Announcing the 2022 Creator Development Fund Grant Recipients 

Written By

Jill Strominger

New Music USA is proud to announce the selection of 112 awardees for the 2022 Creator Development Fund. This program aims to enable individual music creators to lead the development of new and existing ideas and collaborations, and get to the next stage of their creative practice. Totaling $335,000 in funding, this year’s grants support a wide range of activities with new music as a central element, and are intended to help artists during the challenging circumstances created by COVID-19.

This year’s program supports twice as many creators as last year, which is part of New Music USA’s commitment to supporting at least 100 creators and 100 organizations as part of our 10th anniversary year. The awardees represent the innovative and diverse field that New Music USA is dedicated to supporting across the US; 54% of awardees identify as women, non-binary or transgender artists, 71% of the awardees are BIPOC, and awardees are based in 25 states.

Creator Development Fund grants will support costs that relate to collaboration with other artists and practitioners following the social isolation we’ve all experienced over the past two years. Our fund also strives to stimulate creativity and collaboration between music creators and other artists from any discipline or background and to build community in response to the restrictions we have all been facing.

New Music USA is committed to making all of our grant programs equitable, by removing barriers in the application process and by consistently elevating all artists and organizations who receive our support. Our Creator Development Fund applicants are given straightforward guidelines and are asked to supply a brief project description (either written or video recorded) and work samples.

New Music USA’s peer review process for Creator Development Fund applications reflects ongoing efforts to dismantle bias. For this round, which attracted 1107 applications, New Music USA engaged 41 artists, composers, musicians, and administrators, building a panel formed of 63% women and 41% people of color, working from locations around the country.

Vanessa Reed, President and CEO of New Music USA, says,

“I am proud that this year, as part of our 10th anniversary, we’ve been able to support more creators than ever before as they continue to face challenges brought by the ongoing pandemic. The breadth of inspiring applications we received from across the country demonstrates the resilience of our community and the ongoing needs of individual creators to have access to resources in these uncertain times. I cannot wait to see the creativity and collaboration that flourishes from these artists.”

Congrats to the 2022 Creator Development Fund Recipients! 
Learn more about the awardees, their collaborations, and the program here.

  • Abraham Brody — Brooklyn, NY
  • Adam Levin — Ashland, MA
  • AhSa-Ti Nu Tyehimba-Ford — Oakland, CA
  • Alaina Ferris — Brooklyn, NY
  • Alex Peh — New Paltz, NY
  • Alexis Cuadrado — Brooklyn, NY
  • Alysia Lee — Baltimore, MD
  • Amir ElSaffar — Brooklyn, NY
  • Andrew Algire — Valley Cottage, NY
  • Arthur Flowers —Syracuse, NY
  • Ashni Dave — Brooklyn, NY
  • Billy Dean Thomas — Boston, MA
  • Bobby Ge — Baltimore, MD
  • Borahm Chay — New York, NY
  • Brandon Rolle — Los Angeles, CA
  • Brian Nelson — Houston, TX
  • Carmina Escobar — Los Angeles, CA
  • Caroline Cabading — San Francisco, CA
  • Carter Hogan — Austin, TX
  • Cecilia Kang — Baton Rouge, LA
  • Chari Glogovac-Smith  — Seattle, WA
  • Chelsea Randall — Brooklyn, NY
  • Christopher Nicholas — Oakland, CA
  • Clara Latham — Brooklyn, NY
  • Concetta Abbate — Glendale, NY
  • Damon Davis — St. Louis, MO
  • Daniel Corral — South Pasadena, CA
  • Danny Degene — Seattle, WA
  • David Fiuczynski — Redding, CT
  • Edem K. Garro — Omaha, NE
  • Elisabeth Remy Johnson — Atlanta, GA
  • Emily Koh — Norcross, GA
  • Erika Dohi — New York, NY
  • Everett Reid — Detroit, MI
  • Frances White — Princeton, NJ
  • Freddie Bryant — Bronx, NY
  • Gabriel Brenner — Norwalk, CA
  • Gilad Cohen — Ridgewood, NJ
  • Gwen Laster — Beacon, NY
  • Harry Allen — Washington, D.C.
  • Hezekiah Davis III  — Philadelphia, PA
  • Hyeyung Yoon — Jersey City, NJ
  • Imani Russell — Brooklyn, NY
  • JayVe Montgomery — Brentwood, TN
  • Jeff Fairbanks — Beacon, NY
  • Jessica Ackerley — Honolulu, HI
  • Jim Rea — Springfield, MO
  • Joe Horton — Minneapolis, MN
  • Joey Chang —Brooklyn, NY + Damian Norfleet  — Minneapolis, MN
  • Jordyn Davis — Brooklyn, NY
  • Jose Soto — Boston, MA
  • Jose Veliz — Miami, FL
  • Joshua Hill — Glendale, CA
  • Joshua Henderson — New York, NY
  • Joshua Graham — Chicago, IL
  • Joshua Musikantow — St. Paul, MN
  • Joyce Kwon — Glendale, CA
  • JP Merz — Los Angeles, CA
  • Juantio Becenti — Farmington, NM
  • Juhi Bansal — Altadena, CA
  • Julian Otis — Chicago, IL
  • Julian Caldwell — New York, NY
  • Julián Muro — Brooklyn, NY
  • Kahlil Cummings — Los Angeles, CA
  • Kai Custodio — Brooklyn, NY
  • Kamau Pendergrass — Oak Park, MI
  • Kimia Hesabi — College Park, MD
  • Kirsten Volness — Portland, OR
  • Lea Anderson — New York, NY
  • Maritza Garibay — Hamtramck, MI
  • Marvin Diz Aballi — Astoria, NY
  • Mary Ellen Childs — Minneapolis, MN
  • Matthew Ryals — Brooklyn, NY
  • Megan Lanz — Aurora, CO
  • Meghan Bennett — Fresno, CA
  • Mendi + Keith Obadike — Montclair, NJ
  • Michael Charette — Bayfield, WI
  • Michael Blume — Montclair, NJ
  • Michael Echaniz — Santa Clarita, CA
  • Midori Larsen — Forest Hills, NY
  • Moira Smiley — Bristol, VT
  • Monique (BL) Shirelle Mull — Philadelphia, PA
  • Nava Dunkelman — Brooklyn, NY
  • Nehemiah Luckett — New York, NY
  • Nicolas Benavides — Los Angeles, CA
  • Nirmali Fenn — Forest Hills, NY
  • Noah Preminger — Mansfield, MA
  • Nyokabi Kariuki — Potomac, MD
  • Odean Pope — Philadelphia, PA
  • Paris Benford — Austin, TX
  • Paul Steven Ray — Brooklyn, NY
  • Rema Hasumi — Brooklyn, NY
  • Roshni Samlal — Elmont, NY
  • Russell Scarbrough — Rochester, NY
  • Sakari Vanderveer — Redlands, CA
  • Samantha Rise — Philadelphia, PA
  • Seong Ae Kim — Bayside, NY
  • Shanan Estreicher — Jackson Heights, NY
  • Shara Nova — Detroit, MI
  • Sofia Rei — Brooklyn, NY
  • Spirit Paris McIntyre — New Orleans, LA
  • Sugar Vendil — Brooklyn, NY
  • Suzanne Kite — Tulsa, OK
  • Svetlana Shmulyian — Pound Ridge, NY
  • Trevor New — Brooklyn, NY
  • Veena Chandra — Latham, NY
  • Victor Marquez-Barrios — Kirksville, MO
  • Victoria Machado — Brooklyn, NY
  • Yayoi Ikawa — Brooklyn, NY
  • Yongyun Zhang — La Jolla, CA
  • Yozmit Kwon — Carson, CA

New Music USA also awards select Partnership Grants to artist-led initiatives that align with the priorities of our Creator Development Fund providing music creators and individual artists with unique opportunities for collaboration, mentorship, and peer learning. Congratulations to Niloufar Nourbakhsh who has been awarded a Partnership Grant to support her work with the ANIM Composition Residency.

Thank You to Our Panelists
We would like to extend our deep gratitude to the panelists who reviewed Creator Development Fund applications: Adrianne Pope; Allison Clendaniel; Amanda Ekery; Amanda Guest; Andrew Bliss; Ashley Shabankareh; Brian Chin; Cecilia Smiths; Clint Needham; Courtenay Casey; Daniel Ketter; Davalois Fearon; Emlyn Johnson; Garrett Schumann; Greg Nahabedian; Jenni Brandon; Joel Peterson; John Chittum; Joseph Lulloff; Juan Pablo Contreras; Kedrick Armstrong; Kristin Lee; Leaha Villarreal; Lisa Parrott; Luke Stewart; Maggie Vail; Mary Prescott; Nicole Parks; Nirmala Rajasekar; Noah Meites; Nomi Epstein; Olivia Junell; Penny Brandt; Peter Tracy; Rene Marie; Renee Benson; Rick Robinson; Sarah Tiedemann; Sophie Brady; Tomeka Reid; Yelley Taylor.

Funding Transparency 
Both the New Music Creator Development Fund and the New Music Organizational Development Fund are made possible by the generous funders who either donated to our endowment or generously donate to New Music USA annually. Some of these funders had or have specific requests regarding the kinds of work we support because of their geographical location or particular genre areas, which includes around 50% of our funds going to New York-based artists or organizations. Please find more detailed breakdown info in our FAQs.

Thank You to Our Funders  
The Creator Development Fund received major support from The ASCAP Foundation, The Cheswatyr Foundation, the Howard Gilman Foundation, and The Sorel Organization. This program is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, and supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council. Support for the New Music Creator Development Fund is also provided by contributions from the New Music USA endowment. Support for New Music USA and its many programs and activities is provided by foundations, corporations, government agencies, and hundreds of individual contributors. Learn more here.

About New Music USA 
New Music USA supports and amplifies the sounds of tomorrow by nurturing the creation, performance, and appreciation of new music for adventurous listeners in the United States and beyond. We empower and connect US-based music makers, organizations, and audiences by providing funding through our grants; offering support and fostering new connections through our programs; deepening knowledge through our online magazine, NewMusicBox; and working as an advocate for the field. New Music USA envisions a thriving and equitable ecosystem for new music throughout the United States. Learn more at newmusicusa.org

 

Images, L-R: Sofia Rei by Shervin Lainez; Kamau Omar Pendergrass by Kyle Powell; Adam Levin by Bogdan Urma; Hyeyung Sol Yoon by Shirley Yu.