Joyce Awards Program Surpasses $1.6 Million in Support of New Works by Artists of Color

CHICAGO, Jan. 25, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Joyce Foundation is proud to announce the 2011 Joyce Awards winners in the cities of Chicago, Indianapolis, and Minneapolis.  Since 2003, the Joyce Awards program has been the only award exclusively supporting artists of color in major Midwestern cities.  This year's outstanding arts organizations will each receive grants of $50,000 to support new works in dance, music, theater, and visual arts.

Winners in each artistic category include:

• DANCE: Hubbard Street Dance Chicago (Chicago) to support a new work by African American choreographer Alonzo King, which will be his first new work on the Chicago stage in more than a decade.
• MUSIC: VocalEssence (Minneapolis) to commission a new work by African American composer/musician Hannibal Lokumbe.
• THEATER: The Children's Theatre Company (Minneapolis) to support a new play for children written by Asian American playwright, Naomi Iizuka, who won the first Joyce Award for Theater in 2004.
• VISUAL ARTS: Central Indiana Community Foundation (Indianapolis) to commission African American visual artist Fred Wilson to create a new public art sculpture for permanent installation on the Indianapolis Cultural Trail.

"We are pleased to recognize the artistry of these talented individuals and the lively organizations that will showcase these works," stated Ellen S. Alberding, president of the Joyce Foundation.  "On behalf of the Joyce Foundation, we are proud that our Joyce Awards provide a springboard to highlight the vibrant array of artistic talent in the Great Lakes region."

Previous award winners have not only presented their works to the institutions' traditional audiences, they have also worked with community groups, school children, and public art projects.  The goal is for these commissions to produce vivid, new works of art that strengthen cultural venues and draw people of diverse backgrounds to experience the rewards of participating in the arts as well as elevate the visibility of creative works by minority artists.

This year's competition drew 41 entries from around the Great Lakes region.  Entries are reviewed by independent arts advisors from outside the Midwest and reviewed and approved by the Foundation's board of directors.  Organizations have up to three years to complete their proposed projects.

For recipient information, images and videos, or to apply for a 2012 Joyce Award, visit http://www.joycefdn.org/content.cfm/joyce-awards-2011.

SOURCE The Joyce Foundation