“Sharp as suga, Sweet as cane” by Ute Petit (Courtesy Queer|Art)
Queer|Art’s annual $10K grant was developed in partnership with Mariette Pathy Allen, Aaryn Lang, and Serena Jara. Now in its fourth year, the Illuminations Grant, was awarded to draw attention to the under-recognized contributions of Black trans women visual artists and provides critical support to their continuing work. Applications for this year’s grant are now open through July 12.
Along with the $10,000, the winning artist will receive a studio visit with its rotating panel of judges that include Jonathan Lyndon Chase, Puppies Puppies and Lauren Haynes. Winning artists will receive additional professional development resources and further guidance to bolster their creative development in the field.
The grant also provides a $1,250 award to four distinguished finalists.
Last year’s grant finalist recipient was Utē Petit, a visual artist, and farmer.
From Queer|Art:
Her current work aspires toward a new nation called Ailanthaland: nation of heavenly beings. Ailantha aspires to be an ecological paradise tenable to all beings, following the stewardship of Afro-Indigenous peoples of the Americas. She also loves to cook, and is a big transit nerd. She is often found daydreaming about persimmons, airplanes, and hugging cypress trees.
On receiving the 2022 Illuminations Grant, Utē Petit writes: “This award has brought the possibility of having a professional studio into reality for me. I plan to find a new space to create larger work, while also making time to further devote to my practice. This is a blessing that will allow me to consider personal and career moves that were previously beyond my means.”
Applications are open now through July 12th, 2023. Qualified artists must be self-identified Black trans women and trans femmes working in visual art and based in the United States.
–From staff reports
