Zea Mays Printmaking Offers Free Memberships to BIPOC Artists
FLORENCE, MA – Community printmaking studio Zea Mays Printmaking is expanding its diversity, equity and inclusion efforts with a new subsidized membership program for BIPOC artists. Artists that identify as BIPOC will be able to apply for a free year-long membership to the studio, which also includes 100 hours of access to the studio facilities for independent work. Zea Mays Printmaking plans to offer the BIPOC Artist Membership to two artists in 2024, with hopes that donations from members will make it possible to offer more in the future.
Zea Mays Printmaking has operated in Florence since 2000, when its founder, artist Liz Chalfin, opened the studio with the goal of researching, developing and teaching less toxic and more sustainable methods of fine-art printmaking. Since its inception, Zea Mays Printmaking has grown to over 180 members, a full faculty roster and a year-round workshop schedule. Zea Mays Printmaking members, who normally pay a minimum of $75 a year for membership, are allowed to purchase independent working time in the fully equipped printshop, receive a discount on workshop registration, and are given opportunities to display their work in the Zea Mays Printmaking Flat File and at other community exhibitions.
“At Zea Mays Printmaking, we believe environmental justice, social justice, economic justice and racial justice are inextricably intertwined. As part of our mission to help make printmaking safer for artists and the environment, we are committed to finding ways to remove barriers of access to our studio for artists from marginalized racial and ethnic groups.” Kaye Carroll, Zea Mays Printmaking Director of Marketing, goes on to explain, “A lot of forms of printmaking require access to equipment and training that many beginning artists, or artists facing institutional or economic challenges, do not have. Over the past couple of years, we have been seeking to address this issue through several changes, such as simplifying our membership application process, offering more beginner-friendly courses, providing scholarships for artists with financial need, and most recently this BIPOC Artist Membership program. Each of these initiatives is in service of the same goal: to let artists of all backgrounds, whatever their means and whichever stage of their artistic journey they are on, know that they are welcome and wanted in this community.”
Applications for the Zea Mays Printmaking BIPOC Artist Membership will be accepted until May 14th, 2024, and awardees will be selected by lottery on May 31st. Artists interested in applying should visit https://www.zeamaysprintmaking.com/education/scholarships/bipoc-artist-membership/
