STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – This year, Staten Island Arts distributed $450,900 in funding to 92 outstanding artists and projects, supported by contributions from the city, state, and several private foundations.
Pia Kishore Agrawal, Executive Director of Staten Island Arts, hopes the funding will significantly impact both viewers and artists, leading to a cultural shift in the borough.
“Through the money getting directly into the hands of the artists — we hope it helps support the creative process and also makes sure that Staten Islanders understand there is very vibrant cultural landscape here,” Agrawal said.
She added that Staten Islanders tend forget to pay attention to what is happening in their own backyards.
As a Staten Island native and child of immigrants, she noted that representation can be limited. She looks forward to artists presenting a range of perspectives — covering experiences, education, political views, neighborhoods, and more — as a way to foster deeper understanding.
“Art really has the power to frame our perspectives, clarify our thinking, and transform our ideas into something new,” she said. “Whether it’s dance, theater, music, or visual arts, what informs all of our artists is living on Staten Island and experiencing our current moment.”
And that current moment is so much more complicated, interesting, and diverse, and it’s changing in ways we don’t often discuss, she emphasized.
For Agrawal, art is her main avenue for learning about the world, which she views as an exchange of ideas flourishing within a community-driven ecosystem. Artists draw inspiration from their peers, experiences, and environment, and their work, in turn, influences the audiences that engage with it.
“There is so much experimentation. The power of that is none of that work happens alone,” she said. “So much of the work is born from the day to day experiences. It all bleeds together.”
The Staten Island Arts grants will support a variety of events and artistic projects on Staten Island, including theater shows, community festivals, a Sri Lankan Kandyan dance showcase, visual arts, a film festival, poetry workshops, a concert series, a podcast, public art installations, school programming and more.
“Art is for everyone. That is how I learned so much about myself and the world around me,” she said. “We believe in the power of that and we would really love to see our community on Staten Island engage with our artists and our artistic offerings.”
The 2024 Grantees
This year’s funded projects include a range of artistic endeavors such as performance art, innovative festivals, and dynamic showcases, offering audiences thought-provoking exhibitions, engaging performances, and interactive cultural experiences that highlight Staten Island’s vibrant artistic community.
Grantees include but are not limited to:
- Kenneth Graham: Juneteenth – A Celebration of African American History – $2,500
- Frank Schiazza: Homespun Media Productions – $3,000
- Caileen Gonzalez: North Shore Family Festival – $5,000
- Irma Bohorquez-Geisler: Mexican Heritage: Costumes, Masks, and Photos – $5,000
- Muslim Sisters of Staten Island: Geek Out at Staten Island – $5,000
- ROZA Promotions, Inc.: West African Arts, Musical & Fashion Fair – $5,000
- Spotlight Theatre Company: Around the World in 80 Days – $5,000
- Maker Park Radio: Music and Art Festival Series – $5,000
- Dontae Hawkins: Digital Narrative: Empowering Voices – $3,000
View the full list of 2024 Grant Recipients Here!
Celebrate the Grantee Gathering
Experience a free public grantee gathering hosted by Staten Island Arts on Sunday, August 25, from 1 to 4 p.m. at Killmeyer’s Old Bavaria Inn, 4254 Arthur Kill Road.
This event offers a unique chance to meet the artists and explore the wide range of projects that received funding this year.
