A Syracuse artist has received a grant that will allow her to spend the next two years working with the Schweinfurth Art Center in Auburn.
Ellen Blalock and the Schweinfurth have received an Artist Employment Program (AEP) grant from Creatives Rebuild New York. The grants pay artists’ salaries for two years and support their sponsoring organizations. According to a Schweinfurth news release, “using her background as a storyteller, artist, journalist, and quilt maker, Blalock will be inspiring people in our African American community to tell their family stories using photography, video, and quilting, ultimately creating a community exhibit. “I am excited,” Blalock said. “Wow! I get to shine my light a little brighter. As an artist, this recognition and support from Creative Rebuild New York and the Schweinfurth Art Center is a great opportunity for me to create art, develop a genealogy project for the community, and to build a local network of African American quilters.”
“We are incredibly excited to work with Ellen,” said Schweinfurth Executive Director Donna Lamb. “She is an amazing storyteller and artist, and we eagerly look forward to working with Ellen and the community on this exciting and important project.” The art center is receiving $256,400 to support this project.
Designed to support employment opportunities for artists, AEP is funding 98 collaborations involving a dynamic group of 300 artists employed by community-based organizations, municipalities, and tribal governments across New York State. CRNY has awarded $49.9M in funding to support artists’ salaries and benefits, with an additional $11.7M in funding provided to the organizations holding employment.
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