Every year Epicenter is honored to receive dozens of applicants, nominations, and interest from around the world, but only a very select few people are invited to participate in the Frontier Fellowship. For the first time ever, these Fellows were curated by invitation only. Unlike previous Fellowships –month-long intensive in-person solo residencies– these Fellows will be in residence from June 2024 – December 2025. Fellows will not only be working in communion with Epicenter and the community, they will be Epicenter’s first Fellowship cohort, meeting regularly online, collaborating in person, and contributing to the 2025 Spring Summit.
This group of Fellows was selected based on their body of work, commitment to working in small towns and/or with marginalized communities, and demonstrated ability to develop and creatively use resources in their work. The selection committee consisted of Epicenter Director & Co-founder Maria Sykes; artist, educator, and Director of Granary Arts Amy Jorgensen; artist, designer, educator, and Epicenter Board Member Elpitha Toutsounakis; and designer & Epicenter Specialist Zoe Gardner. We are honored to present Epicenter’s next round of Frontier Fellows: Carolina Aranibar-Fernandez, Russel Albert Daniels, Lares Feliciano, Teal Gardner, and Horacio Rodriguez here.
Located in Green River, Utah, Epicenter provides the opportunity to study and make work about the land, its history, and its inhabitants. Since its founding in 2009, Epicenter has brought hundreds of artists, designers, architects, and creative thinkers to the town of Green River for residencies and curated gatherings that seed new projects in and about its rural context. In doing so, the organization hopes to upend stereotypes about small towns and offer new perspectives on instigating change in the Mountain West.