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

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 …
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. …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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, …
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 …