TULSA, Okla. — The Artists Creative Fund (ACF) has awarded 20 Tulsa artists $10,000 each to test, explore and create innovative work.
From a pool of 110 applicants, ACF welcomes its second annual cohort, rewarding local artists’ achievements and supporting the development of creative projects in Tulsa.
Developed by the George Kaiser Family Foundation (GKFF), the annual program launched in 2023 to improve funding, visibility and professional development for Tulsa-based artists and creatives.
“Through ACT, George Kaiser Family Foundation has had the privilege to support a broad array of creative projects. I have full confidence the current awardees will continue that effort in unique and exciting ways,” said Anne Koppel Van Hanken, Chief Program Officer for GKFF.
Some of the selected artists, who will showcase their work during the grant period of August 2024 – March 2025, are as follows:
Jackson Augustus Adair is a photographer specializing in documenting rodeos, including Gay, Black, and Indigenous rodeo culture. He will bring this b=vibrant world to life through a multimedia experience featuring bull and bronc riding.
Ryan Allen, with Tulsa-based folk-rock band Bandelier, will produce a digital release of Six Stars – Song for the Pawnee, an American roots-inspired song blending folk-rock with chamber music elements.
David Bizzaro is an Emmy award-winning puppeteer, actor and clothing designer who has worked with the Jim Henson Company, Sesame Street, The Muppets and the Flaming lips.
Bizzaro’s project will highlight Oklahoma’s once thriving garment industry, fusing his Indigenous heritage and 1800s workwear techniques to produce the first seed-to-stitch garments made in Tulsa.
Maryalice Carroll will produce a ceramic-based exhibition called Finding Acquiescence, which brings to light the unseen struggles associated with chronic pain, autoimmune disorders and neurological conditions, drawing from both her own experiences and those of others who endure similar discomfort and pain.
Rogelio Esparza will utilize his experiences as an immigrant child from Mexico to produce Los Nopales Del Norte, a collection of portraits featuring Mexican-born and American-raised dreamers.
Carey Flack is the creator of @pressed.roots, a blog that explores the intersection of Black and Native land memory in Oklahoma and the South.
Her project will explore the profound relationship between Black Oklahomans and the state’s landscapes, towns, neighborhoods and historical sites through photos and narratives that intertwine with Southern, Cowboy, Trans-Atlantic, Afro-Indigenous and Tulsa histories.
Janae Grass is an interdisciplinary artist from the Sac and Fox, Mvskoke and Absentee Shawnee Nations, Her project will explore Oklahoma history and Sac and Fox material culture, through portraits of women who have contributed to the continuation of the Nation wearing their hand-sewn ribbon work blankets.
Deborah hunter is a poet, spoken word artist, playwright, essayist, actor, teaching artist, workshop facilitator and social justice activist. A descendant of 1921 Greenwood Massacre survivors, she will host a poetry workshop for seniors culminating in a spoken word performance by the participants in a public venue.
Brandy “Branjae” Jackson is a Black American soul, funk, and R&B artist. She empowers and inspires hope through her music, which has been featured in Billboard, Afropunk, and Rolling Stone.
Branjae’s Master of Ceremonies is a 20-minute film and seven-piece musical project that delves into mental health, resilience, and overcoming self-doubt. A digital musical release will follow the film.
For a full list of recipients, including their project descriptions, click here.
For more information about the Artists Creative Fund, click here.
