In the spring of 2005, things were going well. After years of hard work, I was chipping away at a life as a playwright - a life that delighted me in every way. There was an “emerging” career that had some life to it. That means productions for existing plays and exciting work on new material. Then I received the Tanne Award; instead of my usual odd jobs and temping, I wrote.
Tanne Award Testimonials:
I am still incredibly honored and grateful to have received a Tanne Foundation award. The money allowed me to purchase an iPad - now a vital tool for downloading and reading scripts and audition sides, while also greatly reducing paper waste. My website received some upgrade attention as well as a few new production photos. I also purchased a couple of new audition outfits, which double as work clothes for Administrative temp jobs between productions. A portion of my award was then deposited into savings, a true luxury for an artist.
The Tanne Foundation Award provided the impetus to start an international performance art festival in Salt Lake City, Utah. We’re going strong and in our 7th year. Thank you again for your generous gift!
When I had grown resigned and given up hope of finding the time or the solace to write again, receiving the Tanne Foundation Award pushed me to go beyond my coping mechanisms, allowed me to immerse myself in artistic endeavors, and inspired me to commit myself to living a more meaningful life. Their gift has facilitated my personal growth as an artist and a human being. I know I have a deeper understanding and appreciation of what is important to me, and I know I have come to accept the life I live with far greater equanimity.
I received my Tanne Award at the moment when I had depleted my savings account and was desperately applying for non-art related (and potentially soul-sucking) jobs. The award gave me another year of financial stability and time to continue developing my work. The award also gave me a sense of trust that there are people out there who understand and want to support experimental and experiential art practices like my own.
In 2010, I made an agreement with myself. After 6 years of trying to balance my art practice and working a non-art related (and soul-sucking) job to support myself, I gave myself one year to focus on making art full time. In that year, I crowd-funded a trip across the US to evolve a significant body of work and from that work, I won a travel fellowship that took me to Mexico which was life-changing. One year of full time art making turned into 2! However, my art takes the form of encounters/ experiences. Without a “product” to be collected or sold this full-time art life was becoming difficult to sustain. Shortly after receiving my Tanne award I began teaching at the college level, went back to school and became the first in my family of origin to earn a Masters degree, and I received a 2015 Foster Prize accompanied by an exhibition at the ICA Boston. I have continued this momentum and have developed new bodies of artwork that have been exhibited locally and internationally. I have had my writing published in international print and online publications and I have received significant funding for my work. Tanne played a significant role in helping me to build the confidence to further evolve my career as an artist. I am forever grateful for this.
Brian and I are forever grateful! For me, Tanne Award was a major encouraging event in my early career. Most recently, I was awarded the 2018 Ellsworth Kelly Award! Each award ecourages me to continue this great art adventure. You know how much dedication and energy art requires. My first major award was Tanne Foundation Award and so it’s very special to me! Much love to everybody at Tanne!
Yes I cried when I got the letter. The simple message that one’s work matters is almost overwhelming, especially if life has become lopsided with paying the bills and taking care of other people’s needs. With the energy and freedom the grant provided, I was able to finish my play, Life&Death&In-Between, and gather some lovely artists around it. It was an important, if quiet, breakthrough for me. Everything I’ve approached since then has been infused with the same strength of purpose.