A Message from the MRH Fund for Artists:
Eight Visions X Eight Artists
2022 Cohort
Nathaniel Cas Ancheta, Rejeana V. Black, Jen LaVita, Nicole Merton, Theresa D Polley-Shellcroft, Robin Rosenthal, Marissa Magdalena Sykes, and Elena Yu
The MRH Fund for Artists was established to provide artists with direct financial support to expand their creative reach through the realization of a defined art project. The goal is to fund selected artists each year who have been nominated by invited arts organizations in the Southern California region. In this inaugural year of the project, eight artists from four counties were selected for the cohort.
The funds provide an opportunity for the artists to enhance and strengthen their creativity by giving them the space to think, refine, and expand their artistic practice in ways that would not be possible without the funds. The selected artists in the cohort come from a variety of creative media and are committed to building their art practice and reach in the community. The MRH Fund worked with a selected group of arts organizations in the community to identify and nominate a pool of artists for participation. Each artist proposed a project that would further their career and expand their artist reach by connecting them with new patrons, exhibition opportunities, and community recognition. Southern California is home to a remarkable group of dedicated creatives. The eight artists selected this year demonstrate that there is a need for funding of emerging and mid-career artists to advance their work as artists.
The MRH Fund has partnered with the 18th Street Arts Center in Santa Monica, California, which serves as the home and fiscal sponsor for the project. Throughout the year the artists met together as their projects evolved, to have the opportunity to dialogue with each other, expanding the reach of their projects.
The MRH Fund for Artists thanks the 18th Street Arts Center, members of the fund advisory board, Avenue 50 Studio, and the donors to the project for playing a vital role in making this a reality. We extend a special recognition to the eight artists for their thoughtful engagement as part of the initial cohort, resulting in the artwork presented in this exhibition.
MRH Fund for Artists
