United States Artists Announced 2019 Winners Today

United States Artists (USA) is thrilled to announce its 2019 USA Fellows. This year, 45 artists and collectives working across disciplines will each receive an unrestricted $50,000 cash award.

The 2019 USA Fellows range in age from their 20s through their 70s, hail from 20 states across urban, suburban, and rural communities, each making significant contributions to their respective fields as architects, ceramicists, choreographers, filmmakers, podcasters, composers, playwrights, weavers, sculptors, journalists, and more.

Spanning creative disciplines including Architecture & Design, Craft, Dance, Film, Media, Music, Theater & Performance, Traditional Arts, Visual Art, and Writing, USA Fellowships are awarded to artists at all stages of their careers, working across the country, through a rigorous nomination and panel selection process. The entirely unrestricted Fellowships encourage artists to use the funds for whatever they need, be it housing, medical expenses, debt reduction, their artistic practice, or a much needed vacation. Since its founding in 2006, USA has distributed over $25 million to more than 500 artists and collectives.

Past awardees include cartoonist Chris Ware (2006), choreographer Anna Halprin (2007), writer Tayari Jones (2008), fashion designers Kate & Laura Mulleavy of Rodarte (2009), visual artist Glenn Ligon (2010), conceptual artist Lorraine O'Grady (2011), filmmaker Barry Jenkins (2012), master Mardi-Gras suitmaker Darryl Montana (2014), performance artist Narcissister (2015), architects Johnston Marklee (2016), and musician Wayne Shorter (2018).

"We believe in artists and are honored to support and care for them in this way," said United States Artists President & CEO Deana Haggag. "Each Fellow is a reminder of the breadth of our cultural landscape, and the 2019 cohort is yet another testament to how much incredible work is happening across the country. From painters to podcasters to pop musicians, we're lucky to have these artists reflecting our collective humanity and stirring the public's imagination."

"At USA, we know artists are essential to a just and open-minded society and are thrilled to honor the 2019 Fellows," said United States Artists Board Chair Steven H. Oliver. "We are proud to offer an unrestricted award that allows artists the financial freedom to take risks and push their careers forward in ways that might not have otherwise been possible."

As a fundraising organization, USA relies on tax-deductible contributions to directly support each year's class of USA Fellows. The 2019 USA Fellowships were generously made possible by: Anonymous, Sarah Arison, Barr Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Shawn M. Donnelley and Christopher M. Kelly, Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, Ford Foundation, Jack and Sandra Guthman, Ann M. Hatch, David Horvitz and Francie Bishop Good, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, New York Community Trust - Robert A. and Patricia Levinson Fund, Steven H. and Nancy K. Oliver, Pritzker Pucker Family Foundation, Rasmuson Foundation, The Rockefeller Foundation, The Fred and Eve Simon Charitable Foundation, The Todd and Betiana Simon Foundation, Paul and Annette Smith, Katie Weitz, PhD, Windgate Charitable Foundation, Helen Zell, and the USA Board of Trustees.

This year's winners are:

Architecture & Design

Erin Besler & Ian Besler-Architects & Designers-Princeton, NJ & Brooklyn, NY Lucia Cuba-Designer & Textile Artist-New York, NY Keller Easterling-Writer & Designer-New Haven, CT & New York, NY

Craft

Coulter Fussell-Quilter-Water Valley, MS Samuel Harvey-Ceramicist-Aspen, CO Michelle Holzapfel-Wood Carver-Marlboro, VT Janice Lessman-Moss-Digital Weaver-Kent, OH Carole Frances Lung-Social Practice & Performance Artist-Long Beach, CA

Dance

David Dorfman-Choreographer-New London, CT Lenora Lee-Dancer & Choreographer-San Francisco, CA Alice Sheppard-Dancer & Choreographer-Los Altos, CA Merián Soto-Dancer & Choreographer-Philadelphia, PA Yara Travieso-Choreographer & Filmmaker-Brooklyn, NY

FilmNuotama Frances Bodomo-Filmmaker-Queens, NY

Ramona S. Diaz-Documentary Filmmaker-Baltimore, MD Julia Reichert & Steven Bognar-Documentary Filmmakers-Yellow Springs, OH

Media

Hyphen-Labs-Designers-New York, NY Mitra Kaboli-Multimedia Artist & Podcaster-Brooklyn, NY

Music

Reena Esmail-Composer-Pasadena, CA Susie Ibarra-Percussionist & Composer-New Paltz, NY Roscoe Mitchell-Multi-Instrumentalist & Composer-Oakland, CA Helado Negro-Avant-Pop Musician & Performer-Brooklyn, NY Tunde Olaniran-Pop Musician & Performer-Flint, MI Jen Shyu-Vocalist & Composer-Brooklyn, NY

Media Contacts Adam Abdalla, Cultural Counsel, 917-453-7853 Dan Duray, Cultural Counsel, 203-520-0619 Whitney Stoepel-Brewer, United States Artists, 312-436-0493

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For Immediate Release January 22, 2019

Theater & Performance

Charlotte Brathwaite-Director-New York, NY Complex Movements-Installation & Performance Collective-Detroit, MI Rashida Bumbray-Choreographer & Performer-Brooklyn, NY Teo Castellanos-Theater Artist-Miami, FL Frances Ya-Chu Cowhig-Dramatist-Santa Barbara, CA Kaneza Schaal-Theater Artist-Brooklyn, NY

Traditional Arts

Juan Díes-Mexican Folk Musician-Chicago, IL Gabriel Frey-Traditional Basketmaker-Orono, ME Arthur Lopez-Wood Sculptor-Santa Fe, NM Allison Akootchook Warden-Multidisciplinary Artist & Performer-Anchorage, AK

Visual Art

Firelei Báez-Multidisciplinary Artist-New York, NY Juliana Huxtable-Multidisciplinary Artist & Writer-Brooklyn, NY Simone Leigh-Multidisciplinary Artist-New York, NY Wu Tsang-Filmmaker & Artist-Los Angeles, CA Cecilia Vicuña-Multidisciplinary Artist & Poet-New York, NY Dyani White Hawk-Painter & Mixed Media Artist-Minneapolis, MN

Writing

Lesley Nneka Arimah-Fiction Writer-Minneapolis, MN Lisa Armstrong-Journalist-Brooklyn, NY Lynda Barry-Cartoonist-Footville, WI Tarfia Faizullah-Poet-Dallas, TX Rebecca Gayle Howell-Poet-Lexington, KY

About United States Artists

Founded in 2006 by the Ford, Rockefeller, Rasmuson, and Prudential Foundations, USA is among the largest providers of unrestricted support to artists working and living in the United States. USA has given over $25 million in unrestricted $50,000 awards to more than 500 artists in all disciplines at every career stage. For more information, visit www.unitedstatesartists.org.