Artist Trust GAP Press Release

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October 21, 2019 – Artist Trust is proud to announce the recipients of its 2019 Grants for Artist Projects (GAP) Award. Sixty-one artists from across Washington State received grants of $1,500 each, totaling $91,500 in funding. The list of awardees includes: choreographer Etienne Cakpo (Seattle); filmmaker David Dinnell (Tacoma); multidisciplinary artist Susie Lee (Seattle); author Chelsea Martin (Spokane); and composer Judy Rose (Vancouver).

Now in their 31^st year, Artist Trust GAP Awards are project-based grants open to Washington State artists of any discipline. They provide support for artist projects, including the development, completion, or presentation of new work. Funding may be used for artist fees, materials, equipment, travel, and many other needs related to an artist’s project. Additionally, six performing artists are chosen to be featured in the 2020 Nights at the Neptune program, a series of free summer performances presented by Seattle Theatre Group.

“Being recognized is a huge endorsement,” says recipient Joey Veltkamp, of Bremerton. “This kind of support helps keep artists going and innovating. I couldn’t be more honored and thrilled to receive this grant.”

Visual artist Jack Archibald, of Camano Island, will use GAP funding to cover costs for materials to make a stained-glass mural to be installed in the brand-new Administration Building on the island. Over the last 30 years, Jack has created large-scale public art projects across the Northwest. His stained-glass murals can be found in nearly every public building on Camano.

Born and raised on the Spokane Indian Reservation, first-time GAP recipient Ryan Abrahamson, of Spokane, will hire a professional engineer to record, mix, and master his Salish-language album with funding from GAP. The songs, accompanied by music videos produced by Ryan, include a mix of traditional Salish and modern composition and instruments.

In total, Artist Trust received 378 applications from artists across Washington State for GAP. Four discipline-specific panels made up of artists and arts professionals met over four days to select artists in the categories of visual, media, performing, & literary arts. Of the 61 recipients, 27 identified as people of color, and 24 live outside of King County, making this the largest cohort of GAP Awardees from outside of King County in the organizations history, including 11 Eastern Washington artists.

“It can be tough for contemporary artists who have chosen to live outside of metropolitan areas to find recognition for their work,” says recipient Joe Hedges, of Pullman. “I am so grateful Artist Trust supports artists living all over this beautiful state.”

On Friday, October 25, Artist Trust celebrates the 61 GAP Awardees as well as its other 2019 award recipients at Hugo House from 6 – 8 PM. The evening’s program begins at 7 PM and features remarks by Humaira Abid, 2019 Arts Innovator Award recipient, a live performance by Trio Guadalevin, with Antonio Gomez, 2018 James W. Ray Venture Project Award recipient, as well as remarks by Artist Trust CEO Shannon Halberstadt. Admission is by sliding scale donation of $15 to $250, $10 for Artist Trust members (email justine@artisttrust.org for discount code). Hosted bar and refreshments provided. Purchase tickets on Eventbrite here.

The 2020 GAP Awards open in May 2020, and the deadline to apply is June 29. Guidelines will be posted on the Artist Trust website in April.

The full list of 2019 GAP recipients and selection panelists is below. Recipients’ biographies and work can be viewed on the Artist Trust website.

2019 GAP Recipients

Literary Arts
Jennifer Berney, Thurston County
Sara Brickman, King County
Jon Gosch, Spokane County
Margot Kahn, King County
Chelsea Martin, Spokane County
Brenda Miller, Whatcom County
Abby Murray, Pierce County
Arlene Naganawa, King County
Tamiko Nimura, Pierce County
Wendy Oleson, Walla Walla County
Troy Osaki, King County
Madeline Ostrander, King County
Mary Pan, King County
Katie Prince, King County
Lisa Wells, King County

Media Arts
Beverly Aarons, King County
Ryan Abrahamson, Spokane County
David Dinnell, Pierce County
Champ Ensminger, King County
Olivia Evans, Spokane County
Neely Goniodsky, King County
Beth Harrington, Clark County
Dru Holley, Clark County
Justin Lincoln, Walla Walla County
Callie McCluskey, Spokane County
Lauren Moore, King County

Performing Arts
Dakota Alcantara-Camacho, King County*
Rachel Atkins, King County*
Black Stax, King County
Vania Bynum, King County*
Etienne Cakpo, King County
Kai Chen, King County
Sienna Dawn, King County
Monique Franklin, King County*
Joshua Kohl, King County
Susie Lee, King County
Michael O’Neal, King County
Naeim Rahmani, King County*
Judy A. Rose, Clark County
Ariel Schmidtke, King County
Gina Williams, Whatcom

Visual Arts
Shelby Allison, Spokane County
Monica Arche, King County
Jack Archibald, Island County
Derek Bourcier, King County
Amanda Caldwell, Spokane County
Clarissa Callesen, Whatcom County
Emily Counts, King County
Deborah Espinosa, King County
Joe Hedges, Whitman County
Soo Hong, King County
Sarah Jones, King County
Shaun Kardinal, King County
Adrienne La Faye, King County
Pamela Awana Lee, Whitman County
Emma Levitt Royer, King County
Jenny Riffle, King County
Jueun Shin, King County
Anna Teiche, Kitsap County
Joey Veltkamp, Kitsap County
Julia Wald, King County

*Nights at the Neptune

2019 GAP Selection Panelists

Literary Arts
Ruby Murray, essayist & fiction writer, Wahkiakum County
Kate Peterson, Get Lit! Festival director, Spokane County
Diana Xin, fiction writer, King County

Media Arts
Vivian Hua, Northwest Film Forum Executive Director, King County
Kendra Ann Sherrill, Spokane International Film Festival Co-Director, Spokane County
Lynne Siefert, filmmaker, Pierce County

Performing Arts
Dominique Cantwell, Bainbridge Performing Arts Executive Director, Kitsap County
David Rue, choreographer, King County
Salome MC, rapper, performer, & media artist, Snohomish County

Visual Arts
Remelisa Cullitan, artist & curator, Spokane County
Melissa Feldman, curator, King County
Jeffrey Veregge, artist, Kitsap County

The award is made possible through gifts from our supportive donors, members, and corporate partners. Artist Trust thanks the Amazon Literary Partnership for their support of our literary GAP awards.

 

About Artist Trust

Artist Trust is a nonprofit organization whose sole mission is to support and encourage individual artists working in all disciplines in order to enrich community life throughout Washington State. Since its founding in 1986, Artist Trust has invested over $10 million in individual artists through grant programs, and provides a comprehensive suite of professional development training and resources to help artists achieve their career goals. Learn more at artisttrust.org.

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