November 7, 2023 Press Releases

ValleyCreates Announces Second Cohort for Project Evolution Grants

The Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts’ ValleyCreates program is pleased to announce the names of twenty local artists who will collectively receive $80,000 in Project Evolution grants. This is the second Project Evolution cohort selected from a pool of over 100 past Capacity Grant artists recipients that will receive project support since its launch in early 2022.

“We’re thrilled to offer this opportunity to our past Capacity grantees” said Community Foundation Senior Program Officer Nicole Bourdon. “This support will assist these talented artists in moving their projects forward to the next stage, whether they are in development, ideation, creation, or implementation. We are pleased to support a wide range of projects with an array of disciplines represented by this cohort including writing, theater, music, film, dance, and visual arts.”

Through this grant category, ValleyCreates provides artists who currently live or have studio space in Franklin, Hampshire, and Hampden counties with a multi-faceted opportunity that combines project grant support totaling $4,000 with cohort learning, coaching, and additional project-administration-oriented professional development to ensure that artists have the tools they need for their projects to succeed.

“Most of the time, we spend all our personal funds to make our dreams a reality,” said Keshawn Dodds, Project Evolution grantee. “Because of the ValleyCreates grant…we are not only compensated financially, but all artists have the opportunity to receive the needed coaching from mentors and also help from the employees of the Foundation. I couldn’t be more thankful for this grant, and I cannot wait to share my journey with everyone.”

The 20 artists grantees selected for a Project Evolution Grant are:

K Adler, Greenfield
Sunny Allis, Westhampton
Em Ayres, Williamsburg
Chelsea Catherine, Feeding Hills
Lori Clark, Deerfield
Keshawn Dodds, Springfield
Magdalena Gomez, Springfield
Mark Guglielmo, Florence
Theodore Hinman, Greenfield
Jeff Kasper, Northampton
Carmela Lanza-Weil, Shelburne Falls
Carlos McBride, Northampton
Pamela Means, Easthampton
Jason Montgomery, Easthampton
Ivonne Montoya, Northampton
Ryan Murray, Springfield
Malaika Ross, Easthampton
Aisha Russell, Holyoke
Dani Schmidt, Holyoke
Maurice Taylor, Holyoke