To all of our artists and creatives in York County,
There is no doubt that you make our community a vibrant place to live through your passion and drive. The Artist Innovator Award was created in 2020 by the Cultural Alliance to reward incredible artists in our community while simultaneously shining a light on how the arts have been historically undervalued, by making a large-scale prize like those that exist in other cities.
Recently, after working with a consultant to conduct in depth interviews with artists connected with the Artist Innovator Award in the past 3 years, we found that instead reaching our intended goal, the result of the award was more of a “flash in the pan” which did not produce sustainable impact for the winners, and worse, damaged relationships and trust between artists and the Cultural Alliance. We found that above all, York is a place that values collaboration and folks who want to invest their time contributing to the greater community as it grows.
Based on this feedback, we have decided to discontinue the Artist Innovator Award in York County and create a brand-new pathway to these funds which will better suit the needs of our unique creative community.
We will conduct public ideation sessions in the fall of 2024 to begin customizing what this new resource will look like. Details will be available on all of the Cultural Alliance social media platforms, as well as through email and on our website. Join our Artist Opportunities email list below to be the first to hear updates, as well as see what other grant opportunities are available at https://www.culturalyork.org/grants/
Thank you as always for what you do, and don’t hesitate to reach out,
Rhttps://www.culturalyork.org/grants/ita Whitney and the Cultural Alliance Team
