Today, the Leeway Foundation announced $150,000 in grants to 10 women and trans* artists and cultural producers in Greater Philadelphia, acknowledging their commitment to art and social justice that impacts a larger audience or community. This year’s recipients work in an array of disciplines, including performance, media and folk arts.
The 2016 Leeway Transformation Award (LTA) recipients are as follows (in alphabetical order):
Indah Nuritasari of Center City, Literary Arts and Media Arts
Julie Rainbow of Germantown, Media Arts
Kavindu “Kavi” Ade of West Philadelphia, Literary Arts and Performance
Ksenya Leah Basarab of West Philadelphia, Music
LaTreice V. Branson of Mantua, Music and Performance
M. Asli Dukan of West Philadelphia, Media Arts
Marie Nyenabo of Southwest Philadelphia, Music and Folk Art
Merián Soto of Mt. Airy, Multidisciplinary
Misty Sol of South Philadelphia, Multidisciplinary
Noelle Hanrahan of Frankford, Media Arts and Literary Arts
“The 2016 Transformation Awardees are all artists that represent what is at the core of Leeway’s mission: visionary, community-based cultural work,” said Sara Zia Ebrahimi, Leeway’s Program Director. “Each of these artists practice their own craft as well as mentor, teach, or bring others together. Their artistic practice is not in isolation; they understand that social change does not happen by exceptional individuals, but rather by strong communities that work together.”
A national panel of artists and cultural producers convened to review applications and work samples in this two-stage process. The 2016 panel consisted of Chicago-based Palestinian author and graphic novelist Leila Abdelrazaq; queer, trans, Filipino multimedia artist and Director of Operations and Communications at the Trans Justice Funding Project Marin Watts; New-York based, Caribbean-born choreographer Paloma McGregor; 2016 Doris Duke Artist and Creative Capital awardee Sharon Bridgforth; and poet, author and Pew Fellow Trapeta Mayson (ACG ’14, LTA ’07). Advocate, educator, doula, and facilitator Erme Maula facilitated the panel’s second stage.
Applications are made available on the Leeway website, and may also be obtained by calling 215.545.4078 or emailing info@leeway.org. The next Leeway Transformation Award deadline is May 15, 2017. Interested applicants are encouraged to attend one of the many support sessions offered throughout the year, or schedule an appointment with a foundation staff member for one-on-one support.
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