ArtsWorcester

Professional achievement unlocked: appearing on the "Chandler Chat" with Harriette Chandler, former President of the Massachusetts State Senate and my reproductive rights heroine. Her WCCA TV show has long been a rite of passage for women leaders. We talked about what ArtsWorcester and contemporary art mean to our city in these times, the unpredictable magic of art sales, and the Future Arts Workers youth apprenticeships. See our conversation here: https://bit.ly/4iigTSn

We're thrilled to share the Material Needs Grant recipients for our 2025-26 cycle. These artists will produce work in 2025 with their grants that will be shown in a group exhibition at ArtsWorcester next year. Please help us congratulate: Ben Cline, $1,700 for a series of woodworking pieces that incorporate stained glass Kate Egnaczak, $1,000 for a printmaking project conducting a visual catalogue of trash collected from Worcester's Elm Park Claudio Eshun (AKA Don Claude)?@donclaude__, $1,500 for a photography series that explores Western, African, and Afro-Descendant portraiture Anne B. Harris, $1,600 for a filmed performance art piece in collaboration with vultures Kristi DiSalle, $1,000 for a series of paintings exploring experiences of perimenopause and menopause Jennifer Davis Carey,?@jennifercareyartworks?$1,200 for enamel works incorporating photography and embroidery Sheila Papetti, $1,800 for paper sculptures and coats inspired by the artist's French, Irish, and Russian ancestry One hundred and one artists have had their practice advanced through these grants to date. We express our gratitude to the anonymous donor who made these grants possible, and to the Material Needs Grants committee for their care in selecting the awardees!

Our full-hearted congratulations to the award recipients of this year's annual College Show exhibition! Our immeasurable thanks to everyone who joined us in celebration at the reception last Wednesday night, including Mayor Petty who graciously helped us announce the selected artists. Selected by our wonderful prize juror Deborah Santoro: Best in Show: Sophie Sundaram, College of the Holy Cross '26, "Thirteen Ways" First Place: Anna DeMetrick, Massachusetts College of Art and Design '26, "The Inner Workings" Second Place: Serena McCarthy,?College of the Holy Cross '25, "Self-Portrait" Third Place: Charlotte Moriarty, Clark University '25, "Inner Child" Honorable Mentions: Jennie Cao (Rhode Island School of Design '27), Jane Doyle (College of the Holy Cross '25), Owen Dominguez (Clark University '27), Annabelle Edwards-Stoll (Clark University '25), Abbie Hart (Clark University '25), Angela Risotti (Fitchburg State University '26) Didn't make it to the reception? The Twenty-First Annual College Show will be on view in the third floor Davis Art Gallery at ArtsWorcester (Thursdays through Sundays, each day 12 PM to 5 PM) through April 13. Photo by Nathan Fiske Photography

Poets from the Worcester Writers' Collective led a reading Saturday morning consisting of work inspired by artist Mari Saxon's collection "The Fairy Tale That Was Not Told". This collaborative event with the WORCESTER COUNTY POETRY ASSOCIATION was?a delight, and we thank the participating poets for sharing their craft with us! Mari's photographs (and a fairytale book of the featured poetry, crafted by WCPA's Irena Kaci for your viewing) occupy the ArtsWorcester East Gallery through February 16 as part of our Artist Shoebox series. You can also see Mari's Shoebox and the work of the Worcester Writers' Collective our website here: https://lnkd.in/gjXBaP3m

Consider ArtsWorcester your window into some of the best contemporary art in the region. ?? See "Fusion", a juried exhibition of collaborative works, alongside three unique Artist Shoeboxes through February 16. Gallery hours are Thursdays - Sundays, 12 PM - 5 PM, always free, and open to the public. View the new exhibitions online here: https://lnkd.in/eFypDdaP Pictured: "Window of Time", Dhiogo Machado & Renette Dorval Photo courtesy of Nathan Fiske Photography

I'm excited to announce that my work, "Eaten", has been accepted to the Twenty-First Annual College Show at ArtsWorcester! This is the first time I've submitted work to a gallery show and have been accepted, which is particularly exciting. I would strongly encourage everyone to go see the exhibit, which features artwork from other Massachusetts collegiate artists. There is also a public opening reception at the gallery on Wednesday, February 12 from 5pm to 8pm; go see and support amazing college artists!

Last weekend, we welcomed 40 inquiring minds to the East Gallery for Ricardo Barros' Artist Dialogue, all seeking more details surrounding Ricardo's stunning panoramic photographs. Each of his images disrupt traditional perceptions of time and space, and often feature subjects at more than one point in the photo. The photographs in his solo exhibition "An Entanglement of Space and Time", on view at ArtsWorcester through December 15, earned him the Marlene and David Persky Present Tense Prize. This award is given to an artist demonstrating artistic excellence and risk-taking. Lauren Szumita, Director of the Cantor Art Gallery at Holy Cross, guided Ricardo through a series of questions about the exhibition. The pair discussed Ricardo's "purposeful" photography, his technical process, and the stories that make each image shine. Rewind space and time with us by listening to Ricardo's Artist Dialogue once more, now available in full on our website: https://lnkd.in/gGEEDpPi ?? Nathan Fiske Photography

Your December visual-arts round-up: the last chance for a few great exhibitions, an open studio event, a terrific group show, and my current favorite painting at WAM. Happy holidays.

Yo! As a proud 2023 Alum and current selection committee member, I'm hyped to share this opportunity! ?? A4A's Capacity-Building Program is a game-changer for Worcester County creatives. Being the only North Central MA artist in my cohort opened doors I never imagined - from refining my hip-hop vision to stepping up as a community leader. ?? Now accepting applications for 2025! 10 spots available across all disciplines. What you get: ? $2k unrestricted grant ? 1:1 creative coaching ? Exclusive workshops ? ArtsWorcester membership + exhibition ? A creative fam that supports your growth Real talk: This program transformed my artistic journey. Now I'm honored to help select the next cohort and ensure our hip-hop/music community is represented. Apply by Dec 15: [https://lnkd.in/e-8rrCAX] #WorcesterArts #HipHop #ArtistGrants #CreativeCommunity #NorthCentralMA MASS MoCA ArtsWorcester Greater Worcester Community Foundation

We are thrilled to be hosting MASS MoCA's Assets for Artists Worcester County cohort this upcoming year, with support from Greater Worcester Community Foundation! Applications for this 2025 Capacity-Building Program are open for artists through December 15, 2024. ?? Find additional information and apply here: https://lnkd.in/ePjs7Z6K