3Arts Awards

The 3Arts Awards express our gratitude to Chicago’s artists for their indisputable contributions to the health and vibrancy of our city. Every year, ten artists who live and work in the six-county metropolitan area receive unrestricted $30,000 awards in dance, music, teaching arts, theater, and visual arts. Artists may use the award in any way that makes a difference to their lives and careers, including paying off debt, purchasing equipment, hiring collaborators, producing new work, and saving for the future.

We invite you to read two reports that compile reflections from artists who have received a 3Arts Award:

We thank our Award Partners and Community Award donors for their generosity in helping 3Arts support and advocate for local artists.

Selection Process

3Arts awardees are selected through a nomination and jury process. More than 100 artists are nominated annually by at least 35 anonymous local nominators--artists, curators, presenters, and advocates--who are acutely knowledgeable about the breadth of artists working in neighborhoods across the metropolitan area.

After the nominees have completed our online application process, five national, discipline-specific panels of judges convene to select ten awardees from the pool. 3Arts requires judges to disclose conflicts of interest as part of the selection process. If a strong personal or professional relationship exists between a judge and a nominated artist that might be an impediment to the integrity of the process, a full recusal from the discussion and vote is implemented.

In honor of the time and energy it takes to apply, all artists who submit an application will receive a $100 honorarium. 

We express our gratitude to this year's distinguished jury panelists

2022

  • Close up image of Akenya.

    Akenya

    Vocalist, Pianist, Composer, & Arranger Walder Foundation Awardee

    Akenya is a multi-genre vocalist, pianist, composer, and arranger. Her music is an eclectic synthesis of jazz, hip-hop, soul, pop, classical, and world music. A proud Chicago native, Akenya has performed and recorded with some of the city's leading artists …

  • Image of Peregrine in greenery.

    Peregrine Bermas

    Teaching Artist & Community Herbalist HMS Fund Awardee

    Peregrine Bermas (they/siya/she) is a queer pinxy artist, energy worker, and capricornucopia living in so-called chicago; descended from mountains, oceans and raspberries, and humans whose creative inclinations led them to be teachers, entrepreneurs, caregivers, earthkeepers, excellent cooks, and medicine makers. …

  • None

    Rozalinda Borcilă

    Artist, Creative Researcher, and Media Maker Reva & David Logan Foundation Awardee

    Rozalinda Borcilă is a Romanian immigrant, artist, researcher, and activist. She develops long-term territorial projects that combine analytic and embodied modes of artistic research, and take the form of publications, video essays, installations, media/web platforms, and experimental learning walks. Her …

  • Image of zakkiyah. They look to the side pensively.

    zakkiyyah najeebah dumas-o'neal

    Multidisciplinary Artist Gary & Denise Gardner Fund Awardee

    zakkiyyah najeebah dumas-o'neal’s work is most often initiated by personal and social histories related to family, queer identities, self interiority, and belonging. Within her projects there's an overlying theme of trying to make sense of, and complicating, what and who …

  • Image of Miranda with her hands on her hips. She smiles kindly.

    Miranda Gonzalez

    Writer, Director, & Producer Walder Foundation Awardee

    Miranda Gonzalez, born and raised in Chicago, is a writer, director, producer, facilitator, and consultant. She is currently the Producing Artistic Director at UrbanTheater Company (UTC) in Humboldt Park. Miranda has 20 years of experience in operationalizing anti-oppressive and inclusive …

  • Image of Winifred smiling at the viewer

    Winifred Haun

    Choreographer Walder Foundation Awardee

    Winifred Haun is the founder, choreographer, and artistic director of her own modern dance company, Winifred Haun & Dancers. Since establishing the Company in the 1990’s, Ms. Haun has created over 75 new dance works, including one full length ballet …

  • Image of Nashon under mutlicolored lights.

    Nashon Holloway

    Musician, Vocalist, & Daughter of Griots BMO Harris Bank Community Awardee

    With a name meaning “oracle,” Nashon Holloway was born to sing healing. National Public Radio refers to the Kalamazoo-born, Chicago-bred singer’s sound as “crisp and colorful” and her soulful jazz-tinged voice and guitar-playing as being where Jill Scott meets Lianne …

  • Image of Simone in greenery. She rest her head on her hands.

    Simone Reynolds

    Community Arts Educator & Interdisciplinary Artist Chandler Family Awardee

    Simone Reynolds is a Black, queer Chicago South Sider, interdisciplinary artist, community art educator, and arts worker. Through the transportive mediums of music, theater, writing, and media, they lure the magic in the mundane of an everyday marginalized life and …

  • Image of Abbas on a blue background.

    Omer Abbas Salem

    Actor & Playwright SIF Fund at The Chicago Community Foundation Awardee in honor of Samuel G. Roberson Jr.

    Omer Abbas Salem is an actor and playwright. As an actor, he’s worked at The Goodman Theater, About Face Theater, The New Coordinates, Steep Theatre, Jackalope Theatre, Silk Road Rising, Griffin Theatre, The House, Bailiwick Chicago, Actors Theatre of Louisville, …

  • Image of Sarita smiling at the viewer. She rests her head against her hand.

    Sarita Smith Childs

    Choreographer & Teaching Artist Stan Lipkin & Evelyn Appell Lipkin Awardee

    Sarita Smith Childs is a Chicago-based choreographer and teaching artist.  A native of Chicago’s West Side, Sarita is a graduate of Sarah Lawrence College, where she received a BA degree with concentrations in Dance and Economics. 

    Sarita began her training …

2022 Judges

Dance
Louie Marin-Howard
Judith Smith
Linda Swayze
Music
Dr. Lenora Helm Hammons
Kuang-Hao Huang
Alberto Mejia
Teaching Arts
Precious Diamond Blake
Patricia Joson Cruz
David Feiner
Theater
Regan Linton
Charlique C. Rolle
Jose Solís
Visual Arts
Janet Dees
Karen Comer Lowe
Liza Sylvestre

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