Masterwork Arts Grants $10,000 Premier Award To Camille A. Brown & Dancers

Masterwork Music and Art Foundation is honoring Camille A. Brown & Dancers (CABD) with their newly reimagined Premier Award. The $10,000 grant now funds the development of a new work entitled I AM. I AM will be a celebration of life, blending step and traditional African dance, slated to debut to audiences in summer 2024. In the coming years, Masterwork will bestow one $10,000 award in one of their remaining areas of focus, furthering the Foundation's vision of bringing excellent and vital art to the world across disciplines with a belief these offerings can enrich all our lives.

Donations to Masterwork help maintain their commitment to ensuring 100 percent of all donations go directly to artists and arts programs. To make a gift, visit www.masterworkarts.org.

"This shift in priority strengthens the impact of the generosity of our donors. Now, our Premier Awards will help employ whole teams of artists and, In the case of CABD, be associated with a work in perpetuity," said Executive Director, Todd Whitley.

A most gracious Camille A. Brown said on a brief break from her work on the Broadway-bound Alicia Keys musical, Hell's Kitchen, "I am very excited about my new dance work, I AM. When I watched the TV series Lovecraft Country, I was deeply moved by Hippolyta's journey, particularly in the episode called "I AM." That episode inspired my vision for the Broadway revival of for colored girls who considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf and continues to be a strong point of reference as I create this new work. I've found that many aspects of the last few theater projects I've worked on are influencing this new dance work. I love this interconnectedness that comes up in the creative process. From contemporary dance to Hip Hop, I hope this work shows my continued evolution as a choreographer and dance maker."

Masterwork has more than 60 years of history of supporting excellence in the arts. A key factor in deciding among the six finalists, all of whom demonstrate the utmost excellence in their past work and proposals for this grant, was how the new work would reflect the times in which we live.

"Having just come out of a pandemic and with hatred, violence and unrest exploding worldwide, I couldn't be more enthusiastic about our selection of I AM! It's the kind of 'joy bomb' (or should I say, 'joy balm') the world really needs right now," said Tony Javed, Board President for Masterwork Arts.

Masterwork also provides four to six Community Arts grants as well as other programs each year, funding opportunities to get involved with the arts at home while nurturing new works that spark the imaginations of today's audiences and will stand the test of time for future audiences.

You can make a gift toward next year's grantees at www.masterworkarts.org.

Photo credit: Maurice Lee