Assistant Professor Erin Besler and Ian Besler have been named 2019 United States Artists Fellows for their contributions to the field of architecture. This year, 45 artists and collectives working across disciplines will each receive an unrestricted $50,000 cash award. The 2019 USA Fellows range in age from their 20s through their 70s and hail from 20 states across urban, suburban, and rural communities.
Spanning creative disciplines including Architecture & Design, Craft, Dance, Film, Media, Music, Theater & Performance, Traditional Arts, Visual Art, and Writing, USA Fellowships are awarded to artists at all stages of their careers, working across the country, through a rigorous nomination and panel selection process. The entirely unrestricted Fellowships encourage artists to use the funds for whatever they need, be it housing, medical expenses, debt reduction, their artistic practice, or a much needed vacation. Since its founding in 2006, USA has distributed over $25 million to more than 500 artists and collectives.
Past awardees include cartoonist Chris Ware (2006), choreographer Anna Halprin (2007), writer Tayari Jones (2008), fashion designers Kate & Laura Mulleavy of Rodarte (2009), visual artist Glenn Ligon (2010), conceptual artist Lorraine O’Grady (2011), filmmaker Barry Jenkins (2012), master Mardi-Gras suitmaker Darryl Montana (2014), performance artist Narcissister (2015), architects Johnston Marklee (2016), and musician Wayne Shorter (2018).
