Judy Chicago Art Education Award

About the Award:

The Judy Chicago Art Education Award, funded by MaryRoss Taylor, is an annual award given by Through the Flower that honors Judy Chicago and her pioneering work as an art educator. Winners are awarded a certificate and a $2,500 prize at a ceremony in Belen, NM. The award is open to scholars, educators and students creating educational projects using any of the archives included in the Judy Chicago Research Portal. This year, in honor of Judy Chicago: Herstory, a landmark retrospective opening at the New Museum, New York, in October 2023, the Judy Chicago Art Education Award will be given to projects related to and inspired by themes in the exhibition.

The Judy Chicago Research Portal archives include her paper archives at the Schlesinger Library for the History of Women in America at Harvard; her art education archive and “The Dinner Party K-12 curriculum” (written by Chicago with a team of distinguished curriculum writers at Penn State) at Penn State University Libraries; her visual archives housed at the National Museum of Women in the Arts; her comprehensive fireworks archive, including materials related to Chicago’s work with colored smoke, dry ice, and fireworks (part of the Center for Art + Environment Archive Collections at the Nevada Museum of Art). Additional resources include the Through the Flower Art Space Resource Center in Belen, NM and the University of New Mexico-Valencia Campus By and About Women Library.

In addition to being a major survey of her more than sixty-year career, Judy Chicago: Herstory contextualizes the work of Chicago as both an artist and an activist through an exhibition within the exhibition that presents an alternative to the historically patriarchal canon that has dominated art and cultural history. This installation, titled “The City of Ladies” inspired by Christine de Pisan’s 1405 groundbreaking book incorporating a history of women, consists of works by nearly ninety other female artists, writers and cultural figures. Collectively they form the background of Chicago’s career and are linked by a number of themes that have – for the most part – been omitted or wrongly classified in art history. For a full scope of the women included in the installation see the New Museum exhibition and catalogue.

Proposals for the 2023 Judy Chicago Art Education Award should be education focused and aimed at bringing awareness to the rich and largely unknown heritage that has made it possible for individual women to create work in the face of the many restrictions and challenges they have faced. In addition to The Dinner Party, there are a myriad of resources available through the Judy Chicago Research Portal.

Through the Flower is proud of our legacy of sponsoring and supporting projects focused on the importance of art and its role in countering the erasure of women’s achievements in history. A crucial part of this legacy is the power of art to inspire such action that has far-reaching impact. Read about past award-winning projects here.

NOTE:
Proposed projects should be completed within 12 months of the award presentation. Award winners will be required to submit written quarterly updates on the progress of their project and a final report within 60 days of the completion of their project.

Awardees will receive an initial payment of $1,500 at the time of the award ceremony with the remaining $1,000 paid at the project’s completion.

Any questions concerning application requirements can be submitted to jcaea@throughtheflower.org.

Questions/points to consider answering when writing your proposal:

Clearly define your goals with your proposed project. Who is your audience? How are you reaching them?
What measurable outcomes is your project going to produce? Provide an outline of the entirety of your project, giving estimated dates as to when it will be carried out and how.
What archives from the Judy Chicago Research Portal will you be using, and how will this research impact your project? Be as detailed as possible.

Required Application Materials:

Project Abstract that includes:

The specific archive(s) and materials used from the archive(s) and how they inform the project
A description of the proposed or completed project including the theories or concepts central to the project and the potential significance or impact of the project (no more than 500 words)
A description of the completed or planned public presentation (no more than 500 words)

Reference List that includes:

The particular materials from archive collections used or to be used to complete the project
Any additional study materials used in researching or carrying out the project
Optional: Images to be submitted via jcaea@throughtheflower.org

Frequently Asked Questions:

Is this only open to art educators?

No! While we encourage art educators to apply, we accept applications from anyone proposing a project that is based in research using any of the archives in the Judy Chicago Research Portal as long as it is related to Judy Chicago: Herstory.

Can I apply with a group/collective/etc., or is this open to individuals only?

Absolutely! We accept applications from individuals and from groups, just indicate that this is who is applying in the application form.

Is this award to promote past projects or to fund future projects?

This award is to fund future projects. However, if you are currently working on a project that uses research related to the themes in Judy Chicago: Herstory from the Judy Chicago Research Portal or related archives, these projects are eligible.

When will I be notified of my application status?

We will notify all applicants by mid September.

Can I submit a paper application?

No. All applications must be submitted online through this link here.

Is this an international call or is it open only to US residents?

This is an international call. Applicants from all over the world can apply.