The U.S. Latinx Art Forum (USLAF) has named the 15 artists selected as its 2024 Latinx Artist Fellowship program, each of whom will receive $50,000 in unrestricted funds. San Antonio-based Jenelle Esparza is the only Texan among the recipients. See the full list of awardees below.
Founded in 2015, USLAF supports Latinx art through research initiatives, grant opportunities, and an artist mentorship program. In 2021 the organization established its Latinx Artist Fellowship program, which provides funds to Latinx visual artists, as an effort to address the systemic issues they face such as lack of support, visibility, and patronage. Past Texas-based artists who have participated in the fellowship program include Margarita Cabrera, Verónica Gaona, Leslie Martinez, Vincent Valdez, Celia Álvarez Muñoz, Adriana Corral, Michael Menchaca, and Delilah Montoya.
In a press release, Adriana Zavala, Ph.D., Executive Director of USLAF, stated, “It is an honor to welcome this year’s Latinx Artist Fellows, who represent the rich cultural tapestry of Latinx identity in the United States. Each is on their own distinct career path, yet their engagement with themes of identity, social justice, immigration, spirituality, and decolonial aesthetics challenge dominant narratives and bring underrepresented perspectives to the forefront.”
Jenelle Esparza
The Texas-awardee, Ms. Esparza, is an interdisciplinary artist who was born in Corpus Christi and currently resides in San Antonio. She received her BFA in photography from the University of Texas at San Antonio and serves as the Head of Education at the McNay Art Museum. Through photography and textile work, Ms. Esparza’s art examines the history of cotton and labor in South Texas. Her work has been exhibited nationally in institutions such as The DePaul Art Museum in Chicago, IL; the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art and The Momentary in Bentonville, AR; and Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge.
Jenelle Esparza
Ms. Esparza told Glasstire, “I’m blown away and so humbled to be part of this momentous award series and so thrilled to be awarded alongside this incredible cohort of artists I admire. It’s a huge honor and I’m just so grateful.”
Learn more about USLAF’s initiatives, including the Latinx Artist Fellowship program, via the organization’s website.
2024 Latinx Artist Fellows
Alberto Aguilar (Chicago, IL)
Yreina D. Cervántez (Los Angeles, CA)
Lizania Cruz (New York, NY)
Jenelle Esparza (San Antonio, TX)
Fronterizx Collective – Jenea Sanchez & Gabriela Muñoz (Phoenix, AZ)
Joel Gaitan (Miami, FL)
Guillermo Gómez-Peña (San Francisco CA)
Maria Maea (Los Angeles, CA)
Charo Oquet (Miami, FL)
Pepón Osorio (Philadelphia, PA)
Elle Pérez (Bronx, NY)
Gadiel Rivera Herrera (San Juan, PR)
Sandy Rodriguez (Los Angeles, CA)
John Valadez (Los Angeles, CA)
Chris E. Vargas (Los Angeles, CA / Bellingham, WA)
Correction June 18, 2024: This article has been updated to reflect the correct year that USLAF was founded. It is 2015, not 2016.
