MOZAIK Philanthropy Welcomes U.S. Artists To 2nd Annual Future Art Awards

The 2021 awards’ theme “Re-Imagining Democracy” is an arts-based exploration of the changing meanings, practices, paradoxes, and futures associated with Democracy.

Los Angeles, California Apr 10, 2021 (Issuewire.com) - Now in its second year, The Future Art Awards, hosted by MOZAIK Philanthropy, will welcome submissions from artists across the country, which represent the 2021 awards' theme: Re-Imagining Democracy. Inspired by recent social movements and the synergy of two Greek words: demos and kratos (people rule), the contest theme asks artists to expand the limits of democratic possibility through their own creative point of view and visioning.

Submissions are being accepted now through May 10, 2021. The Future Art Awards are open to both professional and amateur U.S. artists. All artistic mediums and creative expressions are welcome, including visual/media arts, sound arts, performance, and social practice. BIPOC and all other historically marginalized or underrepresented people are encouraged to submit their art.

An independent jury of artists from across the nation will review the submissions through a blind review process, ultimately, awarding 10 winning artists with $2,000 award honorariums. An additional 40 artists will be selected for 'special mention' awards of $1,000 each. Collectively, all 50 winning artists will be invited to showcase their work in The Future Art Awards Virtual Exhibition, opening Summer 2021, with curation provided by Iranian American cultural historian, educator, and arts curator, Dr. Shiva Balaghi.

"The Future Art Awards was originally conceived of as a way to provide direct assistance, support, and exposure to artists facing the challenges of the global pandemic. Opening the competition to all artists, MOZAIK created a truly inclusive competition by adapting the 'flow fund model' of philanthropy to art prizes. For the 2021 Future Art Awards winners, we've developed a virtual exhibition design that reflects the theme of Reimagining Democracy," said Dr. Balaghi

Jury members of The 2021 Future Art Awards include the multidisciplinary student artist Arabia Parkey;  the contemporary mixed-media artist and muralist Amy Smith; the Executive Director of the FOR-SITE Foundation and principal of Haines Gallery, Cheryl Haines; the multidisciplinary artist Chuck Styles, the interdisciplinary artist D'nae Harrison; the visual artist Francesca Bifulco; the Indigenous artist and cultural organizer, Joel Garcia (Huichol); the visual artist John "Jahni" Moore; the contemporary artist Miles Jaffe; and the multidisciplinary artist Mobina Nouri.

The initiative to launch The Future Art Awards came about to ameliorate the alienating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic by way of supporting and recognizing artists with the direct relief of honorariums for their work. Winning artists receive a check in the mail, in the same way Americans receive federal stimulus support. The Executive Director of MOZAIK Philanthropy, Keely Badger, describes the value of the Future Art Awards as "a philanthropic initiative rooted in a celebration of creative disruption, inspired by the rise of a new art market's paradigm that centers diversity, equity, inclusion, and access above blue-chip tradition."

Future Art Awards juror John "Jahni" Moore further intoned: "Art is the universal language. It's soulspeak, connecting us across illusory boundaries of race, class, social, and political positioning.  Art is the new frontier of change for which our world is crying."

MOZAIK's Director of Development, Daria Mashouf adds: "We are extremely excited and honored to continue a participatory grantmaking practice in an effort to democratize philanthropy and the art world. The Future Art Awards has become the ideal channel and medium for successfully accomplishing our goals of affecting change here at MOZAIK."

Submissions to The 2nd Annual Future Art Awards' open call for art are welcome through the May 10, 2021 deadline. To learn more and apply, please visit: https://mozaikphilanthropy.org/future-art-awards-2021/

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About MOZAIK Philanthropy

MOZAIK's mission is to democratize philanthropy by exploring and modeling new practices in philanthropy with disruptive, creative, and catalytic potential. Year after year, the organization invites communities to help govern its grant-making decisions, democratizing access to the foundation's philanthropic equity, while exploring new modes of participatory, inclusionary, and socially innovative grantmaking.

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