BADER+SIMON ANNOUNCES EMPOWERMENT GRANT AWARD
National Arts Organization Receives Applications From Around the Globe for Innovative Grant Program Paving the Way for Social Justice in the Art Community
CINCINNATI, OH –April 22, 2024 – Bader+Simon, a national arts organization dedicated to spotlighting underrepresented artists and championing compelling expressions of art, has awarded its first ever Empowerment Grant to Robert Hightower, a San Francisco Bay Area based self-taught monochromatic artist who captures moments of his journey of hundreds of mental health therapy sessions through his art. Applications were received from a diverse audience from throughout the globe including Europe, Africa, Asia and North America. A jury representing the arts and academia reviewed and considered applications that included statements of work and statements of intent, selecting Robert Hightower based on his focus of self-discovery and how he interprets the power of mental health therapy into his artistic endeavors.
“The quality and quantity of grant applications we received were nothing short of impressive, making review and decision-making very difficult,” noted Tamara White, founder of Bader+Simon. “Ultimately we selected Hightower because of the depth of his honesty and raw emotion, and how he channels his experiences into his art,” she continued. A primary objective of the grant is to support applicants who have had limited exhibition experience, who have not yet been awarded grants or who may not have had the opportunity to pursue higher education.
Bader+Simon Empowerment Grant panel included Tamara White, who is also a visual activist, artist, and researcher examining the intersection of health care management and incarceration; Tamara Harkavy, founding director of ArtWorks, the Cincinnati non-profit dedicated to community-based public art that provides career opportunities for artists of all ages; AC Panella, an oral historian for the Georgia State Trans Oral History Project, and other public history projects, with his research focused at the intersections of trans/gender, museum, and communication studies; Patrick Sledz, First Vice-President-Wealth Management of The Anning Group of UBS who is intimately involved in UBS’s diverse art collection and long-standing relationship with Art Basel; and Jonathan Carver Moore, a San Francisco-based black/queer gallerist who focuses on working with emerging and established BIPOC and LGBTQ+ artists.
Through the Bader+Simon Empowerment Grant, Robert Hightower will further explore the therapeutic aspects of art to share his journey and the role of art in navigating mental health challenges, inspiring others to find their own outlets for expression and healing. His resulting work will be one of the first exhibitions at the brick-and-mortar Bader+Simon gallery, in Cincinnati's vibrant Over-The-Rhine neighborhood, in 2025. For more about Hightower and his work, visit https://www.iamrobart.com or follow him on Instagram @theartofrobart.
The Bader+Simon Empowerment Grant will be awarded annually, through a juried process, contributing to the organization's commitment to underrepresented voices and themes.
The Bader+Simon gallery, is poised to become a beacon for underrepresented artists. Through rotating shows featuring both local and global artists, the gallery aims to expose audiences to diverse perspectives and subjects of significance.
About Bader+Simon
Bader+Simon is a national arts organization that spotlights underrepresented artists and their compelling expressions of art. Bader+Simon strives to engage communities in meaningful conversations through art and visual activism to inspire lasting change. Situated in Cincinnati’s vibrant Over-The-Rhine neighborhood, the future brick-and-mortar gallery will feature rotating shows from both local and global artists who are underrepresented, a permanent collection, and a community gallery for local organizations. Discover more at https://www.baderandsimon.com/about.
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For media: Download high-resolution headshot and samples of Robert Hightower’s work here.
Media Contacts:
Ann Keeling or Deana Ross for Bader+Simon
513-381-3248