2023 Empowered Artist Award Recipients

Arts Mid-Hudson is thrilled to announce the recipients of the 2023 Empowered Artist Award, a prestigious recognition bestowed upon exceptional artists in Dutchess, Orange, and Ulster Counties. This annual award, created in honor of Linda Marston-Reid, the former executive director of Arts Mid-Hudson, provides unrestricted funds to support artists in pursuing their creative journeys.

The Empowered Artist Award addresses the critical need for artists to access unrestricted funds that enable them to continue their artistic practice, elevate their careers, and enhance their visibility within their communities. These grants empower artists to create new works, acquire essential equipment, access educational opportunities, and meet their financial obligations.

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Jean-Marc Superville Sovak's Website

2023 Ulster County Recipient

Jean-Marc Superville Sovak

"As an artist, I employ cultures of remembrance to fill in the gaps inherent in the narratives of multi-racial identities that make up the DNA of this country, as well as my own."

From the Ground UP

From the Ground UP is dedicated to imagining and collectively creating memorials for honoring African-Americans buried in, and disinterred from, Newburgh’s “Colored Burial Ground”. The exhibition includes commissioned artworks by regional artists (Lillian Alberti, Michelle Corporan, Stevenson Estime, Donna Francis, Shani Richards and Edwin Torres) responding to research and speculation on the Burial Ground.

Location: Ann Street Gallery

Date: Through March 31

Time: Saturdays & Sundays 12pm - 4pm

OPEN CALL FOR PARTICIPANTS:

1City:2Schools, a spin-off from the local Beaconites! podcast series, is seeking to interview local historians, educators, administrators and parents to tell the story of two schools many in the Poughkeepsie area seem to know but never talk about: the unsuccessful story of an all-Black school called Toussaint Louverture College in 1870, and the successful story of Spackenkill’s battle against consolidation with the larger Poughkeepsie City School District since 1970.

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2023 Dutchess County Recipient

Gwen Laster

"As improvisers, we respond musically to who we are, where we come from, and where we are going for the adventure of landing somewhere unknown. Feeling comfortable and trusting enough to listen and respond freely will, for sure, take the musical conversation somewhere new. I find healing in vulnerability and curiosity as the driving force for my artistic expression."

Upcoming Events:

Sunday, July 21 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn
Brooklyn Raga Massive Festival
6:15-7:15. Free and open to the public
https://www.barclayscenter.com/events/detail/brooklyn-raga-massive-festival

Saturday, July 27- 6-9pm
Beacon, NY
Music in the Community Garden at the Beacon Lofts
29 Mason Circle
Gwen Laster with pianist Manu Koch, bassist Damon Banks
and drummer Harvey Whrht in concert.
Free and open to the public.

Gwen Laster's Website

2023 Orange County Recipient

Jill Enfield

"I cannot thank you enough for selecting me to receive the 2023 Empowered Artist Award for Orange County. The ongoing depletion of support for artists is alarming and detrimental to, not only artists everywhere, but also to society overall. Thus, the mission of 'Arts Mid-Hudson' is so important to help enable the continued pursuit of artistic endeavors. It is a great honor to be selected this year, 2023, as the Orange County recipient of the 'Empowered Artist Award.' The financial provision will allow me to continue my work on the new project showcasing the spectacular Hudson River in an effort to tell the world that this priceless gift from nature is not only beautiful but also a crucial provision for a healthier society on so many levels. We need to make sure that we work toward the eventual complete removal of its pollution."

Upcoming Events:

Stay tuned for information regarding upcoming events and projects!