Mural Arts Philadelphia selects 20 Black artists for new fellowship program

Mural Arts Philadelphia has selected 20 Black artists to take part in its inaugural Philadelphia Fellowship for Black Artists.

Out of over 200 applicants, 20 were selected. They come from all walks of life and work with many different mediums.

Mural Arts Philadelphia Executive Director Jane Golden said over the past two to three decades the has tried to be a place to showcase unique voices and strives to do so every day.

“Over the years, we’ve tried hard to bring a lot of people into the space of helping to create the 4,000 murals around the city and that includes young people, people who are incarcerated or coming home, people connected with behavioral health programs, as well as artists who are classically taught and self-taught from neighborhoods across the city,” Golden said.

She said now is the time to amplify those voices — even more than ever before.

“The time that we’re in right now calls on all of us to do more and to do our work with greater intentionality and integrity. Whatever we were doing and thought was enough, guess what, it wasn’t. It isn’t. It’s time for Mural Arts to fly into action in as many ways as we can. It seemed like a fellowship program for Black artists was an idea that was actually overdue,” Golden said.

One of the inaugural fellows, Yannick Lowery, said that this program serves as an example to future generations.

“We’re seeing Black artists getting the exposure that they deserve. When you see that happening it inspires the next generation and maybe even their artistic peers to keep going,” he said. “A lot of times it seems like the goals for young Black people focus on entertainment and not so much in the arts segment. I think that this is one of those segments that we just definitely need more of with more accessibility and more visibility.”

He said now is a very unique time to be a Black artist.

“Oftentimes, as a Black artist, you’re not taken that seriously. There’s a legitimacy that isn’t there on a global scale. If you’re a Black artist and you’re making art, it’s automatically Black art. But that’s also kind of like a pigeonhole because a lot of artists feel like if you’re a Black artist you have to have black figures and you have to talk about black subjects. At the end of the day, you’re an artist and if the work is good, it speaks for itself,” the Fishtown resident said.

Golden said she wanted to create a program that had lasting impact on Philadelphia’s art landscape for years to come.

“When we came up with a decision to start the fellowship program, one thing I didn’t want was for this to be something that just happened this year. This has to be a part of systemic change. It has to be something we do every year, moving forward, as long as Mural Arts is around,” she said.

Golden said a grant was an important part of the fellowship since funds for artists is a topic that often gets overlooked.

“We were able to raise enough funds because we wanted to make sure that the artists were compensated, because often artists are often asked to do things for free,” she said.

The fellows will each receive $1,000 to support their artistic work, and the chance to receive consulting sessions with experienced curators who can offer guidance on building powerful portfolios, marketing their work as well as networking with other creatives from the Philadelphia region and beyond. Joining Lowery in the fellowship program are: Ginsiyyo Apara, Tash Billington, Adenilson Dos Santos, Jere Edmunds, Shanel Edwards, Devon Harrison, Simone Holland, Naomieh Jovin, Eustace Mamba Francis, Breyanna Maples, Anthony Molden, Martin Peeves, Taj Poscé, Chanae Richards, Erika Richards, Aqil Rogers, Nazeer Sabree, Athena Scott and Ellen Tiberino.

Lowery said the money gives him a sense of freedom as an artist.

“This fellowship is everything. Grants like these serve to spark ideas for new work by encouraging artists to experiment with new material and methods that they might not have been previously able to because of financial reasons,” he said. “Grants like these have helped to keep that momentum going. They serve as acts of encouragement for us to keep driving.”