Kala Art Institute: Media Award

The Kala Art Institute Media Award is an international artist award. The Media Award supports artists in completing specific projects that will benefit from Kala's equipment that facilitates work in installation, performance cinema, photography, traditional and digital print media, sound and video. 

Awards will be given based on conceptual creativity, originality and artistic excellence as well as project specific technical knowledge. The 2022/23 Media Award competition will be chaired by Kala’s Artist Residency Manager Meg Pohlod. The jury is made up of Kala’s Artistic Director Mayumi Hamanaka, Media Award alumni artist Alexa Burell, and invited Bay Area arts professional, Gilbert Guerrero from Shapeshifters Cinema in Oakland. In 2022, Kala will award 4 artists a $3,000 stipend, unlimited access to Kala’s facilities for up to six months, one Kala class, and a culminating show in the Kala Gallery. The award is geared towards supporting artists in completing specific projects or bodies of work that would benefit from Kala's specialized equipment in but not limited to: printmaking, photography, and digital media.

Each Media Award Includes:
Cash Award: $3,000
Studio Residency: Up to nine months of studio residency at Kala Art Institute with 24/7 access to our communal studio spaces.
Kala Class: One class that will provide training in a chosen area of printmaking and/or digital media.
Exhibition: Each artist selected is included in our annual group exhibition of Fellowship artists. Public programs for artists are also possible and determined on an individual basis with each artist.
Community: Access to a community and network of approximately 75-80 artists working at Kala, participation in Kala events, and support of Kala staff.

Applicants with disabilities may contact the Artist Residency Manager via telephone, e-mail, and other means to request and arrange for accommodations with application (meghan@kala.org 510-549-2997 x 303).