NEFA Announces 70 Recipients of the Public Art Learning Fund

(Boston, MA) The New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA) is proud to announce the fall 2024 and spring 2025 rounds of the Public Art Learning Fund (PALF) for the 2024-2025 grant cycle, awarding a total of 70 grants to artists across all six New England states, 31 of whom were first time grantees. This marks the highest number of grants awarded in the program’s history, reflecting a surging need and NEFA’s resolute commitment to supporting public art and professional development for artists in the region.

This year’s PALF cycle also drew a record 138 applications, demonstrating the urgent and growing need for artist-centered support amid ongoing national and regional cuts to arts and culture funding. PALF provides grants ranging from $500 to $3,000 to support professional development opportunities that strengthen artists’ public art practices. These opportunities include workshops, mentorships, research trips, residencies, and other structured learning experiences that build capacity and confidence among New England-based artists, particularly those working toward more equitable, accessible, and community-driven forms of public art.

"In a time of growing uncertainty for arts funding, this record number of awards is a powerful statement of NEFA’s continued commitment to our artists as civic leaders and cultural workers in our communities," said Harold Steward, executive director of NEFA. "We are proud to help artists expand their practices and deepen their impact through learning and connection. Their work is essential, now more than ever before."

"We saw an extraordinary range of applicants in this cycle, including artists from rural towns and big cities, those just beginning their public art journeys, and those redefining what public art can be," said Kim Szeto, NEFA’s senior program director for public art. “What’s most exciting is that this cycle had the most first-time applicants and first-time grantees we've ever had. That tells us that PALF is reaching new communities and that the need for professional development in public art is relevant across New England."

This year’s grantees reflect a remarkable breadth of disciplines, ranging from mural painting, sculpture, and dance to music, social practice, and interdisciplinary work. Artists are using PALF grants to hone new technical skills, adapt their studio practices into public settings, and explore new approaches to community engagement. 

The Spring 2025 round allocated $91,200 to 47 artists. Combined with $60,000 granted in Fall 2024 to 23 artists, NEFA has invested a total of $151,200 in FY25 to support professional development for 70 public artists across the region. PALF is a key component of NEFA’s broader public art programs, which aim to foster more equitable and vibrant public spaces across New England. 

Funding for the Public Art Learning Fund is made possible with generous support from the Barr Foundation.

Fall 2024 Recipients

• Aaron Myers, MA
• Alexander Davis, MA
• Angélica Maria, VT
• Catherine Stewart, NH
• Elijah Burger, MA
• Emma York, MA
• Fiona Phie, MA
• Gabrielle Revlock, MA
• Hanna Satterlee/ANIMAL Dance, VT
• Hayley Qin, MA
• Jaina Cipriano, MA
• Jenn Houle, MA
• Kali Green, MA
• Lisa Link, MA
• Martha Chason-Sokol, MA
• Natalie Tyler, MA
• Ngoc-Tran Vu, Tran Vu Arts, MA
• Pamela Moulton aka Posey, ME
• Pampi, MA
• Paulina Fuenzalida-Guzman, MA
• ponnapa prakkamakul, MA
• Raymond Pinto, CT
• Sharona Color, MA

Spring 2025 Recipients

• Ananth Udupa, MA
• Arielle Colella, MA
• Assitan Coulibaly, RI
• Aurora Lee, MA
• Bulaong Ramiz "Dr.Bu", CT
• Charlotte Collins, MA
• Christopher Battaglia, ME
• Deborah Johnson, MA
• Eden Attar, MA
• Elayna Sturm, MA
• Gabriela Sepulveda Ortiz, MA
• Giovanni Cavallini, MA
• Hernán 'Nan' Jouba, RI
• Iva Brito, MA
• Jac Lahav, CT
• Ja'Hari Ortega, MA
• Jay Costello, RI
• jen berger, VT
• Jenna Wells, MA
• Jennifer McCandless, VT
• Jenny Oliver, MA
• Jill Strait, MA
• karen Krolak, MA
• Karla DeStefano, MA
• Katiana Jarbath Smith, CT
• Kera Washington, MA
• Lilla Szekely, MA
• Lisa Boemer, MA
• London Parker-McWhorter, MA
• M Rudder, MA
• Melissa Pandina, MA
• Merlo Philiossaint, MA
• Mia Schon, RI
• Nadine Nelson, CT
• Nicole Stone, MA
• Ron LeBrasseur, MA
• Shavana Green, MA
• Shey Rivera Rios, RI
• Silvia Lopez Chavez, MA
• Siobhan Peters, VT
• Sophy Tuttle, MA
• Steven Choummalaithong, RI
• Teresa Connors-MacMillan, MA
• Tomantha Sylvester, MA
• Youme Nguyen Ly, MA
• Yuko Okabe, MA
• Zahirah Truth, MA

About NEFA

The New England Foundation for the Arts invests in artists and communities and fosters equitable access to the arts, enriching the cultural landscape in New England and the nation. NEFA accomplishes this by granting funds to artists and cultural organizations; connecting them to each other and their audiences; and analyzing their economic contributions. NEFA serves as a regional partner for the National Endowment for the Arts, New England’s state arts agencies, and private foundations. Learn more at www.nefa.org.