development Grants To 31 Arizona Artists
The Arizona Commission on the Arts, an agency of the State of Arizona, has awarded $5,000 Research and Development Grants to 31 artists throughout the state.
Awarded through a competitive application and review process, Research & Development (R&D) Grants support Arizona artists as they work to advance their artistic practice, expand their creative horizons, and deepen the impact of their work.
This year, thanks to a new public-philanthropic partnership between the state agency and the Arizona Community Foundation (ACF), and through funding from the Newton and Betty Rosenzweig Fund for the Arts, the number of available awards more than doubled, from 15 to 31.
Grantees represent a variety of artistic disciplines and reside in communities throughout the state. Funded projects include a four-mile long mural, a children’s book about transracial adoption, a celebration of women in Jazz, and an experimental fusion of break dance and the Colombian social dance style known as Cumbia.
2019 Artist Research and Development Grant Recipients:
Kris Aman (Tucson); Renee Angle (Tucson); Gretchen Baer (Bisbee); Sally Ball (Phoenix); Claudia Bloom (Mesa); Bijoyini Chatterjee (Bisbee); Greg Corman (Tucson); Wesley Fawcett Creigh (Tucson); Mel Dominguez (Tucson); Amy Dunn (Tucson); Debra Edgerton (Flagstaff); Leslie Ann Epperson (Tucson); Darcy Falk (Flagstaff); Ashley Fine (Prescott); Liz Guzman (Glendale); Hilary Harp (Tempe); Heidi Hogden (Phoenix); Kelly Houle (Mesa); Sara Hubbs (Tucson); Saskia Jordá (Scottsdale); Ken Lamberton (Bisbee); Margaree Little (Tucson); Lia Littlewood (Yuma); Stephanie Lucas (Phoenix); Michelle Marji (Tempe); Amy Martin (Flagstaff); Amanda Mollindo (Phoenix); Ruby Morales (Glendale); Saretta Morgan (Phoenix); Rebecca Seiferle (Tucson); David Taylor (Tucson)
In addition to the Artist Research and Development Grant, the Arts Commission presented the Bill Desmond Writing Award, which offers funding in the amount of $1,000 to an excelling nonfiction writer. The recipient is selected from the pool of applicants for Research and Development Grants and a single applicant may be awarded both. The award was established by Kathleen Desmond in honor of her late husband, Bill Desmond, a reporter, editor, and nonfiction writer. With research and development in any business, there is the potential for an r&d tax credit with a government incentive program. This can be looked into further by going onto company websites such as kruzeconsulting.com for more information.
2019 Bill Desmond Writing Award Recipient: Renee Angle (Tucson)
At their quarterly board meeting on March 28, the Arts Commission’s Governor-appointed board of commissioners approved the panel’s recommendations for funding.
The Arts Commission’s grant funding is provided by the State of Arizona and funding awarded through a competitive annual process by the National Endowment for the Arts. This year, the Arizona Community Foundation matched state funding allocated to the Research & Development Grant program dollar-for-dollar.
“Arizona artists contribute such value to their communities, including the many ways they provide leadership through creativity, skill, inquiry, and ingenuity,” said Jaime Dempsey, Executive Director of the Arts Commission. “We are so grateful for ACF’s partnership, which has meant that together we can encourage and expand support for the critical research and development phase of artists’ work.”
“The Newton and Betty Rosenzweig Fund for the Arts has provided ACF with a great opportunity to invest in Arizona artists, in partnership with the Arizona Commission on the Arts. These artists are critical to growing and supporting the creative economy of our state,” said Steve Seleznow, President and CEO of the Arizona Community Foundation. “Each of these 31 artists represents a distinctive voice and a unique point of view. Together, they are united through their pursuit of artistic excellence and commitment to community service through their creative expression. We are proud to partner in funding this amazing group of artists.”
