The Finalists will receive virtual studio visits with second-round jurors, who will ultimately select two artists to receive $10,000 unrestricted funds. The Finalists were selected by jurors Allison Glenn, Associate Curator, Contemporary Art, Crystal Bridges; Anthony Huberman, Director & Chief Curator of CCA Wattis Institute; and Xiaoyu Weng, Robert H.N. Ho Family Foundation Associate Curator, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. 

Speaking to the Finalist selection, Anthony commented, “I have always felt that artists make up the heart, soul, imagination, and bite of any community, and reviewing applications from such a diverse range of voices in the Bay Area was a truly encouraging and up-lifting experience for me. I was reminded that my own local community is home to so many artists with such a rich range of perspectives, and that it is by supporting them, learning from them, and following their lead that our community will find its way through what can seem like endless challenges. Each of the five finalists, I think, gives the rest of the world a clear and distinct (but far from comprehensive) sense of some of the questions that Bay Area-based artists are working through right now.” 

Of the process, both Allison and Xiaoyu highlighted the necessity of supporting artists, particularly during this time of urgent need. Allison stated, “The urgency of this moment is a reminder of the importance of directly supporting artists with unrestricted funds—a responsibility that Artadia has been at the helm of for over two decades,” while Xiaoyu noted, “It has been a great honor and responsibility to be on the jury panel for this year’s Artadia Award San Francisco. In this critical moment of rupture and radical change, it is evermore urgent for us to highlight and support practices that challenge conventional aesthetics and the status quo, and make visible repressed histories and experiences.”

This is Artadia’s thirteenth Award cycle in San Francisco. The application was open to all visual artists living in the five Bay Area counties of ​Alameda​, ​Contra Costa​, ​Marin​,​ San Francisco​, and ​San Mateo for over two years, working in any media, and at any stage of their career. Finalists and Artadia Award recipients are selected through Artadia’s rigorous, two-tier jury review process. In the first round of review, jurors evaluated all submissions and collaboratively determined the five Finalists. 

Read full press release here