Via PR

Chicago, IL. July 16, 2020 --  Chicago Artists Coalition is thrilled to announce the recipients of the 2020 ENVISION Grant for Chicago-based artists working in the field of time-based digital and electronic art: Kayla Anderson and Kristin McWharter. Anderson and McWharter have been awarded unrestricted grants of $2,500 each for their demonstrated artistic excellence. 2020 is the inaugural year of the ENVISION Grant, which is made possible by a partnership with the Carl & Marilynn Thoma Art Foundation. 

In announcing the grants, CAC’s Executive and Artistic Director, Teresa Silva said, “We are pleased to provide direct funding to Kayla Anderson and Kristin McWharter for their compelling and rigorous work. Our hope is that the ENVISION Grant will have a positive impact on their studio practice for developing imaginative and experimental new work. CAC is also grateful to the Thoma Art Foundation for their vision and generosity in supporting Chicago artists.”

The Thoma Art Foundation’s Curator of Digital Art, Jason Foumberg added: “The Thoma Foundation is thrilled to sponsor this three-year award for emerging Chicago-based artists working in the digital art field. We often look to emerging artists as we would a crystal ball, to see what the future holds in terms of experimentation, innovation, and paradigm shifts. For this reason, we are pleased that the jury has selected Kayla Anderson and Kristin McWharter, two promising artists working at the forefront of virtual reality who shed light on human relations in our technological age. I look forward to seeing the artworks that Anderson and McWharter develop in the near future.”

Anderson and McWharter will be recognized for their achievement in an award ceremony by CAC and the Thoma Art Foundation, once it is deemed safe to reopen to the public, anticipated for fall or winter 2020.

The next ENVISION Grant application cycle opens May 2021 and more information about the program can be found here.