Louisville Visual Art, with partner Mural Arts Philadelphia, is pleased to present Jaylin Stewart as the inaugural Artist Catalyst Program recipient
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Louisville Visual Art (LVA), with partner Mural Arts Philadelphia is pleased to announce Jaylin Stewart as the inaugural recipient of the Artist Catalyst Program, a new artist opportunity from the Mural Arts Institute (MAI) and the Public Art & Civic Engagement (PACE) Capacity Building Initiative. This opportunity was open to Black and Brown artists both established and emerging, with priority given to artists with a strong connection to Louisville and a history of community-based work in the arts.
Jaylin Stewart is an award-winning artist, activist, educator, muralist, and community role model. Her artistic practice is interdisciplinary, ranging from painting and mixed media to installation and performance. Her artworks are driven by social justice and she is especially known for her portraits memorializing victims of gun violence. Her artworks “immortalize the hopes, dreams, and potential of people’s abruptly ended lives” and “aims to use memorials as an entry point into discussions to advocate for gun violence/control, access to opportunities, drugs, wealth disparity, capitalist greed and even bridging differences.” In 2020 she created sidewalk chalk murals depicting healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, and also a chalk mural titled “ONE-19” at KMAC Museum.
Her most recent installation featured a projection on Louisville Metro Hall featuring a painting entitled “Say Her Name, See Her Face (Justice for Breonna Taylor).” In August of 2019, her installation GOD REST AMERICA converted the white-walled garage space at Sheherazade into a growing memorial, modeled after the street-side memorials often created by community members at sites of violence.
After a competitive selection process, Jaylin Stewart was chosen for this opportunity by our steering committee members made up of respected members of the local BIPOC community, Dr. Renee Campbell, Dr. Jabani Bennett, and Mr. Lamont Collins. This was the first of two artist calls for the PACE Capacity Building Initiative, and a second artist call will be announced fall 2021.
As the inaugural Artist Catalyst Program recipient, Jaylin will participate in the PACE Incubator for a series of workshops facilitated by Mural Arts Philadelphia to develop her skills in socially engaged public art. She will also attend the Mural Arts Institute Symposia and participate in various learning opportunities in collaboration with LVA and MAI. To support her work in the Artist Catalyst Program, Jaylin will receive a $15,000 stipend plus additional funds to produce her project. Project management support and mentorship will also be provided to explore ideas, goals, and strategies for her community-based project.
When asked what this opportunity means to her, Jaylin Stewart says, "I am extremely grateful to be the chosen artist for the Artist Catalyst Program. Thank you to Mural Arts Philadelphia, Louisville Visual Art and all the individuals/organizations that are involved in this program. I am a self-taught artist at the beginning of my career, and I have worked extremely hard to create the body of work I have. It's heartwarming to know that all of my hard work is not going unnoticed. I've been chosen to do what I am extremely passionate about and I am hopeful about the opportunities that the Artist Catalyst Program will bring. The lack of opportunities for minorities in the arts has discouraged a lot of creatives, so I hope to inspire artists to follow their dreams and go after every opportunity that they can. Always know that no one can stop what is meant for you! I am super excited and eager to learn with other artists and professionals to create a mural that our community deserves."
Earlier this year, LVA was chosen among two other organizations in the country to participate in this 30-month (2020-2023) program. Mural Arts Institute Manager, Katelyn Rivas states, “The Public Art & Civic Engagement (PACE) Capacity Building Initiative launched in January 2021 with the goal of co-powering with three visionary organizations to create two artist catalyst programs for artists to practice deep community engagement through socially engaged and public participatory art-making in order to produce pathways towards a sustainable infrastructure for this work to continue.”
Louisville Visual Art and Mural Arts Philadelphia congratulate Jaylin Stewart on her success and on her selection as the inaugural recipient of the Artist Catalyst Program! We look forward to seeing this project develop and her evolution as an artist.
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"WE BELONG," mural located on the corner of 16th Street and West Broadway, sponsored by Norton Health Care, 2020
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"ONE-19", chalk mural, KMAC Museum, 2020
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Jaylin Stewart with her sidewalk chalk mural honoring healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, 2020
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About Louisville Visual Art:
Now in its 112th year, Louisville Visual Art (LVA) improves lives through exceptional art education, vital artist support, and uplifting community outreach. Each year, LVA’s programs activate more than 140 sites in 5 counties, serving thousands of students, artists, and members of at-risk communities. Open Studio Weekend, art[squared], and the Louisville Visual Art Honors are among LVA’s essential annual events that help make Louisville the kind of city we’re all proud to call home. Join us as we light the way to thriving visual arts by visiting www.lousivillevisualart.org
About the Mural Arts Institute:
The Mural Arts Institute was established in 2017 as an initiative of Mural Arts Philadelphia, the nation’s largest public art program dedicated to the belief that art ignites change. The Institute is dedicated to advancing research on and development of participatory and socially-engaged public art practices and centers its approach around connection: building networks, developing partnerships, and convening artists, community and partners to collaborate around participatory, socially engaged public art practices. Our work is in service to a larger movement that values equity, fairness and progress across all of society. We bring the Mural Arts model to other change-oriented cities across the country to help build their capacity to sustain community-driven public art projects. We work with artists, activists, arts organizations, cultural institutions, municipal governments and more with the goal of igniting change with public art. www.muralarts.org/institute
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The Kentucky Arts Council, the state arts agency, supports Louisville Visual Art with state tax dollars and federal funding from the National Endowment for the Arts.
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