$1.3 Million Invested in Northwest Arkansas Artists Since 2018
Thirty-one Northwest Arkansas artists were selected for Artists 360’s seventh cohort and awarded $300,000 in grants. This includes the selection of John Rankine, multimedia artist, curator, and community arts organizer, of Eureka Springs, Arkansas, for the prestigious $25,000 Artists 360 Creative Impact Award.
The grantees will be the first Artists 360 cohort to benefit from practice-based funding, which will allow them to apply the grant to their overall creative development rather than the funding being tied to a specific project. Also new to this grant cycle is enhanced grant amounts across all categories—including the expansion of the student category into separate undergraduate and graduate grants
Artists 360 ignites the careers of artists of all disciplines in Benton, Carroll, Crawford, Sebastian, and Washington counties by providing money, strategic management, and mentoring. By elevating local artists, Artists 360 brings value to the greater Northwest Arkansas region overall, creating a place where creativity and the arts can thrive.
“We are thrilled to broaden the scope of the Artists 360 program with the generous increased funding from the Walton Family Foundation,” said Diane Scott, director of artist services at Mid-America Arts Alliance. “Artists 360’s shift to practice-based funding provides recipients with the flexibility to invest in their creative practice, ultimately strengthening the arts ecosystem in the region. The combination of artist funding, professional development, and peer network development has made a significant impact not just on the Artists 360 grantees, but to artists across the region.”
This year, the Artists 360 Creative Impact Award recognizes John Rankine of Eureka Springs, Arkansas, for his achievements in the arts. The Creative Impact Award provides one exceptional artist based in Northwest Arkansas with unrestricted funds of $25,000 and professional development opportunities, including retreats that facilitate network building. Candidates are selected through both nominations and formal applications. Rankine was also an Artists 360 project grant recipient in 2018 for his photographic essay, Men With Earrings.
John Rankine says of the award:
At almost 70 years of age, I have been creating artwork for many years, and also encouraging other artists through friendship and the curatorial process. I can’t begin to express the validation this award has given me—to be recognized by a jury of peers for my life’s work and for the impact they believe I’ve made on our city’s community of artists.
The additional 30 artists were through a competitive application process and include a wide range of disciplines and perspectives.
They are:
Community Activator Grants ($17,500)
Bea Apple (Bentonville), Paige Dirksen (Bella Vista), Dr. Brandon Chase Goldsmith (Fort Smith), Paul Siebenthal (Fayetteville), and Hiba Tahir (Fayetteville).
Practicing Artist Grants ($10,000)
Ana Buitrago (Fayetteville), Danqi Cai (Fayetteville), John Dyas (Bella Vista), Lisa Marie Evans (Fayetteville), Shelby Fleming (Fayetteville), Vincent Frimpong (Fayetteville), Craig Hartenberger (Springdale), Dani Ives (Rogers), CeCe Marie (Springdale), Jacob McCoy (Siloam Springs), Elizabeth Muscari (Fayetteville), Esther Reina (Bentonville), Eddie Rodriguez (Fayetteville), Sara Schellenberg (Fayetteville), and Coco Vasquez (Rogers).
Graduate Student Grants ($5,000)
Mayssa Hashaad (The University of Arkansas), Basil Parnell (The University of Arkansas), Caite Mae Ramos (The University of Arkansas), Shannon P. Smith (The University of Arkansas), and Carletta Williams (The University of Arkansas).
Undergraduate Student Grants ($2,500)
Autumn Blaylock (The University of Arkansas), Alex Dotulong (The University of Arkansas- Fort Smith), Ronnie Gunderman (The University of Arkansas), Austin Hughes (The University of Arkansas), and Jonathan Mendez (The University of Arkansas).
From its inception in 2018, Artists 360 has awarded $1.3 million to seven cohorts of 157 artists in Northwest Arkansas and the River Valley. The Walton Family Foundation provided $300,000 in funds for Artists 360 grant awards this year, up from $234,000 in 2023.