Creative Capital announced the selection of 35 projects, the work of 42 individual artists, for the 2021 Creative Capital Awards, including works by two Philadelphia artists. These projects, each of which exemplifies the risk-taking, adventurous artmaking Creative Capital seeks to sustain, will receive up to $50,000 in project funding, supplemented by additional career development services.
“We are thrilled to honor these brilliant artists and the powerful, boundary-pushing work that they are creating,” said Leslie Singer, Creative Capital’s Interim Executive Director. ”We look forward to seeing these projects grow to make their mark on the world, in spite of the tremendous challenges this year has posed for so many artists.”
Local winners:
Marc Anthony Richardson
The Serpent Will Eat Whatever is in the Belly of the Beast
Literary Fiction, Poetry
The Serpent Will Eat Whatever is in the Belly of the Beast is a speculative novel that takes place during a day of rioting, after the white rapists and murderers of a Black girl are released from jail without charges, and seven Black assassins seek retaliation.
Jules Rosskam
Desire Lines
Documentary Film
Situated at the intersection of sex, gender, and desire, Desire Lines is an immersive feature-length essay film comprised of one-on-one interviews, erotic encounters, observational footage, performed scenarios, and a fictional narrative presenting an abbreviated history of the bathhouse.
The 35 projects, by 42 individual artists, were drawn from nearly 4,000 applications and selected by an eight-member, multidisciplinary panel composed of expert curators, producers, other arts professionals, and past awardees. In a departure from traditional awards panels, Creative Capital’s multi-step review process is not delineated by genre—the panelists deliberated together to select the awardees regardless of field.
The projects that earned 2021 Creative Capital Awards are based in 12 different states and territories. Of the 42 artists, 76 percent identify as being persons of color, 55 percent as female, and 10 percent identify as having a disability. They range in age from their 20s through their 70s.
The Creative Capital Awards are designed not as a one-time infusion of cash, but as the beginning of a long-term partnership between Creative Capital, an artist, and a broader artistic community. Creative Capital supports these projects in the long term, offering connections to expert advice on everything from the law to finances, and to the perspectives and expertise of other artists. The goal is not just the successful development of the project, but more stable and sustainable practices, on which artists can build.
Drawing from the principles of venture capital to develop innovative work in the cultural sphere, Creative Capital seeks out bold, groundbreaking projects and provides the artists behind them with the tools they need to realize their visions and build sustainable careers. Since its founding in 1999, Creative Capital has supported 783 artists with more than $50 million in funding; professional development opportunities; expert consulting; artist retreats and gatherings; and more, with the aim of fostering and developing artistic exchange and a thriving cultural commons across the United States.
Applications for the next cycle of Creative Capital Awards will open February 1, 2021