DAYTON, OH (January 10, 2019) – 12 Montgomery County artists will receive a total of over $31,000 in grants in 2019 through the Artist Opportunity Grant program, which is funded by the Montgomery County Arts & Cultural District (MCACD) and administered by Culture Works.

The Artist Opportunity Grant program was created in 2016 to help local artists take advantage of specific, imminent opportunities for professional development and the creation or completion of new work. “Artists in our region are incredibly community minded,” said Culture Works Executive Director Lisa Hanson. “They invest countless hours into community projects and collaborations. We want to make sure that they also have the opportunity to invest in themselves, whether that means building their skills or simply carving out time to focus on creating.”

Since the first grant cycle, 33 Montgomery County artists have been selected by independent review panels to receive over $80,000 in grants. When making funding recommendations, panelists consider each project’s artistic merit, feasibility, potential impact on the artist, and potential impact on the larger community. “As one of our past panelists said, the better the artists in our community, the better our community,” said MCACD Executive Director Matt Dunn. “Year after year, we’ve been impressed with the quality of project proposals we’ve received from Montgomery County’s artists, and we’re proud to support their endeavors.”

2018-19 Artist Opportunity Grantees

• Adam Alonzo, Playwright
• Leah Byrd, Filmmaker
• Phillitia Charlton, Author & Spoken Word Artist
• Dan Cleary, Photographer & Digital Artist
• Tess Cortes, Visual Artist & Educator
• George Drake, Jr., Audio Producer & Sound Designer
• Jocelyn Green, Dancer & Choreographer
• Reginald Harmon, Visual Artist, Musician & Educator
• Mikee Huber, Painter & Photographer
• Glenna Jennings, Photographer
• Annie Pesch, Actor & Director
• Gabriela Pickett, Visual Artist

Projects and opportunities being funded by this grant cycle include: the creation of new dance and theatre productions; the development of a multi-part podcast illuminating a local mystery; a Wright Brothers photography project in Le Mans, France; the creation of artworks honoring the legacy of Paul Laurence Dunbar; and participation in artist conferences and workshops in Oregon, Tennessee, and Pátzcuaro, Mexico.

Learn more about this year’s grantees and funded projects at cultureworks.org/artistgrants/grantees.

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ABOUT CULTURE WORKS

WHO WE ARE: Culture Works is a nonprofit regional arts agency that provides a unified voice for all of the cultural organizations and activities in the Dayton Region, and promotes the good news about the amazing cultural vibrancy of our region to a national audience.

WHAT WE DO: Culture Works is committed to leading the charge to ensure a healthy environment for arts and culture in this community for generations to come. We work to galvanize widespread support for arts and culture, while also ensuring that every citizen has an opportunity to experience the cultural vibrancy that defines our region.

WHY WE MATTER: Our efforts play a vital role in making the Dayton Region more appealing to new residents, tourists, and employees looking for a new home.