LOS ANGELES – July 16, 2015 – The California Community Foundation (CCF) has named 22 emerging and mid-career Los Angeles County artists as recipients of the CCF Fellowship for Visual Artists (FVA), with a total of $385,000 in unrestricted grants.

The FVA annually awards $15,000 for emerging and $20,000 for mid-career artists to build successful, sustainable careers in the arts. This year’s competitive application process received 459 total applications.

“As a community foundation, we believe in the power of the arts to motivate hearts and inspire change,” said Nike Irvin, vice president of programs at the California Community Foundation. “This fellowship’s unique unrestricted grants allow artists to thrive and contribute to the cultural vitality of Los Angeles for the benefit of all residents.”

Since its inception in 1988 with a generous contribution from the J. Paul Getty Trust and other donor support, FVA has awarded more than $2.5 million to 274 visual artists working in a multitude of media across Los Angeles County. As CCF remains committed to capacity-building, artists also receive access to business development support and networking opportunities. Today, through the generosity of donors, the fellowship has expanded into one of the largest investments in individual artists in California.

“The Getty Foundation is proud of its long-standing partnership with the California Community Foundation through support for the Fellowship for the Visual Artists. It is extremely gratifying that the initial gift from the Getty Trust over a quarter of a century ago has blossomed so productively under the California Community Foundation’s stewardship,” said Deborah Marrow, director of the Getty Foundation. “I congratulate this year’s artists and wish them a terrific fellowship period.”

Fellows are selected by a committee of distinguished artists and arts professionals – including fellowship alumni – following a rigorous application process. The grants are often used for project development, exhibits, travel or general expenses. This year’s fellows are:

2015 Emerging Fellows

• Raul Baltazar
• Alyse Emdur
• EJ Hill
• Gelare Khoshgozaran
• Laida Lertxundi
• Max Maslansky
• Michael Parker
• Paul Pescador
• Jimena Sarno
• Alise Spinella
• Kenneth Tam

2015 Mid-career Fellows

• Jedediah Caesar
• Cheri Gaulke
• Karl Haendel
• Margaret Honda
• Pearl C. Hsiung
• Salomon Huerta
• Ashley Hunt
• Stephanie Taylor
• Kerry Tribe
• Jeffrey Vallance
• Jennifer West

CCF leads positive systemic change to strengthen Los Angeles communities. The foundation has served as a public, charitable organization since 1915, empowering donors to pursue their own personal passions and to collaborate in transforming Los Angeles. CCF stewards $1.48 billion in assets and manages nearly 1,600 charitable foundations, funds and legacies.

To find out how you can support the CCF Fellowship for Visual Artists, please visit our giving page. One-hundred percent of contributions to the FVA go directly to artists.

An online gallery of the 2015 Fellows’ artwork will be live at calfund.org/fva on July 23.

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