Charlotte Street Generative Performing Awards

The Generative Performing Artist Award, established in 2008 by Charlotte Street, is a grant initiative focused on elevating exceptional performing artists within the Kansas City region. As a counterpart to the organization’s Visual Artist Awards, this program reflects Charlotte Street’s broader mission to support and catalyze contemporary art by investing in artists working in original, innovative, and interdisciplinary performance-based practices. Since its inception, the program has distributed $210,000 to 25 generative artists in fields such as dance, theater, music, performance, spoken word, and hybrid performance forms. This award program provides two unrestricted cash grants of $10,000 annually to selected artists. The award is designed to honor the recipients' existing body of work while also fostering future artistic development. The selection process is managed by a rotating panel of Awards Advisors, each of whom nominates artists from the Kansas City area for consideration. These panelists bring diverse expertise and include artists, lecturers, and arts administrators from across the U.S., reinforcing the program's commitment to national-caliber peer evaluation. Award recipients are evaluated based on the quality and originality of their work, the trajectory of their creative development, and the relevance of their contributions to the broader contemporary arts ecosystem. Since 2016, recipients have also been offered opportunities to perform in conjunction with the Visual Artist Award exhibition, further extending the impact of their work within the public realm. Applications for the Generative Performing Artist Award open annually in September. While the exact submission mechanics are not detailed, the award follows a nomination-based process, with artists being recommended by Advisors rather than applying directly. This model emphasizes peer recognition and targeted support for artists who are already demonstrating significant promise and impact within their discipline. Charlotte Street is headquartered at 3333 Wyoming Street in Kansas City, Missouri. General inquiries can be directed to info@charlottestreet.org or 816-221-5115. The award recipients for 2025 are Vanessa Aricco and Jass. Advisors involved in the selection process for 2025 include AD Boynton II, Damon Davis, Maria Rowinska, and Rachelle Rafailedes Mucha. The award continues to underscore the importance of local support for innovative artists while reinforcing Kansas City's position as a vital hub for contemporary performance art.

Work must be original, innovative, and progressive. Strong artistic promise and contribution to contemporary performance art are key evaluation criteria.