The Capacity Grant (formerly Working Capital Grants) is a capacity-building and sustainability initiative for artists who currently live or have a studio address in Franklin, Hampshire, and Hampden counties in Massachusetts.
The first group, primarily artists of color, convened (virtually) in July 2020 to complete the series of webinars. Each received a $1,000 grant. The following artists participated:
Diana Alvarez, Holyoke
Alvilda Sophia Anaya-Alegria, Springfield
María Luisa Arroyo Cruzado, Springfield
Donald Blanton, Springfield
Frankie Borrero, Springfield
Omarthan Clarke, Springfield
Patricia Crutchfield, Southwick
Michelle Falcón Fontánez, Dorchester
Joshua Gale, Northfield
Michael Grant, Springfield
Andrae Green, Springfield
Imo Imeh, Agawam
Amina Jordan-Mendez, Holyoke
Robert Markey, Ashfield
Jesse Morrisey, Easthampton
Ryan Murray, Springfield
Lorna Ritz, Amherst
Leslie Parks, Springfield
Alexcelin Saldana, Chicopee
Myles Sanders, Chicopee
The second cohort was selected in winter of 2021.
Susanna Apgar, Easthampton
Emma Ayres, Greenfield
Justin Beatty, Hadley
Cinamon Blair, Clinton
Ed Branson, Ashfield
Brendaliz Cepeda, Springfield
Keshawn Dodds, Springfield
María José Giménez, Easthampton
Magdalena Gomez, Springfield
Joanne Holtje, Belchertown
Jeff Kasper, Northampton
Qualina Lewis, Springfield
Emma Mesa-Melendez, Springfield
Hannah Mohan, Pelham
Jason Montgomery, Easthampton
Damaris Perez-Pizarro, Chicopee
Akil Pinnock, Palmer
Julissa Rodriguez, Indian Orchard
Kristina Scott, Springfield
Emikan Sudan, Northampton
JaJa Swinton, West Springfield
Narelle Thomas, Springfield
Leonard Underwood, Springfield
A third cohort was selected in the summer 2021.
Ivonne Montoya, Northampton
Pamela Means, Easthampton
Heshima Moja, Indian Orchard
Sula Gordon, Northampton
Shanice Lewis Brawner, Indian Orchard
María Irene Kenison, Springfield
Anthony Bass, Springfield
Christopher Lenaerts, Buckland
Morocco Flowers, Springfield
Luis Garcia, Springfield
Alih Thomas, Springfield
Shandyce Willis, Springfield
Mark Guglielmo, Northampton
Joey Burr, Indian Orchard
Chloe Tran, Agawam
Sarah Marcus, Florence
Amanda Lindsay, Holyoke
Samuel Perry, Montague
Kathleen Anderson, Amherst
Audira Cave, Springfield
Kurt Myer, Shelburne Falls
Ted Hinman, Greenfield
Tony Silva, Easthampton
A fourth cohort was selected in summer 2022.
Aria Acevedo, South Hadley
K. Adler, Greenfield
Sunny Allis, Westhampton
Meem Carry, Amherst
Chelsea Catherine, Feeding Hills
Maya Cunningham, Springfield
Marcus Hickley, Springfield
Carlos McBride, Northampton
Jasper McCoy, Springfield
Malaika Ross, Easthampton
Aisha Russell, Holyoke
Dani Schmidt, Holyoke
Gabriela Sepulveda, Springfield
LG Talbot, Easthampton
Mydalis Vera, Springfield
A fifth cohort was selected in spring of 2023.
Pamela Acosta, Northampton
Gloria (Yaya) Agosto, Springfield
Ayawna Burnett, Springfield
Aisha Burns, South Hadley
Aparna (Pampi) Das, Holyoke
Eva Fahey, Chicopee
Amalia FourHawks, Florence
Indë Francis, Westhampton
Aliana de la Guardia, Ashfield
Cima Khademi, Amherst
Sharon Leshner, Easthampton
Michael Medeiros, South Hadley
Taylor Mickens, Springfield
Elias Neijens, Amherst
Emilio Pereira-Tosado, Agawam
Vick Quezada, Easthampton
Erica Russo, Conway
Meegan Schreiber, Sunderland
Porn Siphanoum, Springfield
Tomantha Sylvester, Ashfield
A sixth cohort was selected in fall of 2024.
Gabriela Alcantara Pohls, Holyoke
Adrien Almquist, Plainfield
India Anderson, Springfield
Deja Carr, Amherst
Kim Chin-Gibbons, Amherst
Tai Ester, Springfield
Kaleighia Green, Chicopee
Kahli Hernandez, Springfield
Rachel Leader, Northampton
Armene Margosian, Greenfield
Karol Matuszak, Plainfield
Emily Munsell, Agawam
Nevline Nnaji, Florence
Brenda Roswess, Springfield
M Rudder, Florence
Destiny Santiago, Northampton
Akilah Scharff-Teoh, Greenfield
Denise Steward, Springfield
Charles Thompson, Colrain
Q.M. Zhang, Amherst