This New Grant Will Award $10,000 to Black Trans Artists

Queer Art, a non-profit arts organization dedicated to serving a diverse community of LGBTQ+ artists, announced that they were accepting applications for The Illuminations Grant for Black Trans Women visual artists. Queer Art partnered with Mariette Pathy Allen, Aaryn Lang, and Serena Jara to develop the $10,000 annual grant. There is no age restriction and the prize seeks to “support visual artists who are self-identified Black trans women and trans femmes.”

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Introducing The Illuminations Grant for Black Trans Women Visual Artists, a new annual $10K grant developed in partnership with Mariette Pathy Allen, Aaryn Lang, and Serena Jara. The Illuminations Grant, awarded to draw attention to an existing body of work, sheds light on the under-recognized contributions of Black trans women visual artists and provides critical support to their continuing work.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ Winning artists will receive a private studio visit with each of the grant’s judges as well as additional professional development resources to bolster their creative development. The judges in our inaugural year are:⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ @thelmagolden⁣⁣ @julianahuxtable⁣⁣ @kingtexas⁣⁣ @kiyanwilliams⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ Qualified artists must be self-identified Black trans women and trans femmes working in visual art and based in the United States. Applications are open July 8, 2020-August 30, 2020 and the grant will be awarded November 2020. ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ Learn more via #linkinbio. For questions, email Illuminations Grant Manager ray ferreira at rferreira@queer-art.org.⁣ ⁣ @mariettepathyallenofficial @aarynnlang @serenajara_

A post shared by Queer|Art (@queerart) on Jul 10, 2020 at 7:20am PDT

The Illuminations Grant will be awarded to “draw attention to an existing body of work, [shed] light on the under-recognized contributions of Black trans women visual artists and [provide] critical support to their continuing work.”

Mariette Pathy Allen, who is funding the grant, has been a pioneering voice in gender consciousness. She has contributed to numerous publications, lectures and galleries about gender variance all over the world.

The development of this grant was led by consultant, writer and public speaker, Aaryn Lang.

“The Illuminations Grant not only highlights the lacking representation of Black trans women in the visual arts,” Lang said. “[It] also seeks to confront the systemic barriers that deny them artistic opportunities and a sustainable craft. By supporting this grant, Mariette Pathy Allen challenges herself and the art industry to see Black trans women as more than mere subjects, while forging a new pathway for visual artists within this community to thrive.”

This grant is one of my proudest visions come to life. I am so proud to have worked with Mariette Pathy Allen, my very first client, and Serena Jara, who trusted my vision enough to champion it to the finish line.

If you are a visual artist and Black trans woman, please apply! https://t.co/gqqgEcNTv2

— Miss. (@AarynLang) July 13, 2020

“This grant is one of my proudest visions come to life. I am so proud to have worked with Mariette Pathy Allen, my very first client, and Serena Jara, who trusted my vision enough to champion it to the finish line. If you are a visual artist and Black trans woman, please apply!” Lang wrote on Twitter.

The judges for the 2020 grant cycle include director and curator at The Studio Museum in Harlem Thelma Golden; artist and performer Juliana Huxtable; photographer Texas Isaiah; and multidisciplinary artist Kiyan Williams.

The winner of the grant will receive professional and developmental resources from the Queer Art staff through their Mentorship Program.

Applicants must submit:

• Contact info

• Narrative bio

• Headshot

• One Sentence Synopsis of Artistic Practice

• Three Short Essay Questions on Artistic Practice

• Professional Development, and Impact

• Work samples (1-12 Items, Details Below)

• 2 references that can speak to your practice

• CV

When you are ready to apply click here.