Jury perspectives on the 2024 Creative Bursary recipients
The Supporting Act Foundation
Generous. Determined. Open minded. These are some of the terms used by the jury to describe the 2024 Creative Bursary grantees, all of whom are pushing new creative frontiers and exploring the intersection between identity and wider society.
Below, we’ve pulled together the jury’s statements about each individual artist selected for the program. You can read more about who they are here.
“Abdellah Rais is blending traditional Berber music with modern house influences, an innovative project to preserve Amazigh traditions while exploring new musical frontiers. The jury were impressed by Abdellah’s dedication to Berber cultural preservation and passion for community building through the music.”
"Ayham Allouch's art bridges sound and memory, stimulating collective healing and transformation. As a Syrian-born, Berlin-based artist, Ayham challenges dominant viewpoints through enchanting sound art and field recordings. His active participation in diverse artistic groups, like S A V V Y Contemporary and the C1 Collective, demonstrates his commitment to inclusive and transformative art. Ayhan's aspiration of creating a decentralised music education platform for electronic music in Arabic, impressed the jury tremendously. We hope that this bursary will facilitate these plans as well as the development of sound workshops and live performances."
“Bee McQueen's artistic practice merges performance, poetry, and audience participation to explore the contradictions within the self and their societal implications. She brings a unique perspective to her work, including her forthcoming autobiographical show “Into the New,” which addresses ADHD and mental health. Her recent engagement with neurodivergent youth through immersive process dramas highlights her commitment to inclusive education and personal growth. The jury admired her vision for a travelling theatre company and a community youth group aimed at bridging gaps between neurodivergent and neurotypical individuals. She hopes to advance her mission to nurture acceptance and creativity in diverse communities.”
“Gifty Amoateng's practice as a textile and material designer is deeply rooted in her German-Ghanaian heritage and her passion for innovation. Her work explores the intersection of identity and environment, and her use of pre-colonial methods and storytelling imparts a rich cultural significance to her creations. The jury was particularly impressed by her recent project with the Goethe Institut Namibia and Akademie Schloss Solitude, where she engaged with Namibia's colonial history through collaborative art. Gifty’s commitment to creating "HYBRID," a space for BIPOC artists, demonstrates her dedication to fighting for inclusivity and empowerment. This bursary will enable Gifty to solidify her position and continue her mission to create sustainable artistic and cultural spaces within the BIPOC community.”
"Drawing on fictional and autobiographical elements as well as shared experiences and collective memories of diasporic communities in Germany, Wang’s practice maintains a clear focus on social change, particularly in terms of race, gender, and class inequities. Active in several queer and Asian collectives in Germany, Wang is also co-founder of the Asian girl band B_in bad weather. The jury were both touched and excited by the artist’s future plans, including reading groups, a new script, and literary projects centred on mothers and female relationships, and autobiographical writings by queer women. Faced with limited job opportunities (due to language and cultural barriers), Wang will benefit from the bursary by having the space and financial mobility to push her work forward more sustainably."
“We were struck by the generosity in Jocelyn Arnold’s practice. He seeks to learn from issues he’s encountered in navigating different spaces, from art school to social settings, and to create art which not only provides a platform to speak about this but also helps other people who may be feeling the same way.”
"The multidisciplinary work of Kani is rooted in questioning and renegotiating the status quo and seeking wider participation in the process of resisting structural oppression. Their openness to collaborate with people in and outside of the arts, through multifaceted methods – especially the idea of a grief choir – was exciting for the jury."
"Lauren’s clear-eyed passion and determination to dismantle problematic power structures and represent marginalised communities flows clearly through their application. The way Lauren clearly pointed to projects and initiatives that embodied these views were much appreciated by the jury. Touching on examples of personal challenges and how they overcame them gives us the confidence that upon receiving the bursary Lauren will thrive and defy challenges in order to deliver diverse and much-needed narratives into the world."
"Lele’s work captures the lives of non-binary individuals, exploring gender identity through portrait pictures, using photography as an intersectional social tool for documenting LGBTQ+ and immigrant realities. The jury was focused upon Lele’s determination to engage the community, enabling them to narrate their stories in a dignified way through their own images."
"Leroy’s intersectional practice of exploring his indigenous heritage and the trans community through graphic design proved intriguing to the jury. Storytelling is a recurring theme in his practice, but apart from highlighting lived experiences of marginalised people, there is also the significance of the restoration and preservation of an underrepresented culture, which we are excited to see more of."
"Through illustration and storytelling, Siu’s dedication to the celebration and preservation of Hong Kong’s culture was clear throughout the application. We particularly enjoyed learning about the workshops with relocated children through her Asian Diaspora Women Artists group."
"Makossiri creates immersive electronic music that blends different styles including hardcore techno, folk-punk, trance, and industrial noise with African rhythms and Afro-Futurist themes, merging ancient cultural stories with futuristic elements. The jury was struck by the innovative proposal and especially by the dedication shown to amplifying marginalised voices and fostering community through music. We believe the bursary will enable them to further enrich their artistic practice and to continue supporting emerging African musicians."
"Masha Bolšakova’s practice draws together illustration, design, and architecture and is notable for its focus on urban change, environmental research, and cultural rights particularly relating to her native Estonia. Masha’s commitment to social change is evident in her engagement in editorial work, in particular the youth magazine Narvamus, established to challenge forms of discrimination generated by conflict between Estonian and Russian-speaking communities. The judges were impressed by Masha’s multidisciplinary approach and clear plans for future projects."
"We enjoyed Ramon Theobald Seabra da Cruz’s mission of working with European institutions to create more routes for young Brazilians to build their musical careers. He seeks to make the industry more accessible, from the inside out, and we hope this funding will help him do so."
“Sarah Ama Duah’s sculptural practice illuminates the intersection of history and Afro-diasporic existence through powerful, Black feminist perspectives. Her work reimagines the records of female guest workers in former East Germany, highlighting their often-overlooked stories and struggles, an approach exemplified in the piece "Daffodils for Feast Day". Sarah’s commitment to engaged performances and resource sharing underscores her dedication to community upliftment and intergenerational exchange. Her ability to weave personal, historical, and artistic elements into compelling accounts, further establishes confidence in the jury. This bursary will help Sarah further her research in sculptural appreciation and support her vision of pursuing a practice-based PhD and developing courses to guide emerging artists.”
"Sheyda Hashemi’s project is dedicated to documenting the lived experiences of women from Afghanistan, focusing on subjects linked to identity, displacement and hope. With a focus on personal experience and challenging social stereotypes by using inspiring storytelling, Sheyda is an advocate for Afghan women. The Jury were especially struck by Sheyda's work promoting the cause of marginalised Afghan communities, her own experiences of escaping from the Taliban, and her determination to publicise her story as a means of telling the world about the resilience of Afghan women in the face of extreme hardship."
"Sylvie Pedra is completing a BA in Graphic Design at LISAA Paris Design Graphique. A first generation migrant with a Cameroonian background, the artist faces several intersectional barriers: financial challenges, health concerns, and a history of domestic violence. An aspiring creative director, Pedra maintains an emphasis on marginalised groups, both in terms of subject matter and also in professional collaboration. This approach is evident, for example, in her work with the French non-profit Sistâ Global Club. The bursary would impact her ability to dedicate time to her practice and would help to secure a safe space to live and work whilst completing studies. The resilience shown by Pedra impressed the jury."
"Thu Van's art resonates beautifully due to its touching exploration of identity and diaspora. As a diasporic queer artist of Vietnamese heritage, and a fine arts major, Nguyễn utilises traditional crafts, video projections, and everyday objects to create immersive works that speak to collective trauma and belonging. Her formation of the Asian Art Workers Collective and engagement with global diasporic networks reflect a commitment to decolonialist values and cultural preservation. Thu Van’s plans to bring institutional capital to the Global South further exemplify her dedication to uplifting marginalized peoples through art. Her work is a vital contribution to contemporary discourse on identity and belonging."
"Tú Pham’s application stood out to us as a jury due to its unique approach to exploring identity, blending material realities with otherworldly drag to re-imagine new possibilities. In addition, we were very impressed by the legacy he is already building in spotlighting under-represented narratives in film and amplifying voices from the Global South via the Saigon Experimental Film Festival he co-founded."
Read more about our 2024 Jury here, or about this year's Impact Grant recipients here.
