Since 1961, the Cleveland Arts Prize has been awarding annual prizes to Northeast Ohio creatives in a wide range of disciplines. But it only began awarding the Verge Fellowships in 2018 for (predominantly Black) artists in the early stages of their careers. It chose another group of artists in 2019 and then punted until 2024 because … you know, that pandemic thing.
Last year’s group would be hard to top — it included photographer Emanuel Wallace, visual artists Crystal Miller and Aja Joy Grant, musician Robin “Hyperius” Blake and performance poet Zuggie Tate. But they’re going for it!
This year’s group is topped by sax player/composer/band leader Nathan-Paul Davis, who really doesn’t qualify as an “early stage” artist: a master of multiple genres, he’s been a force in the local music for more than a decade and a half. He first made his mark with the wildly popular neo-soul bands Wesley Bright & the Hi-Lights and Wesley Bright & the Honeycombs, while kicking things into high gear with his own mostly instrumental jazz/funk/soul/hip-hop/rock ensemble The Admirables.
This year’s other fellowship winners include storyteller/actor/poet/arts educator Avery LaMar Pope, multi-genre musician Sierra Delaine, filmmaker Wayne Smith III and writer/journalist/storyteller/photographer Unity Powell.
A Verge Fellowship Awards Ceremony will take place at Karamu House on Monday March 16 @ 6pm so you can meet the winners and see what they’re all about on Monday, March 16. It’s free and open to the public.
Learn more about the winners and register for the event at Karamu here.