VIA Art Fund and Wagner Foundation have awarded grants totaling $200,000 to five U.S.-based visual arts organizations. The recipients of the 2021 VIA | Wagner Incubator Grant Fund are: MOCA Tucson (Tucson, AZ), Santa Fe Art Institute (Santa Fe, NM), Stove Works (Chattanooga, TN), The Union for Contemporary Art (Omaha, NE), and Wave Pool (Cincinnati, OH).
Click here to read the press release.
Click here to learn more about the VIA | Wagner partnership and the Incubator Grant Fund.
MOCA Tucson offers engaging programming with a focus on major new commissions, an artist residency, and far-reaching education programs. With a particular focus on regional sociopolitical themes, MOCA’s programming is designed to encourage empathy between a diverse group of artists and audiences. Executive Director Kate Greene commented: “MOCA Tucson is profoundly grateful for VIA Art Fund and Wagner Foundation's support of our important work as a beacon for contemporary art in the Sonoran Desert. As MOCA expands its ambitious projects with artists and visitors in downtown Tucson, this grant is crucial, allowing us to continue to inspire and educate across cultures, economies, borders, geographies, and communities."
For more information, please visit MOCA Tucson
Santa Fe Art Institute supports artists, activists, and creative visionaries through residency programs that focus on an annual theme examining critical social issues in the Santa Fe community. SFAI’s programming allows artists and creative practitioners the fundamental resources to produce ambitious, forward-looking work and engage the general public through exhibitions, community projects, and events. Executive Director Jamie Blosser commented: “In a few short years, VIA Art Fund has demonstrated its commitment to supporting artists dedicated to critical inquiry and cultural exchange by modeling a new way for patrons to positively impact the entire arts ecosystem. The Santa Fe Art Institute is honored to be awarded the VIA Art Fund | Wagner Foundation Incubator Grant, which aligns fully with our mission to connect the arts and social justice.”
For more information, please visit Santa Fe Art Institute
Stove Works is an alternative art space whose mission is to serve the Chattanooga community through the production, exhibition, and education of contemporary art. Its robust artist in residence program, which hosts over 70 artists each year generates meaningful exchange and reflection, providing opportunities to learn from the experiences of others and to give voice. Founder and Executive Director Charlotte Caldwell commented: "We moved into our permanent home in October of last year, in the middle of the pandemic. When we were notified that we were among the recipients of the VIA/Wagner Incubator Grant, we were a week out from opening the first exhibition on-site that we could share, without restraint, with our communities. We experienced an immediate wave of energy and affirmation.”
For more information, please visit Stove Works
The Union for Contemporary Art is a community arts center creating positive social change in the North Omaha community. The Union’s commitment to addressing civic issues faced by residents and elevating artistic voices of the African Diaspora contribute to the revitalization and unification of the city’s cultural identity. Founder and Executive Director, Brigitte McQueen commented: “As the founder of The Union, it feels surreal to see our organization recognized by the VIA | Wagner Incubator Grant Fund, knowing that it joins a list of incredibly prestigious and accomplished organizations. We're deeply honored to have been granted this support as we celebrate our 10th year and are grateful for the impact this opportunity will have on our artist-centered work."
For more information, please visit The Union for Contemporary Art
Wave Pool is an experimental art space offering an array of programs that integrate the community’s knowledge of its own needs with artists’ vision and sense of possibility. Wave Pool facilitates organic exchange between staff members, artists and curators in residence, and community members to nurture mutually beneficial projects supporting positive change. Founder and Executive Director Cal Cullen commented: “We are thrilled to be a recipient of the Incubator Grant. Both the funds and the connections offered through this opportunity are crucial to Wave Pool's vision for artists and communities remaking the world together. This program is a game changer for our organization and for contemporary artists in our region in Southwestern Ohio. We could not be more grateful and excited."
For more information, please visit Wave Pool
The VIA l Wagner Incubator Grant Fund aims to strengthen the capacity and programming of organizations across the country in order to ensure a robust and inclusive national arts ecosystem.