For 2021, The Velocity Fund is proud to announce the results of its fourth year of re-granting. Twelve new art projects—conceived by Philadelphia artists—will be awarded $5,000 each.  

 The 2021 Velocity Fund grantees are in alphabetical order: 

• Wren Rene- The Command Center to Bring Women Home 
• Marcellus Armstrong, Talking Walls 
• Sanchel Brown, Wheelz of Life (C)  
• M. Asli Dukan, Penntrification 
• Maria Dumlao, Mas Masarap Magkasama (more delicious together)  
• Rami George, Virtues Vol. 1—Remixed and Reinterpreted 
• Elena Guzman, Smile4Kime  
• Wi-Moto Nyoka, Black Women Are Scary   
• Cesar Viveros, El Terreno: A Community Driven Garden to Table Initiative  
• Andrea Walls, The Museum of Black Joy (Phase 2)  
• Lori Waselchuk, Them That Do: Citizens All (working title)  
• Arien Wilkerson, LOVE8   

Established with the support of The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, The Velocity Fund is one of numerous Regional Regranting programs launched by the foundation to fund “under-the-radar artistic activity” by partnering with leading cultural institutions in cities across the nation where the level of self-organized artistic activity is the highest. It is administered by Philadelphia Contemporary. 

Applications were reviewed by a distinguished panel of arts administrators, curators and artists:  

James Claiborne, former Director of Programming, ‎African American Museum in Philadelphia, Kyle Dancewicz, Interim Director, Sculpture Center, Long Island City, New York, Kate McNamara, Providence-based Curator, Artist and Educator from The Interlace Grant Fund, and Arielle Julia Brown, Founder and Director of Black Spatial Relics, 2019 Velocity Fund Grantee and 2020 Added Velocity Grantee.   

This year’s grantees proposed a wide range of projects – from time-based installation performances to experimental animated films: musicals on roller skates to interactive nature walks focusing on food heritage.  What these projects share is a connection to communities throughout Philadelphia, an ethos of collaboration, and innovative visions of outreach in the midst of on-going change. 

As panelist Kate McNamara noted: “I feel honored to have glimpsed the broad spectrum of Philadelphia artists through the Velocity Fund grant cycle, and I am thrilled with the final selection of grantees, whose work reflects some of the hopefulness and re-imagining this critical and historical moment in time calls for.”   

 James Claiborne reflects on his role in the selection process,  “It was a real honor and pleasure to serve as a panelist for this year’s Velocity Fund grants. The work we encountered through this process truly showcased the vibrancy, diversity and resilience of the Philadelphia cultural sector, and reaffirmed the inherent collaborative spirit that so many of us value and uphold through our work and creative pursuits.” 

Kyle Dancewicz elaborates, “Collaboration is often portrayed as a value in its own right, but the artists and groups selected to receive Velocity Fund grants this year show that collaboration can and should be a rigorously interrogated dimension of a practice with a range of important outcomes, from discrete artworks and performances, to interdisciplinary learning, to meaningful public engagement.” 

“The Foundation is grateful for the hard work its Regional Regranting Program partners put into their efforts to stay attuned to the creative currents in their communities,” says Rachel Bers, Program Director at the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, “The Velocity Fund offers important support to Philadelphia artists as they engage with, intervene into, and push against the boundaries of what is possible in our cultural moment.” 

 Harry Philbrick, Founding Director and CEO of Philadelphia Contemporary, welcomes this year’s cohort “All of these awarded artists’ projects in unique and inspiring ways discover and deepen the connections between us.  It is an honor for all of us at Philadelphia Contemporary to serve and support these artists in realizing their vision through the Velocity Fund.  We are grateful to the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts for their generous support.”  

Due to continued health guidance prohibiting large gatherings, we will not be holding a public reception to celebrate the 2021 Velocity Fund grantees at this time.  Stay tuned for a Spring 2022 celebration.  

About Philadelphia Contemporary 

Founded in 2016, Philadelphia Contemporary presents visual art, performance art, and spoken word across the city of Philadelphia. A nomadic contemporary art organization with ambitions to establish a freestanding, globally oriented and locally aware non-collecting arts institution, Philadelphia Contemporary has pioneered a vibrant and sustainable model based on partnerships and collaborations. Having commenced pop-up programming in October 2016, Philadelphia Contemporary continues to develop an ambitious roster of projects that will be mounted in the coming years.