Artadia is pleased to announce the 2021 Chicago Artadia Finalists:
The Finalists will each receive virtual studio visits with second-round jurors, who will ultimately select three artists to receive $10,000 unrestricted funds. This year’s Finalists jurors were Cathleen Chaffee, Chief Curator, Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo; Denene De Quintal, Assistant Curator, Native American Art, Detroit Institute of Arts; and Mia Lopez, Independent Curator, Chicago.
Of the process, Denene notes, “The Artadia Award cycle was an incredible opportunity to experience the dynamic Chicago art scene. I was amazed by the depth of talent and look forward to learning who the Awardees will be.”
Of the Finalists, Mia states, “This year’s applicants embodied the diversity of artistic excellence that Chicago is known for – narrowing down such a talented pool was difficult. It’s exciting to see that despite the challenges of the last year the artist finalists are persevering and creating visionary new work.” Echoing Mia’s sentiment, Cathleen notes, “The range and strength of work we considered really reconfirmed the vibrancy of the Chicago art scene and the engagement of the city’s artists. It was affirming to see how much promising work has come from such an unprecedented year.”
The 2021 Chicago Artadia Award application was open to visual artists working in any visual media, at any stage in their career, who have been living and working within Chicago Cook County for a minimum of two years.
Since its founding in 1999, Artadia has awarded over $5 million in unrestricted funds to over 350 artists. Celebrating visual artists and the foundational role they play in shaping society, the Artadia Award benefits three artists annually in each of six major US cities with high concentrations of creative workers—Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York. Beyond the grant, the Award includes lifelong access to a community of fellow artists and patrons. The Artadia Award is designed to provide essential funding and recognition to artists at pivotal points in their careers, strengthen their communities, and spur new levels of career achievement.
The 2021 Chicago Artadia Awards are generously supported by the Joyce Foundation, the LeRoy Neiman and Janet Byrne Neiman Foundation, The Pritzker Pucker Family Foundation, the Artadia Board of Directors, Artadia Council Members, and individual donors across the country.