Applications Open for $2,000 Judy Wapp Art Fellowship Award

Applications for the second annual Judy Wapp Art Fellowship Award are now open, offering a grant of $2,000 to residents of the Regional District of Central Kootenay. This award aims to support artists in various creative fields, including fine art, clay, music, and writing. The deadline for applications is set for March 1, 2024.

The fellowship is designed to assist with the costs of a specific creative project or to facilitate a change in an artist’s creative direction. Interested artists can either submit their own applications or be nominated by others, with no associated application fee. Detailed guidelines for submissions are available on the website visualchemy.net.

Background and Purpose of the Award

Established in memory of Judy Wapp, a New Denver artist who passed away on September 9, 2024, the award seeks to honour her legacy and promote artistic endeavors within the community. The recipient of the fellowship will be announced on Wapp’s birthday, April 20.

David Everest, Wapp’s partner for 54 years and one of the award organizers, expressed satisfaction with the previous year’s submissions, stating, “We were very happy with the number and quality of last year’s applicants, even though it made our job of selecting the recipient harder.” The judging panel includes members of the Wapp family, notably Bessie Wapp, who was named Nelson’s 2015 Cultural Ambassador.

Previous Recipient and Funding

The inaugural winner of the Judy Wapp Art Fellowship was Marya Folinsbee, a playwright from Slocan Valley. The award supported her original work, an absurdist tragicomedy titled The Mosquitos, which premiered in June 2023.

Funding for the fellowship is generated through the sale of Judy Wapp’s collages and donations directed to [email protected]. Potential donors can view available art pieces and their prices on the visualchemy.net website. For any inquiries regarding the award or the purchasing process, interested parties are encouraged to contact the same email address.

The Judy Wapp Art Fellowship Award not only provides financial support but also aims to foster a vibrant artistic community in the Regional District of Central Kootenay, encouraging creativity and collaboration among local artists.