SUBMITTED BY SALT SPRING ARTS
Salt Spring Arts (SSA) is thrilled to announce that the Susan Benson Fund for Visual Artists will continue for another two years, thanks to three generous contributions by community members: two anonymous donors, and Lucy Austin and Adrian Wright.
These donations honour Benson’s remarkable legacy in launching the fund to support women artists on Salt Spring Island who are committed to building their creative careers.
The award was established in 2022 by Benson, a renowned artist and recipient of the Order of Canada, to address the unique challenges faced by women in the art world. Despite strides made toward gender equality, Benson’s own experiences highlight the enduring barriers women encounter in achieving recognition and sustainability as professional artists.
“Throughout history, women have had to justify themselves as artists,” Benson explained. “Though times are changing, these attitudes are still prevalent in many situations. I established the Susan Benson Fund award to give encouragement to women artists and to help them in a practical way. The average income for an artist is low, but the cost of being an artist is high. I am very pleased to see that the support is working for recipients, as they are applying for the award in practical ways that help them achieve recognition in their work.”
Through Benson’s support, fund recipients have invested in their craft, from purchasing specialized materials to create new works, to enhancing their professional portfolio through photography and website development. By alleviating some of the financial burdens, the fund enables artists to focus on what matters most — creating meaningful art and sharing it. Congratulations to the Susan Benson Fund’s most recent recipients: Tessa Tabourel and Medwyn McConachy.
Salt Spring Arts’ Community Project Grants support local endeavours of cultural benefit. In fall 2024, four projects were selected to receive funding. Congratulations to Andrew Doyle-Linden for Salt Spring Music Scene: A Photographic Collection, Nayana Fielkov for Magic of Intuition, StageCoach Theatre School for their Legacy Film and Raf Katigbak for Art in Motion: Exploring Interactive and Generative Media for Artists of All Backgrounds.
The charitable donations that allow SSA to continue the Susan Benson Fund not only honour Benson’s vision but also reinforce the profound impact of supporting local arts. The local non-profit invites community members to join the movement to sustain this fund; donations of any size will make a meaningful impact. Visit saltspringarts.com/donate.
SSA’s next grants and awards application period will open on Feb. 1, with a deadline of March 31. Learn more about these funding opportunities and how to apply at saltspringarts.com.