Wanted: Underrepresented artists who need financial support for their creative work

Hometown, Alaska - Alaska Public Media

Rasmuson Foundation is in active outreach mode, seeking underrepresented artists to apply for the 2021 Individual Artists Awards. Today’s show features past winners offering advice, and Rasmuson Foundation employees focused on the Individual Artists Award program.

In times of stress and economic hardship, it can be easy to let art and its impact on us slip off the radar screen. Yet, that could be the very time when we need art the most. The inauguration of new President Joe Biden is an example. Not only did 22-year-old Amanda Gorman’s poem, “The Hill We Climb,” comfort and challenge us, but the passionate musical deliveries by Lady Gaga, Garth Brooks and Jennifer Lopez lifted us.

Art needs to be in the mix.

From ‘Opaque Etymologies’ by Indra Arriaga Delgado.Click to enlarge.

On today’s Hometown Alaska, representatives from the Rasmuson Foundation will explain their Individual Artist Award program: three levels of support for working artists in Alaska. Program officers are in high gear, reaching out to communities across Alaska to inspire underrepresented artists to apply for this support. We’ll learn a bit about the history of the awards, the impact of the awards, and where to get help in applying.

We’ll also hear from two artists who received recent awards from the Rasmuson Foundation. How did they use the support for their work? What advice do they have for aspiring artists, pondering applying for an award?

HOST: Kathleen McCoy

GUESTS:

• Enzina Marrari, Rasmuson Foundation
• Tristan Agnaurak Morgan, Rasmuson Foundation
• Indra Arriaga Delgado, independent Alaska artist
• Sean Northover, Alaska musician

USEFUL DATES:

• Online applications are due by March 1, 2021
• Paper applications must be delivered or postmarked by February 15, 2021

LINKS:

• Individual Artist Awards program, Rasmuson Foundation website
• Schedule of January and February online application workshops, Rasmuson Foundation website
• Toolkit for applicants, Rasmuson Foundation website
• Musician Sean Northover, award recipient, SoundCloud collection
• Artist Indra Arriaga Delgado, award recipient, website
• Toolkit for applicants, Rasmuson Foundation website

PARTICIPATE:

• Call 550-8433 (Anchorage) or 1-888-353-5752 (statewide) during the live broadcast (10-11 a.m.)
• Send e-mail to [e-mail] before, during or after the live broadcast (e-mails may be read on air)
• Post your comment or question below (comments may be read on air)
• LIVE: Monday, Jan. 25, 2021 at 10 a.m
• RE-AIR: Monday, Jan. 25, 2021 at 8 p.m.
• PODCAST: On this page after the show