PROUD TO BE ONE OF THE TWENTY FIVE 2014 WINNERS OF BRONX RECOGNIZES ITS OWN (BRIO) AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN POETRY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Contact: Phil Cardone
Phone: 718-931-9500 x33
E-Mail: phil@bronxarts.org
Web: www.bronxarts.org

BCA CELEBRATES 25 YEARS of BRIO on WEDNESDAY, JUNE 4th 

with Twenty-Five New BRIO Winners for Artistic Excellence at the 

2014 Award Presentation at Longwood Art Gallery @ Hostos 

(May 16, 2014 – Bronx) Twenty-five Bronx artists are the 2014 recipients of BCA’s prestigious Bronx Recognizes Its Own (BRIO) Award for artistic excellence. An award reception and networking event will be held on Wednesday, June 4th at 5:45pm at Longwood Art Gallery at Hostos Community College.

The June 4th event marks the 25th anniversary of BRIO, and is one of many activities scheduled for that
evening’s Bronx Trolley First Wednesday Arts & Culture Tour at the Longwood Art Gallery @ Hostos, along with a number of free trolley activities along the South Bronx Cultural Corridor. BRIO winners, past and present, are invited to socialize and network while welcoming the 2014 BRIO winners into the fold.

The 2014 BRIO Award recipients each receive a grant of $3,000. They are:

Literary Arts (8): Nahshon Anderson (non-fiction), Mercedes Augusta (fiction), Judith Baumel (poetry), Paul Bulman (poetry), Gina Clark (fiction), Orlando Ferrand (poetry), Bruce Tallerman (fiction), Matthew Thorburn (poetry). Media Arts (2): Nigel HoSang (narrative film/video), Macdara (Uibh Aille) Vallely (narrative film/video). Performing Arts (8): Davalois Fearon (dance), Larisa Gelman (instrumental music performance), Diana Henry (acting), Laura Kaminsky (music composition), Erik Maldonado (spoken word), Marlyn Matias (acting), Sheila Reinhold (instrumental music performance), Peggy Robles-Alvarado (performance poetry). Visual Arts (7): Sean Paul Gallegos (installation), Borinquen Gallo (mixed media), Lisa Lebofsky (painting), Agnes Murray (printmaking), Ignacio Soltero (photography), Yarisa Colón Torres (crafts), Tammy Wofsey (printmaking).

BRIO awardees must complete a one-time public service activity to receive their complete cash award. Known as the ACE (Artists for Community Enrichment), this activity is an essential component for all BRIO recipients and must be performed within the one-year period of their award. The ACE provides artists with additional visibility and demonstrates to the community the wealth of artistic talent available in our borough.

Since its inception in 1989, BRIO has provided more than $875,000 to 310 artists. The selection of the awardees is based solely on the artistic excellence of the work submitted and judged anonymously by a panel of arts professionals (different panelists each year) from outside the Bronx and working in each respective field. Over its 25 years, BRIO has grown from ten annual awards of $1500 to 25 annual awards of $3,000. The Bronx has the unique distinction of being the only borough in New York City to have an ongoing fellowship award for artists.

The June 4th BRIO reception will feature a special performance by actress and BRIO winner Juliette Jeffers at Longwood Art Gallery @ Hostos, an exhibition and book signing event at the Bronx Museum of the Arts, a photo exhibition at Bronx Documentary Center and a Bronx River Art Center exhibition at BronxArtSpace.

For further information about BCA’s BRIO program, e-mail BRIO@bronxarts.org. For information on June 4th’s Bronx Trolley First Wednesday Arts & Culture Tour or other events and activities of the Bronx Council on the Arts, visit www.bronxarts.org. Hostos Community College is located at 450 Grand Concourse at 149th Street in the Bronx. Take the 2, 4, or 5 train to 149th Street & Grand Concourse.


Funding for BRIO is provided by the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs-Greater New York Arts Development Fund. Additional funding is provided by the NYS Council on the Arts, Lambent Foundation Fund of Tides Foundation, and BCA’s membership program


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