New Brandon Fellows announced by GCCA
Brandon Seabrook Nelson a 2016/2017 Brandon Fellow. GCCA photo by Polly Gaillard.
Greenville Center for Creative Arts (GCCA) announced last week three new recipients of its Brandon Fellowship for the 2020/2021 cultural year.
Anna Grace Burch, Evan Givens, and Savannah Ralph are embarking on a year long journey through the program. The Brandon Fellowship aims to develop three emerging artists between the ages of 21-30 who represent the diversity of the Greenville community. Presented annually, the fellowship provides a supportive environment, mentorship, and art education. The three main goals of the Brandon Fellowship are:
- to help young artists launch their art career in our community or prepare for formal arts studies
- to foster a sense of community
- to promote diversity at the Art Center
Antonio Modesto Milian, a photographer and 2015/2016 Brandon Fellow, was chairman of the selection panel. Additional panelists included Danielle Fontaine, Julio Hernandez, Sandra Rupp, and program facilitator Marlowe Shuck of GCCA.
Let’s meet the 2020/2021 artists.
Anna Grace Burch
Anna Grace is a graduate of Anderson University and painter who expresses her passion for astronomy, anatomy, and world cultures throughout her work. She thoughtfully explores topics such as universal languages and the human experience. Her goal through the Brandon Fellowship is to engage with the community, create thought-provoking work, and advance her art career forward.
Evan Givens
Evan is a photographer and poet from Detroit who was introduced to photography at the Governor’s School of the Arts and Humanities. His work is centered around nostalgia, emotional bonds, and moving through trauma. Evan plans to use the Brandon Fellowship as a platform to help people from different backgrounds connect with each other, while growing as an artist and a leader in the Greenville community.
Savannah Burch
Savannah is a painter and graduate of the Fine Arts Center whose work prompts discussions around important topics such as gender, beauty standards, and mental illness. It is her goal as an artist to make groups of people who aren’t typically recognized feel seen. She plans to utilize the Brandon Fellowship to strengthen her ties in the community, improve her techniques, and push her art career forward.
Career development
To help artists awarded Brandon Fellowships along their career paths, GCCA offers these benefits:
- A free university-style studio at GCCA, where a minimum of 25 hours per week must be spent working. Fellows often interact with guests during GCCA’s public hours.
- A $250 stipend for art supplies per six-month period.
- Complimentary classes and workshops at GCCA
- Mentorship from a local artist
- Presentation of an ARTalk lecture
- Participation in an exhibition in August-September
- Opportunities for networking, collaboration, and participation in other local arts events
- A visit to a local or regional museum of interest
- Broad exposure as an artist in Greenville and beyond
Future fellows
If these opportunities sound good to you, know that you need to be a Greenville County resident between 21-30 years old and, at the time of application, a U.S. citizen or a lawful permanent resident of the U.S. for at least 5 years. Click here to learn more about applying for the GCCA’s next Brandon Fellowships.
