Six Wisconsin musicians are the first recipients of the new Nō Studios Artist Grant program.
Funded by the Nō Studios collaborative, the grant program will offer up to $100,000 annually to local artists working in a variety of disciplines, among them poetry, creative writing and performance, fashion, photography, film, music and dance.
This summer, Sypher Lady X, KoBe, Browns Crew, BriJon, Cam Will and WebsterX will receive a total of $25,000 to help them complete creative projects. The grant artist program will distribute up to $25,000 to artists each quarter “with special consideration given to those identifying as BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, female or female-identifying, disabled and/or veterans,” according to a recent press release.
Nō Studios’ partner gener8tor—a platform which connects creative individuals with a variety of startups, corporations and institutions—oversees the program’s grant submissions and the juried selection process.
“It’s very exciting for us at Nō Studios to celebrate and support six Wisconsin-based musicians who are not only talented, but (are) using their voices to uplift their communities,” said Nō Studios founder John Ridley. “Our hope is that these grants empower these individuals to take their artistic expression to the next level.”
The Nō Studios grant will enable hip hop artist and community activist Sypher Lady X to complete several video projects, and Latin hip hop duo Browns Crew to give their home studio some needed updates.
“As a mother of three who has previously not been able to properly invest in my craft, I am very grateful for the opportunity to be able to invest in my artistry and be able to register myself as an artist with all the proper credentials,” said Sypher Lady X in a recent email. “I’m proud to represent Milwaukee and thankful for the support.”
“We are ready and excited to put these funds to use. We cannot wait to work on upcoming visuals and upgrade our home studio to help support our musical journey,” added El Sebas and Cristo Paz of Browns Crew.
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Applications for the second round of Nō Studios grants, which focuses on visual art, are due August 1, with grants awarded in September. Visit nostudiosartistgrant.com for more information.
