Broadway Advocacy Coalition (BAC) has announced the recipients of the 2024 Artivism Fellowship. Now in its fourth year, the fellowship was created to support artist-activists as they work to impact the world around them.
The selected fellows are Ari Ayesha Afsar and Wildlin Pierrevil. Both will receive $10,000 in financial support, $5,500 in project support, and various mentorship and networking opportunities.
Artivism Fellows participate in a seven-month incubation process which blends artistry, law, policy, and community engagement to leverage their creative talents for systemic change. By the end of the fellowship, each fellow creates a compelling piece of art that engages with the coalition's goals.
This year's fellowship will support BAC's partner, Justice Beyond Punishment (JBPC). JBPC is a coalition working to end reliance on punishment, criminalization, and incarceration as the primary responses to violence.
Over the course of the fellowship, Ari and Wildlin will work directly with JBPC and with the Artivism Advisory Committee, which includes Chala June, Chike Okonkwo, Brandon Michael-Nase, Zakiyah Ansari, Tia Powell Harris, and Yolanda Johnson-Peterkin. The 2024 fellowship will also include a writing retreat at Space on Ryder Farm, a work-in-progress presentation, and a final workshop at a theatre in NYC.
"We embark on a transformative journey with great enthusiasm for the Artivism Fellowship's upcoming year, establishing a potent collaboration with Justice Beyond Punishment," Dria Brown, Co-Director of BAC Programming, said in a statement. "This year, our unwavering commitment includes substantial financial support, focused mentorship, and expert guidance for our fellows. By uniting with Justice Beyond Punishment, we aim to amplify the impact of our fellows' projects, ensuring they are deeply rooted in data that propels systemic change. This collaboration is not only about empowering emerging narratives and advocacy efforts; it's also about equipping Justice Beyond Punishment with an additional influential tool for their ongoing narrative change campaign."
Visit BwayAdvocacyCoalition.org for more information.
