Kentucky writers, composers honored
with Al Smith Fellowship from Arts Council

Al Smith

Nine Kentucky literary artists and one musical composer have been awarded $7,500 each as recipients of the Kentucky Arts Council Al Smith Individual Artist Fellowship, the agency announced today.

The Fellowship program supports Kentucky artists engaged in creating work of high quality and recognizes creative excellence in practicing, professional Kentucky artists. The fellowship awards are named after Al Smith, a retired Kentucky journalist and past arts council board chair.

The 10 fellowship recipients, chosen from a total of 56 applicants are:

Krzysztof Wolek, Louisville, Composing
Ron Ellis, Lakeside Park, Creative Nonfiction
Jason Howard, Berea, Creative Nonfiction
Willie Davis, Whitesburg, Fiction
Kaitlin Willihnganz, Louisville, Fiction
Ellen Birkett Morris, Louisville, Fiction
Grayson Johnson, Lexington, Play/Screenwriting
Adam Day, Louisville, Poetry
Bianca Spriggs, Lexington, Poetry
Sean Patrick Hill, Louisville, Poetry

“Providing support to Kentucky’s professional artists reflects the core of the arts council’s mission,” said the agency’s executive director, Lori Meadows. “I congratulate this year’s fellows and wish them continued success in their future endeavors.”

The selection process for the fellowship awards uses a “blind jurying” system that does not provide the selection panel with applicants’ names; the panel reviews the work samples and applications according to application numbers only. Criteria for the awards include artistic excellence and professional achievement.

In alternate years, the Al Smith Individual Artist Fellowships are available to visual and media artists. The next application deadline is March 15, 2013.

For more information about the Al Smith Individual Artist Fellowship Program or other Kentucky Arts Council opportunities for artists, contact Individual Artist Program Director Tamara Coffey at tamara.coffey@ky.gov or 502-564-3757, ext. 479.

The Kentucky Arts Council, the state arts agency, creates opportunities for Kentuckians to value, participate in and benefit from the arts. Kentucky Arts Council funding is provided by the Kentucky General Assembly and the National Endowment for the Arts.

From the Kentucky Arts Council