New York-based Palestinian artist Nida Sinnokrot, who was recently awarded the 2023 Soros Arts Fellowship from the Open Society Foundations, believes that art can provide hope and resilience even in the midst of war. Sinnokrot, who co-founded the Palestinian academy of agrarian traditions and contemporary art called Sakiya, and works as a faculty member at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Art, Culture, and Technology Program, emphasized the importance of finding strength and courage as artists to challenge conventional norms and spread hope through new stories and ideas.
The Soros Arts Fellows, including Sinnokrot, will receive $100,000 in unrestricted funding from the Open Society Foundations to develop public art projects that address climate change with community-based solutions over the next 18 months. Tatiana Mouarbes, the Team Manager for Culture, Art, and Expression at Open Society, highlighted the urgent need for bold action, justice, and equity-based solutions to tackle the effects of global colonialism, white supremacy, and capitalism on the environment.
Amidst changes in philanthropic priorities, Open Society Foundations recognizes the impact of artists’ work and considers it as influential as more traditional investments. This year’s class of Soros Arts Fellows, the largest since the program’s launch in 2018, reflects the belief that art plays a vital role in driving social change, expanding political and collective consciousness, challenging oppressive power structures, and creating momentum for change.
New York-based artist Jordan Weber, another recipient of the 2023 Soros Arts Fellowship, expressed enthusiasm about being part of a group that focuses on art that directly addresses community problems instead of merely discussing them. Weber’s project involves planting conifer trees in Detroit as a remediation effort against pollution from nearby automobile factories, while also engaging the community in environmental justice.
Molemo Moiloa, a fellow recipient based in Johannesburg, South Africa, plans to incorporate community action in her art project, responding to the weariness experienced by many young South Africans as the promises of Nelson Mandela’s presidency have diminished. Her project, “The Ungovernable,” aims to reconnect people with the land, teaching strategies for survival during uncertain times and promoting economic and political systems that are inclusive for all.
Sinnokrot’s project, “Storytelling Stones: How far does your mother’s voice carry?”, draws inspiration from ancestral knowledge systems to develop sustainable approaches to complex issues, including climate change. He intends to build Palestinian stone shelters known as mintar, repurposing them as acoustic chambers that resonate with the environment and oral histories.
Despite the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, Sinnokrot remains committed to building his project in Palestine, emphasizing the power of global solidarity in embracing the mission of the Soros Arts Fellows and their communities. Open Society and its initiative support a global commons, which Sinnokrot believes is essential to changing the world.
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The 2023 Soros Art Fellows include artists such as Bilia Bah, Cannupa Hanska Luger, Carolina Caycedo, Chemi Rosado-Seijo, Dalton Paula, Deborah Jack, Fehras Publishing Practices (Kenan Darwich and Sami Rustom), Ixchel Tonāntzin Xōchitlzihuatl, Jordan Weber, Martha Atienza, Molemo Moiloa, Mónica de Miranda, Nida Sinnokrot, Omar Berrada, Rijin Sahakian, Sari Dennise, and Yto Barrada.
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This article on philanthropy and nonprofits is supported by The Associated Press’ collaboration with The Conversation US, funded by Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP bears full responsibility for the content. For more philanthropy coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/philanthropy.
