C O L A 2010 Individual Artist Fellowships May 20, 2010

March 5, 2010
Media Contact: Will Caperton y Montoya DCA Director of Marketing and Development
213.202.5538 [email protected]

DEPARTMENT OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS ANNOUNCES
PRESTIGIOUS C.O.L.A. 2010 INDIVIDUAL ARTIST FELLOWSHIPS
Featuring Visual, Performance, and Literary Artists

Visual Arts Exhibition Dates: May 20 to July 18, Municipal Art Gallery
Exhibition Opening Reception: May 23, 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., Municipal Art Gallery
Performance Schedule: June 18, 8:30 p.m., Grand Performances

Los Angeles - The City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA) has awarded its 2010 City of Los Angeles (C.O.L.A.) Individual Artist Fellowships to thirteen exemplary mid- career artists. The professional and artistic caliber of these 13 Fellows is the reason why C.O.L.A. is a nationally recognized program. Los Angeles is one of a handful of municipalities honoring local artists with grant contracts to create and present new works for the public.

DCA’s commitment to supporting the local creative economy, while selecting artists who have demonstrated extraordinary talent, is one of the many reasons why the C.O.L.A. Fellowship Program is so significant. As Olga Garay, DCA’s Executive Director, points out: “Municipal support for solo artists is critically important. Living or working among us, these engaging entrepreneurs symbolize our community’s dedication to linking ideas with innovations. Through their work, we are able to claim that Los Angeles is one of the most vibrant creative economies in the world.”

The C.O.L.A. Individual Artists Fellowships are awarded to honor a spectrum of the City’s most creative artists who dedicate themselves to an ongoing body of excellent work, represent a relevant progression through their pieces or series, exemplify a generation of core ideas in their field, garner respect from their peers, and serve as role models for other artists. Since 1995, DCA has awarded over 115 fellowships to outstanding mid-career artists for the conception, creation, production, and presentation of new works.

The 2010 C.O.L.A. award recipients in the visual arts are: Fumiko Amano, Linda Arreola, Sean Duffy, Sam Erenberg, Mary Beth Heffernan, Jesse Lerner, Brian Moss, Michael Pierzynski, Rebecca Ripple, and Tran T. Kim-Trang.

The 2010 C.O.L.A. award recipient in the literary arts is Fernando Castro. The 2010 C.O.L.A. award recipients in the performing arts are: maRia Bodmann and Ken Roht.

In Spring 2009 each Fellow was peer-reviewed within a non-thematic selection process. After selection, each Fellow was granted $10,000 to created new work for either a group exhibition or a stage presentation.

The 2010 C.O.L.A. Individual Artist Fellowships Exhibition is organized by Mark Steven Greenfield, Curator and Director of Exhibits at DCA’s Municipal Art Gallery at Barnsdall Park. The exhibit opens Thursday, May 20, and remains on view through Sunday, July 18, 2010. The Exhibition’s Opening Reception will be held on Sunday, May 23 from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. In addition, the Municipal Art Gallery will present Conversations with the Artists, a dialogue series with the ten visual arts Fellows. Admission to all the events is free.

The 2010 C.O.L.A. Performances are co-sponsored and hosted by Grand Performances and include performance art pieces, music, and literary readings. The performances will be offered on Friday, June 18 at 8:30 p.m. Admission is free.

DCA creates a C.O.L.A. catalogue for international museums and libraries and a program website for global outreach to accompany the exhibition and performance series. Designed by previous C.O.L.A. fellow and graphic designer Jeff Keedy, these documentary materials promote Los Angeles as one of the most creative regions in the world.

DCA’s Cultural Grant Program was formed in 1981 as a response to the overwhelming need to support Los Angeles organizations and artists as key catalysts in the synergy of our society. DCA’s granting process is community driven, and local art experts, educators, and community agents serve as peer panelists for the review of applications. The makeup of these panels changes each year to ensure a fair and broad-minded selection of proposals.

About the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA)

The Department of Cultural Affairs both generates and supports high quality arts and cultural experiences for Los Angeles residents and visitors. DCA advances the social and economic impact of the arts and assures access to arts and cultural experiences through grant making, marketing, public and community arts programming, arts education, and creating partnerships with artists and arts and cultural organizations in every community in the City of Los Angeles.

Managing a portfolio of $36 million in fiscal year 2009/10, DCA grants approximately $3.5 million annually to over 280 artists and nonprofit arts organizations and awards the Artist-in-Residence (A.I.R.) and City of Los Angeles (C.O.L.A.) Individual Artist Fellowships. The Department provides arts and cultural programming in its numerous neighborhood arts and cultural centers, theaters, and historic sites, and manages several arts and education programs for young people. It manages the City's Arts Development Fee and Percent for Arts Programs, a portfolio of approximately $20 million annually, and the Art Collection and Murals Programs. DCA markets the City's cultural events through development and collaboration with strategic partners, design and production of creative promotional materials, and management of the culturela.org website.

About Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery:

The Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery is a facility of the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs and is located at 4800 Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA, 90027. Admission is free. The Gallery is open Thursdays through Sundays, 12:00 noon to 5:00 p.m. Hours are extended to 9:00 p.m. on First Fridays. For general information, the public may call 323.644.6269.

About Grand Performances:

Grand Performances is Southern California's largest presenter of free performing arts programs and a landmark nonprofit arts institution established with a primary focus on bringing together the diverse peoples of Los Angeles. Grand Performances is located at 300-350 South Grand Avenue, Los Angeles. For more information about the Grand performances 2010 Summer Season visit the website at: www.grandperformances.org.