Knight Foundation announces 2024 grant recipients

Today’s artists are exploring a landscape where digital technologies merge the physical and virtual worlds, providing new ways to create, communicate and collaborate. While technology can sometimes seem daunting, being designed by the few for the many now has unprecedented opportunities and institutions to leverage these tools. By cleverly integrating digital technologies, creators can deepen experiences, reach new audiences, and design a collective future that reflects and connects communities in profound ways.

Knight’s new body of work celebrates the intersection of artistic creation and technological innovation, encouraging new modes of production, expression and communication. Since 2020, the program has fostered projects that use digital tools to expand artistic possibilities, engage wider audiences, and strengthen community connections. Through Knight’s New Work, individual artists, collectives, and arts organizations are invited to explore how technology can enhance their practice and impact, with the only requirement being that the proposed work premieres in a residential community, and/or that the artist resides in a residential community.

Proposals are reviewed by a national panel of artists, practitioners, and Knight Foundation staff, ensuring that selected projects reflect diverse voices, styles, and visions. This year’s recipients — from Miami, Akron and Detroit — embody the spirit of creativity and innovation at the heart of the program. Each winner is recognized for pushing the boundaries of artistic practice, using technology in unique and meaningful ways, and making a significant impact in their local communities.

“New works at Knight reflect our belief in the power of art to connect people and strengthen communities,” said Knight Artistic Director Jennifer Farah. “By supporting artists who are using digital technology to push boundaries, we are helping to shape the future of arts and culture in Miami, Akron and Detroit. We are excited to see how these projects will inspire and engage residents.”

The Knight Foundation is dedicated to supporting artistic innovation and enhancing the cultural vitality of communities. Through initiatives such as Knight New Work, the Foundation aims to promote innovation, encourage community cohesion and contribute to a vibrant and healthy democracy.

In Detroit, funders blend technology with tradition to bring new perspectives to the city’s rich history:

Media City Film Festival: Kevin Jerome Everson uses precision celestial technology to create a new multi-screen astral art work at local observatories and planetariums.

rootoftwo: A digitally enhanced tabletop cooperative game that allows players to grapple with the complexities of digital information in a world where privacy is a commodity.

Shara Nova and Matthew Ritchie: An atmospheric, sustained installation consisting of a choir, soloists and AI-generated projected images, “Half Winged,” a musical interpretation of the encyclopedic text of Paradise Lost.

Summer Krinsky: A new electroacoustic concerto composition that blends the unique sounds of Detroit with the power of artificial intelligence.

Demario Dotson: An immersive multimedia installation experience through 3D animation and original music about black and queer heroes of the South.

In Miami, grantees reflect the city’s changing climate and celebrate the city’s vibrant cultural scene.

O, Miami: An interactive installation that uses augmented reality technology to explore the history of a Miami neighborhood and encourage residents to engage with local heritage.

South Florida Percussive Arts Center: A multimedia performance piece that blends digital projections and live music to create a dynamic blend of physical and virtual storytelling.

FilmGate Miami: A collaborative project between visual artists and programmers using machine learning to generate digital art inspired by South Florida’s diverse ecosystem.

Cornelius Tulloch: A series of public architectural installations in collaboration with Youth Digital Fabrication Studio that reimagines Miami’s vernacular architecture through contemporary technology.

Jayme Kaye Gershen: An immersive multi-channel exhibition guided by Mango where participants engage with community and climate through sensory experiences.

Leo Castañeda: A Miami-based artist who is planning a mythical reinterpretation of Akron’s history, past, present and future through a series of community workshops and interactive 3D animations that will be presented to the public through Akron’s store.

In Akron, grantees creatively use technology to reimagine public spaces and build connections between artists and communities.

Akron Soul Train: An immersive audio-visual experience using new technology to spatially distribute sight and sound and transport the viewer beyond the boundaries of the container.

Movement Project: TMP will develop low-cost, technology-based tools to lower barriers for dance artists and demonstrate them through workshops and premiere performances in Akron and Detroit.

Saelyx Finna: A short film and series of experiential public events in Akron about the rise of dream neurotechnology, technology that interacts directly with the dream mind.

Knight Foundation 2023 Funders Showcase Their Winning Works

The Knight Foundation is pleased to announce that the 2023 KNW Detroit Grant recipients will have their work on display this spring. At events across the city, audiences will explore these innovative projects and hear directly from the artists. Each event is not only a celebration of creativity, but also an opportunity for the community to come together and engage in cutting-edge ways where art and technology intersect.

“We’re excited to see how Knight New Works will inspire, excite and bring people together across the city in unexpected ways,” said Farah. “Each installation will be a testament to the vibrant creativity that brings Detroit to life. The arts community is so unique.” The 2023 KNW winners are: