Washtenaw County — Creative Washtenaw announced four $2,500 grants made to artists + creatives in Washtenaw County. These artists, whose work strengthens the local arts + creative landscape through a racial equity lens, were randomly selected from a group of more than 25 eligible applicants. The drawing took place on April 24, 2024, at Creative Washtenaw Happy Hour (CWHH) at The Owl, Morning ‘Til Night in Milan, Michigan.
The Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation (AAACF) made these grants possible by providing $10,000 to Creative Washtenaw to regrant. Specifically, the AAACF funds were to be distributed to individual Washtenaw County artists + creatives whose work serves priority populations. As defined by AAACF, a priority population is distinguished by demographic factors such as age, gender, race/ethnicity, income level, education attainment, sexual orientation, marital status or health care coverage status, or a location in which the priority population may be reached such as a workplace, school or church.
To make the selection process as equitable as possible, instead of convening a jury to judge the applications, Creative Washtenaw’s board chair, Tina Walther, randomly selected the grantees from qualified candidates.
About the Grant Awardees
Kris Keller – Ann Arbor – Kris Keller represents Black Note Graffiti, a rock band established in Washtenaw County in 2010, blending cutting-edge technology with artistic vision to deliver immersive creative place-making throughout Michigan. Black Note Graffiti makes music that incorporates empowerment, resilience, and identity themes. The band, led by Gabrielle Bryant, a Black female, blends hard rock influences, fusing alt-rock with elements of groove metal that reflect the contemporary richness of a genre dominated by white male voices.
Rachel Keown – Chelsea – Rachel Keown is a director, actor, new play developer and a practicing playwright. Rachel is currently working on a play that examines the assimilation of rape culture in our society. She also recently had a short play co-produced between Florida State University and White Mouse Productions for their Mental Health Festival, which centered around the difficulties associated with depression. These two plays highlight Rachel’s ongoing mission to communicate her perspective on mental health and challenge an increasing lack of social and personal awareness while comparing and contrasting gender roles.
Thomas Robertson – Ypsilanti – Thomas Robertson is a traditional artist who primarily draws, paints, and utilizes growing digital tools. His primary focus is uplifting Black culture, and Riverside Arts Center has exhibited his work during Black History Month. Robertson was born in Detroit and is a 1971 Commercial Art Graduate of Cass Tech High School. Growing up in the sixties, Robertson was aware of racial biases as early as second grade. Now, he uses his artwork to lift up and encourage everyone, especially those of color.
Thor Sigurdson – Ann Arbor – Thor Sigurdson has a 35-year-long cello career involving orchestral playing, more recently, solo and chamber music, orchestral conducting, and private teaching. In addition to his teaching studio in Ann Arbor, Sigurdson maintains an extensive collection of fractionally sized cellos, basses, violas, and violins that he frequently loans out to his students and the students of other private teachers, including many at zero cost to families in financial need. He prioritizes connecting with audiences that include priority populations. Sigurdson regularly visits churches around Washtenaw County to find new venues for future concerts that serve more diverse audiences and believes chamber music unites people in an intimate way that breaks down cultural barriers.
For more information about these grants, follow @CreativeWashtenaw.
MAIN PHOTO: Rachel Keown, Deb Polich and Tina Walther.
About the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation – The Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation (AAACF) is a philanthropic organization with a broad community focus: enriching the quality of life in Washtenaw County. https://www.aaacf.org/
Creative Washtenaw
Arts + Creative Industries = Impact
Creative Washtenaw is the arts + creative industry authority in Washtenaw County, Michigan. A regional agency, its mission is to advocate for and provide support services to artists, creative workers, organizations, businesses, educational and government entities to ensure that Washtenaw County, Michigan – the greater Ann Arbor area – remains a great place for all to create, live, work, learn, play and visit.
Creative Washtenaw is supported by its members and, in part, by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Michigan Arts & Culture Council. For more information, visit https://creativewashtenaw.org/ or contact Creative Washtenaw at info@creativewashtenaw.org or 734.213.2733.
