United States Artists: Moving to Chicago

This morning at the Chicago Cultural Center, a number of members of the press collected for the announcement of United States Artists’ move from LA to Chicago, naming Carolina Garcia Jayaram, formerly of the Chicago Artists Coalition (CAC) the new CEO of the foundation back in January. Special Events Commissioner Michelle T. Boone, local USA Board of Directors members Jack Guthman, noted art collector, and past grant recipient David Hartt (USA Cruz Fellow, Visual Arts 2012) and Ella Jenkins (USA Collins Fellow, Music 2009) were in attendance. Positioned against a large-scale Kerry James Marshall, and other pieces in 35 Years of Public Art on view in Exhibit Hall, Boone remarked “I cannot tell you what this move means for the philanthropic community in Chicago.”

Jayaram announced a preview of her plans for USA, one of the nation’s largest grant-making organizations spanning eight disciplines, including a summit of past awardees to align with the announcement of the 2014 recipient closer to the end of the calendar year. “USA not only wants to be a part of creating the new work, but also in bringing past fellows together,” says Jayaram, “we are reconsidering new ways to shape the awards that has a greater impact, call it a convening or a summit for now – it will take the idea of the awards ceremony done in the past and elongate it to a two day event, inviting colleagues, fellows, and funders from the city and region to come together,” said Jayaram.

Hartt spoke of his experience as a USA Fellow, “This concept of ‘diversity’ refers not only to geographical differences, but to differences in maturity, as well. Prior to winning the fellowship, I had always assumed it was based on years of toil and obscurity, and that [this grant] would be a crowning jewel of recognition for the length of [an artist’s] practice and rigor. But I was selected very early on in my career, and it meant a lot to me. It is a grant that not only recognizes the achievements toward the middle or end of an artists’ career, but at the beginning as well.”