It’s that time of year again, when The San Francisco Foundation puts a call out to Bay Area art students to apply to Murphy & Cadogan Contemporary Art Awards. Every year the Foundation invites emerging artists from a select pool of art schools to compete for this prestigious award, selecting 10 to 20 students, which includes a scholarship of $4,000.

So what are these awards really about? Why do we bother giving them away? Unlike many other awards in the entertainment and arts industry that are based on large-scale achievements, this award is unique because it celebrates new artists. We don’t accept resumes and we don’t expect applicants to give us long lists of galleries they have shown in or other accolades they have received. We only ask to see a recent body of work and a brief statement. A panel of jurors selects winning artists based solely on their work samples. This is an exceptional opportunity for students that have just arrived to the art world and are eager to get out there.

Our jurors have historically had quite an eye for rising stars. Many past awardees have gone on to build successful careers as professional artists. Our website features an impressive list of past winners.

I was able to catch up with Toyin Odutola, a recipient of one of the 2011 awards. She credits the scholarship with giving her confidence in what she was creating. “Up until that point, I was still a little unsure about how people were interpreting my work. Yes, it’s an award, but there was some validation in it. In short, I felt more and more like a legitimate artist.” After being recognized by our panel, others have also noticed Odutola’s work, featuring her drawings in galleries around the US. She was also named in the Top 30 under 30: Arts & Style by Forbes Magazine and made the list of notable 30 Black Artists Under 40 by Huffington Post.

In addition to the scholarship, the second component to the award is participation in a group exhibition at the SOMArts Cultural Center, where students from all over the Bay Area come together to display their work. Since the award is given to artists working in digital art, film/video, hybrid practice, installation, mixed media, painting, photography, and sculpture, this show is an invaluable opportunity for students to build community across disciplines. Odutola shared that this aspect of the award truly sets it apart. “In graduate school, everyone sort of has their blinders on. It was a pleasure to interact with other artists… it felt less isolated, more collective. It just felt really great to be amongst peers and I felt proud to be a part of it all. I really did.”

The deadline for submissions is May 6, so check out Arts & Culture page for guidelines and how to apply.

Initiated in 2008, the Doc Fund provides support to established Bay Area filmmakers to initiate films that align with the goals of our core programs. We target our support to the crucial, yet very risky early production phase. Thus, the Fund has supported projects that were many times a fledging idea or a few minutes of footage that held the promise of developing into a strong story.

After five years, we have notable examples of films that have had great impact in the world. David Weissman’s film, We Were Here recounts the devastation of the AIDS epidemic on the lives of those affected in San Francisco and the men and women that cared for them. Along with winning many prestigious national and international awards, it was short-listed in the “Best Documentary” category at the Academy Awards in 2011.

Another film funded in the first year was Crime After Crime by Yoav Potash. The film is the story of the legal battle to free Deborah Peagler, a women imprisoned for over 25 years for the death of her abusive husband. This film not only captures the inspiring story of the quest for justice, but also has been instrumental in a national campaign against domestic violence.

Just last year Peter Nicks’ award-winning film about Oakland’s Highland Hospital, The Waiting Room, premiered across the country, inciting dialogue and debate about our broken health care system. As was the case with the other two films, The Waiting Room included a vehicle for public involvement and engagement.

For these filmmakers, it is not enough to have their film in the world, they have to change it.

We know that the movies not only bring magic to our lives – when the lights go down, and the screen lights up, film has the power to lift our imagination, change our perspective, and bring to light critical issues that compel us to take action.

We are proud to have supported 23 films that explore issues that are often overlooked, misinterpreted or simply ignored, and be part of moving audiences across the country on some of the most important issues of our time to make change in their communities.

NOTE: We look forward to receiving this year’s applications for support and joining more filmmakers in bringing important voices and stories to audiences in the Bay Area and across the world. For more on how to apply, visit www.sff.org/badf

So many times, reaching for the phone, we went to get your view, your story, your joke of the day.

We have had moments in the mountains, in meetings,  on a hike, on a bike, on a horse, at a concert or rehearsal and you and your joy have been in full color.

In the office, I have wondered what guidance you would offer but more now wonder what I should offer others.

We have danced, we have given thoughtfully, we have made sure the table seats everyone.

We are in a big community who holds you and all  your memories close.

We miss you every day; today we send a message your way: you left this world a year ago but remain forever in the forefront of the love and joy that is our work.

In Memory of F. Warren Hellman, beloved friend, Bay Area civic and business leader, philanthropist, and our Former Trustee, who passed away one year ago today, on December 18, 2011.

We’re happy to announce that our Open Applications Cycle Grant Program for Arts and Culture, Community Development, Community Health, Education, and Environment will be opening  online Monday, November 12. These applications are open to nonprofit organizations serving residents of San Francisco, Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin and San Mateo. This application process allows us to hear from our longstanding partners and learn about new organizations. It helps us keep an ear to the ground, where we learn about what’s working, as well innovative approaches nonprofits are implementing, as they try to solve the problems Bay Area residents are facing.

For organizations interested in applying, I encourage you to review the goals and objectives on our Program pages, attend a How to Apply Workshop, review the guidelines, and after November 12, visit the Grantee Center to submit your application.

The Open Cycle is an important time for us to hear from the nonprofits that are helping to build a better, more vibrant and healthy Bay Area.