New Fort Worth program to assist visual artists

Jay Wilkinson, PPE 2020, acrylic on canvas, 16 x 20 inches

For Fort Worth visual artists who have been hurt in the COVID-19 pandemic, help is on the way.

Fine Line Group, in cooperation with the Alice L. Walton Foundation, the Donny Wiley Memorial Fund at the North Texas Community Foundation and Kit and Charlie Moncrief, has launched THE NEW NORMAL: An Artist’s Response to COVID-19.

The program – led by a $50,000 gift from Fine Line Group – will distribute $100,000 to up to 40 Fort Worth artists in stipends of $2,000 or $5,000 to create a work responding to their own experience living through the COVID-19 pandemic.
THE NEW NORMAL is administered by Gallery of Dreams, a Fort Worth nonprofit arts organization established by Lauren Childs of Fort Works Art.

There is no fee to apply, and the applications will be reviewed by an eight-person panel including representatives of the city’s most prestigious museums. Awards will be based on strength of the proposal, portfolio and demonstrated financial need.
This unique model is being offered to the world, open-source, free of royalties, and upon request to any community that would like to replicate it for their hometown’s struggling artists, the announcement said.

- FWBP Digital Partners -

The program is designed to support Fort Worth’s economic and emotional recovery through both service and art and will culminate in the creation of an important and profound body of work that interprets and documents the uniquely Fort Worth experience during these uncertain, surreal and often worrisome times, according to a news release.
“Throughout history, artists have responded to major catastrophes and provided the world with visual interpretations of a reality that captures and preserves the human experience of the time,” said Sasha Bass, the initiative’s founder.

“Ed and I, along with our partners, are thrilled to launch this program, which will provide much-needed income to our talented local artists and sustain the creative experiences essential to our communal spirit. Even in this age of social distancing, coming together through art is possible,” she said.

Applicants are asked to submit a written proposal including a personal statement sharing their views on how this opportunity will help them create, an overview of the COVID-19-related work they intend to create, and an idea on how their art can support others in the city.

Examples of the artist’s current work, along with a statement of need demonstrating loss of income due to the COVID-19 crisis, are also required.
The full application is available here: https://www.newnormalfw.com