New Public Art Grant Strengthens the Field Across New England

(Boston, MA) The New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA) is pleased to announce the 13 inaugural recipients of the Public Art Learning Fund, a new grant that supports professional development opportunities for New England artists to strengthen their public art practices.

"Through this grant, we hope to see more artists strengthen their public art practices and contribute to cultivating more equitable, inclusive, and vibrant public spaces and public life throughout the region," said program director Kim Szeto. "Recognizing that artists often know their own needs best, this grant is asking artist to help us better understand what those needs are."

The Public Art Learning Fund focuses on professional development opportunities, such as conferences, workshops, and trainings, that build necessary skills, resources, connections to strengthen artists’ public art practices and the public art field at large. This first round awarded a total of $18,000 in support; the recipients are:

• Stephanie Benenson, Hamilton, MA
• Adam Bright, Ashfield, MA
• Cornell Coley, Boston, MA
• Aliana de la Guardia, Haverhill, MA
• Caty Enders, Cambridge, MA
• Elisa H. Hamilton, Malden, MA
• Eve Jacobs-Carahan, Montpelier, VT
• Yara Liceaga-Rojas, Cambridge, MA
• Shelia Novak, Boston, MA
• Melissa Nussbaum Freeman, Boston, MA
• Tran Vu, Boston, MA
• Caroline Woolard, Hartford, CT
• Lily Xie, Boston, MA

Visit NEFA’s grantee directory to learn more about each award. NEFA’s public art program is made possible by funding from the Barr Foundation and the Fund for the Arts, an endowed fund at NEFA. The next deadline to apply for the Public Art Learning Fund is April 21, 2020.

About NEFA

The New England Foundation for the Arts invests in artists and communities and fosters equitable access to the arts, enriching the cultural landscape in New England and the nation.  NEFA accomplishes this by granting funds to artists and cultural organizations; connecting them to each other and their audiences; and analyzing their economic contributions. NEFA serves as a regional partner for the National Endowment for the Arts, New England’s state arts agencies, and private foundations. Learn more at www.nefa.org.