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Metro Detroit live arts, film and music artists to share 460,000 USD
Kresge Art in Detroit is pleased to announce that 17 metro Detroit artists and one collaborative team have been selected to receive 2016 Kresge Artist Fellowships. In addition, two emerging artists will receive Gilda Awards.
Among this year’s selected recipients are both iconic Detroit artists and rising stars. Collectively, their work represents a broad spectrum, from traditional to contemporary interpretations of this year’s two fellowship categories, Film & Music and Live Arts.
Funded by The Kresge Foundation, Kresge Artist Fellowships and Gilda Awards are administered by the Kresge Arts in Detroit office of the College for Creative Studies. Each fellowship comes with an unrestricted 25,000 USD prize and a year of professional practice support provided by Creative Many Michigan, including an invitation to an intensive professional development retreat presented by New York-based artist-service organization Creative Capital.
The two Gilda Award recipients receive 5,000 USD unrestricted awards to foster their work. The award is named in honor of artist, College for Creative Studies professor, and 2009 Kresge Artist Fellow Gilda Snowden’s (1954–2014) legacy as a mentor and champion of young, emerging artists in metropolitan Detroit.
Film & Music Fellows
Christopher Jon Alexander, documentary/fiction hybrid filmmaker
Chi Amen-Ra, percussionist
Mahogany Jones, hip hop artist
Marion Hayden, jazz musician
Danny Kroha, musician, performer, songwriter
Oksana Mirzoyan, screenwriter, director
Joshua Mulligan, animator
Sterling Toles, composer, producer
Pamela D. Wise, composer, performer
Live Arts Fellows
Gary Anderson, theatre director
Biba Bell, choreographer, dancer
jessica Care moore, interdisciplinary poet
Corazon del Pueblo (collaborative), folk dance, choreography
L05, live media artist, performer
Jimbo Easter, performance artist
Shaun S. Nethercott, playwright
Red Stowall, choreographer, dancer
Ralph Taylor, carnival body puppet artist, performer
Gilda Awards
Film & Music: Ellen Coons, animator
Live Arts: Marsae Mitchell, choreographer & director
“From emerging practitioners to renowned anchors of Detroit’s artistic community, the 2016 Kresge Artist Fellows exemplify the exceptional talent, vision and dedication that have always defined Detroit’s artists and creative communities,” says Michelle Perron, Director of Kresge Arts in Detroit.
The awardees were selected by independent panels of local and national artists and arts professionals from among 450 applications.
Film & Music panelists
Todd Chandler, filmmaker; musician; interdisciplinary artist; educator
Njia Kai, curator; producer
Terence Nance, filmmaker; visual artist; musician
Frank Pahl, composer; 2010 Kresge Artist Fellow; Adjunct Professor, College for Creative Studies, University of Michigan
Pamela Z, composer/performer, media artist
Live Arts panelists
Penny Godboldo, Associate Professor of Dance, Marygrove College; Master Dunham Technique Instructor
Aku Kadogo, theatre director; choreographer; Chair, Drama Department, Spelman College
Carrie Morris, director; puppeteer; performance artist
Leyya Mona Tawil, dance artist; Director, Dance Elixir
Sarah Wilke, Managing Director, On the Boards
The Kresge Arts in Detroit program represents The Kresge Foundation’s desire to support artists living and working in the foundation’s hometown, and to elevate the profile of metro Detroit’s artists and creative communities.
Since 2008, Kresge Arts in Detroit has contributed over 4 million USD to the local creative economy through the Kresge Eminent Artist Award, Kresge Artist Fellowships and Gilda Awards. This investment in artists and collaboratives working in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties—a total of 156 over eight years—empowers culturally minded thinking and strengthens Detroit’s position as a major center for arts and culture nationally and internationally.
