Cazenovia artist Peter Beasecker last week was named a recipient of a prestigious New York Foundation for the Arts Artists’ Fellowship. Beasecker, a recipient under the crafts/sculpture category, was the only fellowship recipient from Madison County and one of only a handful of recipients from anywhere above Westchester County. He will receive an unrestricted cash grant of $7,000 to support him in his ongoing artistic work. Beasecker was unavailable for comment as of press time.
The Artists’ Fellowship Program, now in its 29th year, makes unrestricted cash grants to artists working in 15 disciplines, five per year on a triennial basis. The program is highly competitive and this year’s recipients and finalists were selected by discipline-specific peer panels from an applicant pool of 4,117, according to program information. This year’s awards totaled $630,000 to 93 artists throughout New York state in the disciplines of crafts/sculpture; digital/electronic art; non-fiction literature; poetry and printmaking/drawing/artist books. The program also has named 15 finalists (three per discipline), who do not receive a cash award but benefit from myriad other NYFA services. “We are so grateful to our partners at the New York State Council on the Arts, which provides leadership support for this program, as well as our other funders, for giving us the means to recognize the extraordinary breadth of artistic talent throughout the state,” said NYFA Executive Director Michael L. Royce. “Because they are unrestricted, these grants give artists the gift of time and allow them to complete projects, experiment with new forms and materials and create the work which transforms all our lives.” NYFA’s Artists’ Fellowships are administered by NYFA with leadership support from the New York State Council on the Arts. Additional support is provided by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, Deutsche Bank Americas Foundation, the Lily Auchincloss Foundation and the Milton and Sally Avery Arts Foundation. For more information about the artists’ fellowship program, and the complete list of recipients and finalists, visit nyfa.org/Content/Show/Artists’ Fellowships.