This post was originally published on artnews.com
The DAG Foundation has created a new, annual $20,000 award aimed at supporting early and mid-career visual artists working in the United States.
“We wanted to try to fill a gap by reaching artists that are at a point where they’ve established themselves and they’re hard-working, but they might not have the resources to reach the next level, and they’re certainly not at the same level yet where everything’s easy and cushy,” DAG Foundation co-founder Alyssa Graham told ARTnews. “The people who have started a career and are somewhat accomplished, but haven’t won the big awards yet or haven’t been rewarded for their accomplishments yet, financially.”
One artist will be awarded the prize each year. Those considered cannot have won, or been a finalist for, a major national or international art prize. The winner of the DAG Prize for visual arts will be able to use the funds for materials, studio space, exhibition costs, travel for research, or other resources necessary to create and present a new visual art project.
There will also be annual DAG Prizes of $20,000 for musicians and writers. Applications for the visual arts prize open on February 1.
The DAG Foundation was established by Alyssa and Douglas Graham, the romantic and musical partners behind the alternative pop group The Grahams, as well as cofounders of the record label and recording studio 3Sirens Music Group.
The Grahams told ARTnews the goal of the DAG Prize will be to really prioritize originality and diversity, including a lot of outreach to ensure a diverse pool of applications.
“There’s so much art out there that’s unacceptable and not celebrated because it doesn’t either fit a certain standard that people are looking for or it’s not what the collectors are looking for, maybe because they’ve been told by other collectors what they’re supposed to be looking for,” Alyssa Graham said, noting the couple’s recent attendance at Art Basel Miami Beach. “It’s pretty evident across the board in all three disciplines.”
To be eligible to apply for the DAG Prize, visual artists must have two of the following criteria: a small art grant or prize, a residency at a reputable arts colony, an MFA from an accredited studio arts program, a solo show at a curated gallery or artist-run space, participation in a group show at a curated gallery or artist-run space, reviews or interviews in reputable arts publications, one or more pieces in a prestigious gallery or museum, and work on a new project that is substantially underway.
Notably, the prize is open to applicants who currently reside in the United States, but is not limited to artists with US citizenship or green card holders.
“The intent is that you are residing in the United States and that your art is going to contribute to the landscape of American art,” Douglas Graham said.
In addition to details about past shows and an artist’s statement, applicants for the DAG Prize in visual arts are also expected to include their favorite previous collections of works, what their future goals are, and show a new project that’s underway or they’re interested in producing. “They have to be thinking towards the future,” Douglas Graham said.
The Grahams said the idea for the DAG Prizes started in 2018 after decades of experience as struggling working professionals themselves, some deep thinking about how to help other artists and the unexpected death of Douglas’s mother. “She left us an amount of money that allowed us to sort of cushion our life, which was 40 years of struggling as artists, but it also allowed us to put some of it to good use,” Alyssa Graham said.
The idea for three separate prizes came from Douglas Graham’s experiences. He has acted as the designer for his band and even worked as an artist on the side.
Ultimately, while The Grahams have done many interviews as musicians, giving out prizes to artists is a “whole new world” for the couple seeking to establish a legacy for their six-year-old daughter in helping keep arts and culture alive in the United States.
“We’re just trying to help individual artists who really have something to say,” Alyssa Graham said. “We’re trying to give them the financial stability to take the time to say what it is they need to say and build a world filled with art for our daughter.”