3Arts Reveals Recipients of Next Level Awards, Including Largest Cash Grant in World For Teaching Artists

3Arts, the Chicago-based nonprofit grantmaking organization, announced the recipients of its 3Arts Next Level Awards—$50,000 unrestricted cash awards given to past 3Arts awardees—during the festive 3Arts Awards Celebration held last night at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance. While 3Arts has in the past awarded three Next Level grants, the roster this year was expanded to include two additional awards for teaching artists; at $50,000, this is the largest no-strings-attached cash award for teaching artists in the world. 2023 Next Level recipients are teaching artists Miguel “Kane One” Aguilar and Regin Igloria and visual artists Dianna Frid, Edra Soto, and Dorian Sylvain in recognition of their outstanding work in the arts and in neighborhoods across Chicago.

"Receiving any major award is a milestone, for sure, but getting a second and even larger award when the time is right can be momentum building for an artist. Our Next Level program is all about helping power artists at pivotal times in their careers—when they are ready to bring their big dreams and visionary projects to life,” said 3Arts Executive Director Esther Grimm. She adds, “Last night, we announced the expansion of our program as we added two new Next Level awards to express our gratitude to teaching artists for all of the needed work they do, across generations, in schools, neighborhoods, hospitals, prisons, elder care centers, and more. They are our heroes."

During the November 13 event, 3Arts celebrated ten previously announced 3Arts Awards recipients with $30,000 in unrestricted cash grants. Another ten artists were selected by past 3Arts awardees to receive $2,000 unrestricted grants through Make a Wave, an artist-to-artist grant program.

The jam-packed awards ceremony featured high energy performances by Grammy Award-winning opera singer Will Liverman (on break from his starring role in X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X currently running at The Metropolitan Opera); a dance excerpt from Gentle, Into That Good Night by critically acclaimed choreographer Stephanie Martinez (founder of PARA.MAR Dance Theatre); and a grand finale led by Chicago's inaugural poet laureate avery r. young joined by an “all-star band” of past 3Arts awardees JoVia Armstrong, Meagan McNeal, Bethany Thomas, Caitlin Edwards, and Sam Thousand.

3Arts has supported more than 2,000 artists, including 70% women artists, 70% artists of color, and 20% Deaf and disabled artists working in the six-county metropolitan area, and distributed over $6.6 million in grants. Through unrestricted awards, project funding, residencies, professional development, and promotion, 3Arts helps artists take risks, experiment, and build momentum in their careers over time.

The celebratory evening was hosted by Grimm with event co-chairs Juana Guzman, Will Liverman, Nalani McClendon, and Jason Quiara.