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February 4, 2010

FOR RELEASE:  February 4, 2010 

Contact:          Laura Ahola-Young, 612-332-3888, 800-801-3883, laura@vsaartsmn.org

 Alec Sweazy among Seven artists with disabilities receive VSA arts grants

Seven Minnesota artists have been awarded grants of $1,250 each through the VSA arts of Minnesota Career Advancement Grant Program. The 14th annual competitive grant, funded by the Jerome Foundation, recognizes excellence by Minnesota artists with disabilities. Selected from 53 applicants, the grantees are: 

Bridget Riversmith            Duluth                      Visual Art – painting and animation

Mark Davison                    Minneapolis            Visual Art – ceramics, sculpture

Naomi Cohn                      St. Paul                    Writing- poetry

Alec Sweazy                   Minnetonka            Performance - accordion

Loretta Bebeau                Minneapolis             Visual Art – painting, multi-media

Amy Salloway                   Minneapolis             Performance

Christine Sikorski             Minneapolis             Writing - poetry

The grants were awarded following a jurying process conducted by individuals with extensive backgrounds in the written, visual and performing arts. They looked at samples of the artists’ work, proposed projects, resumes and artist statements.

“Music is my passion! I have worked hard to become an accomplished musician on piano, accordion and voice. I have enjoyed performing for all kinds of audiences and have won many awards. Even though there will always be many challenges in my life, I know that my amazing musical ability will take me far.” -  Alec Sweazy

The youngest of the grant recipients, Alec is a talented and dedicated musician. Alec was a recipient of a VSA Arts of Minnesota’s 2009 Young Soloist Award, the February 2005 “Artist of the Month” for KFAI (Minneapolis/St. Paul) Disabled and Proud Program, and has appeared on 60 Minutes, Nightline, and 60 Minutes II.

Born with Williams syndrome, Alec plans to use the grant funds to upgrade to a professional-grade accordion (photo, left) and to work with a mentor to improve his performance/stage presence. An upgraded accordion will offer Alec “limitless combinations of orchestral and accordion sounds.” The upgrade will also be lightweight and portable, allowing Alec to prevent future joint and fatigue problems. He will also experiment with his own arrangements on the new accordion. He is a 2004 graduate of Musictech College (now McNally Smith College of Music) in St. Paul.
 

VSA arts of Minnesota is a nonprofit organization working to make the arts accessible to people with all types of disabilities. For more information about its grants, services and activities for individuals or arts organizations, call 612-332-3888 or 800-801-3883, Voice/TTY; e-mail info@vsaartsmn.org; or go to its website: www.vsaartsmn.org.

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Last modified: April 15, 2007