For immediate release
Dec. 19, 2022
Contact: Lisa Demer, 907-545-3555
ldemer@rasmuson.org
Anchorage, AK – Rasmuson Foundation is marking the 20th year of Individual Artist Awards with the first increase in grant sizes since 2012.
The Foundation currently is accepting applications. The opportunity for Project Awards and Fellowships opened Dec. 15 and will close at 11:59 p.m. on March 1, 2023. Paper applications must be delivered or postmarked by Feb. 14.
Project Awards are increasing from $7,500 to $10,000 and Fellowships, from $18,000 to $25,000. The Distinguished Artist Award, selected through a separate process, is increasing from $40,000 to $50,000. The awards, now a signature program of the Foundation, support artistic growth and exploration of new creative ground for artists and culture bearers living and working in Alaska.
For Project Awards and Fellowships, groups and collaboratives consisting of two or more artists are eligible as well as individual artists. A musical band, a dance group and a multimedia collective are some examples.
The Foundation recruits a panel of experts in the arts from across the country to review applications and ultimately select 10 Fellows and 25 Project Award recipients. In 2022, award recipients represented 15 communities stretching across Alaska: Akiak, Anchorage, Eagle River, Fairbanks, Healy, Homer, Hope, Juneau, Kaktovik, Larsen Bay, Palmer, Sitka, Soldotna, Talkeetna and Utqiaġvik.
Panelists change every year, and artists who have applied previously are encouraged to keep trying. Many past awardees applied multiple times before being selected.
Artists can begin at rasmuson.org/iaa to apply for either a Project Award or a Fellowship:
Project Award: $10,000 for a specific, short-term project that clearly benefits the artist’s growth. Artists at all career stages — emerging, mid-career and established — are eligible to apply for an award in 11 recognized disciplines.
Fellowship: $25,000 for mid-career and established artists to focus their energy and attention on a year-long period of creative exploration. In 2023, Fellowship categories are: Dance/Choreography, Crafts, Folk & Traditional Arts, Literary Arts/Scriptworks, and Performance Arts.
In addition, nominations are being accepted through Dec. 31 for the singular Distinguished Artist Award: $50,000 for an established artist of recognized stature with a history of creative excellence and accomplishment in the arts. Nominate an artist here.
Award recipients receive a grant as well as professional development and promotion of their work. In our 2021 survey of Alaska artists, more than eight in 10 reported a need for professional development. The Anchorage Museum in 2023 will lead a program valued at $45,000 to help artists further develop skills in marketing, finances and portfolio growth.
Resources are available for artists who need help applying. Artists with questions can email staff at arts@rasmuson.org or call the Foundation at 907-297-2700. The Foundation is hosting artist meet-and-greet sessions and workshops with the first gathering on Jan. 12 and a virtual meetup set for Jan. 17. Check rasmuson.org/iaa for times, places and links, or follow the Foundation on Facebook.
Our toolkit for artists, rasmuson.org/iaa/toolkit, includes short how-to videos and additional resources to guide artists through creation of resumes, artist statements, work samples and grant applications.
“Our board recognizes how much artists, makers and culture bearers add to the vibrancy of life in Alaska. We are so pleased that grant amounts are increasing, so we can continue to support artists in creating some of their best work,” said Enzina Marrari, a Foundation program officer who oversees the artist awards. Before joining the Foundation, she was a two-time Individual Artist Award recipient. “There is room for all types of creative expression within the Individual Artist Awards. If someone is not sure they qualify or are eligible to apply, or just want to go over a project idea, reach out to us — we want to hear from you.”
[Download press release here.]
About the Foundation
Rasmuson Foundation aims to promote a better life for all Alaskans. Main funding areas are health care; the arts; organizational and community development; human services; and solutions to homelessness. Affordable, accessible broadband is a new area of interest. The Foundation was created in 1955 by Jenny Rasmuson, a Swedish missionary, to honor her late husband, banker E.A. Rasmuson.