Artist Trust Announces 2018 Grants for Artist Projects (GAP) Award Recipients

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Artist Trust is proud to announce the recipients of its 2018 Grants for Artist Projects (GAP) Award. A total of $92,000 will be directly invested in 61 Washington artists through project-based grants in the amount of $1,500 each.

Seattle-based visual artist Rezene Tsegai received a $2,000 SADA-GAP awarded in partnership with the Seattle Art Dealers Association (SADA). Media artist Adam Jabari Jefferson, and performing artists Angel Alviar-Langley, Kole Galbraith, and La Espiritista were recommended by this year’s panelists for participation in Seattle Theatre Group’s 2019 program of Nights at the Neptune, a series of free summer performances presented at the Neptune Theatre in Seattle.

First presented in 1988, GAP is one of Artist Trust’s flagship award programs and supports projects by emerging to established artists of all disciplines across Washington State. 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, along with the Seattle Art Dealers Association (SADA) for their support through Artist Trust’s Corporate Partnership Program. For a full list of donors at the GAP level and above, see our blog post here.

Of this year’s 61 GAP Award recipients, 43 are emerging artists and 18 are mid-career artists. Fifty-nine artists are receiving the GAP Award for the first time.

Tacoma literary artist and first-time GAP awardee Sasha LaPointe draws inspiration from her coastal heritage and experience growing up in the Pacific Northwest. Of the Upper Skagit and Nooksack Indian Tribe, her writing focuses on trauma and resilience with topics ranging from PTSD, sexual violence, her great grandmother’s work to revitalize the Coast Salish language to loud basement punk shows and what it means to grow up with a mixed heritage. Her 2018 GAP Award will fund a research trip to her Coast Salish ancestor’s fishing village for her memoir, RED PAINT.

Receiving a GAP Award to support his first filmmaking experience is Dr. Robert L. Bartlett, a professor, sociologist, and researcher from Spokane. An African-American with a long family history of military service including his own as an ex-Army Vietnam War combat veteran, Dr. Bartlett’s 2018 GAP Award will support the production of Jumping Into Fire, a documentary film about the 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion. Developed from a live presentation that he shared around the state as an official speaker for Humanities Washington, Jumping Into Fire tells the story of the only all African-American paratrooper unit in military history and will contribute to the larger narrative on race and racism in the United States.

Seattle-based artists Maggie Argiro and Sanwal Deen produce and publish Dhaba, a monthly zine featuring writing by Maggie and experimental photography by Sanwal. They received their first GAP Award to offset costs of purchasing printing equipment. Inspired by their inter-ethnic, international, and interdisciplinary partnership, Maggie and Sanwal view Dhaba as their ishq or life’s work. As their zine grows, their goals are to include work by other artists and interviews with creatives, expand into 3-D and animation, and move into a dedicated studio space.

Artist Trust released a three-year strategic plan in 2016 centering racial equity and statewide engagement throughout the organization, especially in the administration of grant programs. This year, 382 applications were received and 61 awardees were selected by 12 artist panelists from across Washington State. Of the 12 panelists, eight identified as people of color, and six live outside of King County. Among the 61 GAP recipients, 30 identified as people of color with 16 awardees residing outside of King County. In addition, more than half of the GAP Award recipients indicated that they used at least one of Artist Trust’s grant support services.

On Thursday, November 15, all are invited to celebrate this year’s grant recipients at Traver Gallery from 6 – 8:30 PM. The evening’s program will begin at 7:00 PM and feature remarks by 2017 James W. Ray Distinguished Artist Award Recipient Jane Wong, Artist Trust Board President Sarah Traver, CEO Shannon Halberstadt, and a performance by 2018 Fellowship Recipient Grace Love. 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 full list of 2018 GAP recipients is below, along with a list of this year’s panelists. All GAP recipient’s biographies and images of their work can be viewed on the Artist Trust website.

2018 GAP Recipients
Literary Arts
Ellen Adams, King County
Mark Anderson, Spokane County
Rob Arnold, King County
Kamari Bright, King County
Jalayna Carter, King County
Meredith Clark, King County
Elaina Ellis, Whatcom County
Jennifer Fliss, King County
Anis Gisele, King County
Sasha LaPointe, Pierce County
Nicole McCarthy, King County
Ruby Hansen Murray, Wahkiakum County
Putsata Reang, King County
Mark Rozema, King County
Jeanine Walker, King County

Media Arts
Dr. Robert Bartlett, Spokane County
Alex Crozier, King County
Whitney Evans, Spokane County
Lynn Garka, Snohomish County
Rachel Green, King County
Zachary Halpern, Thurston County
Mischa Jakupcak, King County
Adam Jabari Jefferson, King County**
barry johnson, King County
Debora Lascelles, Kitsap County
Alexander Miller, King County

Performing Arts
Angel Alviar-Langley, King County**
La Espiritista, King County**
Paige Barnes, King County
Francesca Betancourt, King County
Emily Curtiss, King County
Christine Deavel & J.W. Marshall, King County
Danielle Doell, King County
Amy Escobar, King County
Ramón Esquivel, Kittitas County
Kole Galbraith, King County**
Levi Gillis, King County
Austin Larkin, King County
Susan Lieu, King County
Ella Mahler, King County,
Heather Dawn Sparks, Skagit County
Lynn Tofil, King County

Visual Arts
Dhaba: Maggie Argiro and Sanwal Deen, King County
Jean Bradbury, King County
Kalina Chung, King County
Remelisa Cullitan, Spokane County
Dan Friday, King County
John Furniss, Clark County
Jolyn GC, King County
Maria Lux, Walla Walla County
Dorothy McGuinness, Snohomish County
Mia McNeal, King County
Hanako O’Leary, King County
Susan Pavel, Mason County
Xavier Roache, King County
Amy E. Redmond, King County
Cicelia Ross-Gotta, King County
Britt Rynearson, King County
Amanda Salov, King County
Shann Thomas, King County
Rezene Tsegai, King County*

*SADA-GAP Recipient
** Nights at the Neptune

2018 GAP Selection Panelists
Literary Arts
Laura Lucas, fiction writer, King County
Matthew Nienow, poet, Jefferson County
Kristen Young, essayist and novelist, King County

Media Arts
Jenny Hyde, artist, Spokane County
Melinda Raebyne, filmmaker, Pierce County
Stan Shields, SIFF Program Manager, King County

Performing Arts
Amontaine Aurore, actress and solo performer, King County
DJ Sharlese, DJ, King County
Pam Kuntz, choreographer, Whatcom County

Visual Arts
Jeff Ferguson, photographer, Spokane County
Dave Kennedy, artist, King County
Sheila Klein, artist, Skagit County

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