The BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) Arts Network & Fund (BANF), a Houston-based organization that aims to invest in the Houston-area BIPOC arts community, has announced the forthcoming distribution of the first round of their 2023 Artist Awards. Through the program, 25 artists from the greater Houston area will receive prizes of $20,000 each. According to the BANF website, “this award serves as a testament to the artists’ dedication and contributions to Houston’s communities of color, recognizing their invaluable role in shaping and enriching the cultural landscape of the city.” The Artist Awards were chosen by a panel of 42 Houston-area artists and arts professionals from diverse backgrounds.
This round’s recipients are Ann “Sole Sister” Johnson, Aris Kian, Ayanna Jolivet Mccloud, Benito Vasquez, Brian Ellison, Daniel Anguilu, Danielle Fanfair, Eepi Chaad, Ezra Hezekiah, Harrison Guy, Jasminne Mendez, José Antonio Diaz, J.E. Hernández, Koomah, Lupe Mendez, Abuela M’api Rainflowa, Miriam Damaris Maldonado, Monica Villarreal, Rabéa Ballin, Rathna Kumar, Sergio Sandoval, Sister Mama Sonya Lucas-Roberts, Stacey Allen, Tarsha M. Gary, and Trisha Morales.
According to a press release, these artists will “co-create a learning community to share knowledge, experience, and inspiration, building relationships that will strengthen capacities and open up the potential for new collaborations and new ways of thinking and working” over the next 18 months.
BANF 2023 Grantee Jasminne Mendez
The awards announcement was made at BANF’s Transforming Houston’s Arts Future event on June 11. At that same event, the organization announced the opening of their Houston Cultural Treasures initiative. According to a press release on BANF’s website, this program will award $5 million to “under-recognized BIPOC anchor art organizations” in the Houston area over the next three years. “A key component of this vision,” according to the site, “involves establishing a dynamic network that fosters unity, amplifies collective power, and enables the BIPOC art community to shape its destiny.” Organizations interested in applying for this funding may sign up for a virtual information session here. The sessions will take place on June 20 and 21.
For more information on either program, including application guidelines, as well as for other upcoming BANF events, check their website.
Update: This article has been updated to reflect the award amount for each artist. Each artist will receive $20,000, not $25,000.
