The Utah Division of Arts & Museums proudly presents the 2024 Utah Artist Fellowship Recipients, awarded for their artistic excellence.
Utah Artist Fellowships: Celebrating Creativity in the Beehive State
Utah Division of Arts & Museums, Utah
The Utah Division of Arts & Museums has been supporting Utah artists since the agency’s founding in 1899. A large part of that support is the Utah Artist Fellowship, one of the highest state-sponsored awards a Utah artist can receive. The Utah Artist Fellowships are $5,000 awards that recognize the careers of Utah artists demonstrating exceptional creativity in their fields. Fellows are chosen by out-of-state, nationally renowned arts professionals. Selections are based on evaluation of application narratives as well as work samples from the past five years.
Through these fellowships, the agency seeks to support professional and committed artists reaching pivotal moments in their artistic practices, encouraging their career advancement and growth. Candidates are selected through an open application process. All eligible applications receive equal consideration through a two-round review process: a prescreen staff review, and a juror review.
This year, five fellowships were awarded in each of the categories of Design Arts, Performing Arts (Dance), and Visual Arts. The 2024 Utah Artist Fellowship Recipients have each been awarded fellowships to recognize their individual artistic excellence and support their professional careers.
The Design Arts Fellows are Steven Chodoriwsky, Salt Lake City; Austin Namba, Taylorsville; Riley Ridd, Park City; Arika Schockmel, Salt Lake City; and Leah Wulfman, Salt Lake City.
Design Arts juror Carla Diana said, “While it’s tempting to think of design as something that’s well defined, with established rules and a canon to follow, the best design is of the moment, acknowledging what we have learned from the talented creators that have come before us, while having the courage to explore contemporary ideas through new tools, techniques, and, ultimately, forms of expression… I feel especially grateful for the effort the five Fellows have put into developing unique practices with thoughtful approaches to subject matter manifesting in work that combines different design elements and is executed with a high level of craft.”
This year’s Performing Arts (Dance) Fellows are Halie Bahr, Cedar City; Bryan Boyer, Salt Lake City; Yasin Fairley, Salt Lake City; Jyothsna Sainath, Salt Lake City; and Shelby Taylor, Saratoga Springs.
Performing Arts juror Alexandra James noted that “the artists represented in the category of dance were broad and diverse in range, artistic perspective, intention, and, together, painted a lovely landscape that I really enjoyed getting to know.” She added, “The work I uplifted for this award ranges in dance practices dealing with improvisation, technology, experimentation, risk-taking, foundation of practice, and research across multiple forms and processes. Each awardee clearly articulated their work and demonstrated significant skill in its manifestation.”
2024’s Visual Arts Fellows are Alexandra Fuller, Boulder; Meaghan Gates, St. George; Byron Ramos, Provo; Holly Rios, Salt Lake City; and Dana Worley, Logan.
Visual Arts juror Rachelle B. Pablo said, “Reviewing the many submissions and narrowing the selection to five artists was a complex process as I immersed myself in the creative world of many talented artists. The selected creatives possess talent, discipline, and distinct conceptual methodologies observed from initial stage to finished work.”
The Utah Division of Arts & Museums looks forward to supporting Utah artists for another 125 years!
artsandmuseums.utah.gov
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