Artist Innovation Fellowship

The Cultural Council created the Artist Innovation Fellowship for artists across all disciplines in order to honor and support the creative individuals who form the core of Palm Beach County’s cultural sector.

The Artist Innovation Fellowship is unique among professional development opportunities as it focuses on personal creative growth and the belief that an entire community will benefit through investments in creative individuals. The program is designed to address the pursuit of innovation in either existing avenues of creative expression or through the pursuit of new ideas and projects without the constraints of budgets or specific project outcomes.

2024 Artist Innovation Fellows

Funded by the Cornelia T. Bailey Foundation

Suzanne Ankrum

Theater Artist
Jupiter

Suzanne is a South Florida theater artist who works as an actor, director, and devised-theater practitioner. She has performed in productions at several South Florida Theatre companies since making the region her home in 2019 – including Palm Beach Dramaworks (A Streetcar Named Desire and several readings), Island City Stage (Rotterdam and the upcoming June 2024 production of Skintight), and the Maltz Jupiter Theatre (Murder on the Orient Express). She is passionate about sharing her love of the craft of acting and physical storytelling – leading courses and workshops at Lynn University, Hartford University, Momentum Stage, SUNY Albany, Housatonic Community College, Middletown Circus, Hartbeat Ensemble and more.

Molly Aubry

Visual Artist
West Palm Beach

Molly Aubry, born in Denver, Colorado, lives and works in South Florida. She received her BFA from the University of Florida and her MFA from the Cranbrook Academy of Art. Her work explores entangled perceptual worlds through the matrix of print media. Mining the tension between organic materials and digital processes, the work imagines artifacts from a world in which the natural and artificial are inextricably linked. Selected exhibitions include Molly Aubry: Dark Luminosity at the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County, Strange Paradise: A Window into Surrealism at the Annmarie Sculpture Gardens and Art Center in Solomons, MD, and Intimacy at Science Gallery of Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland.

Victoria Cardona

Musician
West Palm Beach

South Florida native Victoria Cardona is a multi-instrumentalist, singer/songwriter and composer that has been performing extensively throughout Florida and internationally through Spain and The Canary Islands for over a decade. Her one-woman-band and live-looping performances are a sonic and visual experience that take the audience on a ride through the mind of a spontaneous improviser. Victoria’s Cuban American roots and passion for multicultural and ethnic world music genres are the inspiration behind her creations.

Eli Cecil

Glass Artist
Boynton Beach

Eli Cecil is a South Florida Glass Artist currently working and residing in Palm Beach County. Much of Cecil’s work orbits the dialogue of a conscious and sustainable future. His sculpture reflects on the balancing act between humanity and nature. Many of the themes are a narrative about growth, causality and the legacy left from one generation to the next. In 2021, Cecil created his first public art installation, titled Take Flight, for the Maltz Jupiter Theatre in Jupiter, Florida. He is currently the Creative Director at the Benzaiten Center for Creative Arts in Lake Worth Beach, Florida as well as an alumnus of Leadership Palm Beach County Class of 2023.

Noah Garbarino

Musician
Delray Beach

Noah Garbarino is a music performance artist and educator mainly focused in Japanese taiko drumming and traditional music. He is a member of the ensemble Fushu Daiko, which performs all across South Florida area and nationally for various cultural festivals and programs. In addition to drumming he is currently studying koto, the thirteen-string Japanese zither, under the traditional Yamada school.

Tracy Guiteau

Visual Artist
Greenacres

Tracy Guiteau is a celebrated artist whose work transcends boundaries and captivates audiences worldwide. Her distinctive style, characterized by rich colors and emotive storytelling, has garnered attention on the international stage, including exhibitions at prestigious events like Miami Art Basel. What truly sets Tracy apart, however, is the profound influence of her Haitian heritage and independent spirit on her art. Her work is a testament to her ability to blend tradition with innovation, infusing each piece with a timeless perspective and vibrant energy. Through her art, she continues to inspire others to embrace their true selves and find beauty in the world around them.

Jeanne Jaffe

Visual Artist
Boynton Beach

Jeanne Jaffe is a multi-disciplinary artist working in installation, sculpture, drawings, and stop motion animation. Her work is influenced by an interest in language, literature, psychology, and history and explores how we construct identity, our world and our value systems. Jeanne is Professor Emeritus of Fine Arts at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia and has been a visiting artist for five years at Xian Academy of Fine Arts in Xian, China.

Janis McDavid

Musician
Palm Beach Gardens

Janis McDavid, also known as Ms. Janis or Jahnice, is a multi-talented individual who has made significant strides in both the fields of education and music. As Ms. Janis, she performs as a children’s music entertainer, spreading joy and positivity through her lively performances. As Jahnice, she performs adult contemporary music that is based in soul and reggae vibes, captivating audiences with her powerful vocals and meaningful lyrics.

Jose R. Mendez

Visual Artist
Lake Worth Beach

Jose R. Mendez is a self-taught artist, educator, gallery coordinator, curator, and co-founder of Day of the Dead Lake Worth Beach & Taco Fiesta. Jose works with nonprofits, government agencies, and private organizations to coordinate, collaborate, and promote art, cultural events, and activities. The leading cultural institutions Jose works with are the Norton Museum of Art, Cultural Council for Palm Beach County, Children’s Service Council of Palm Beach County, Arts 4 All Florida, Kravis Center, City of Lake Worth Beach and LULA Lake Worth Arts, among others. He works various roles with these organizations, primarily as a facilitator, adviser, and teaching artist to children and adults.

Gillian Kennedy Wright

Visual Artist
Lake Park

Multi-disciplinary artist Gillian Kennedy Wright creates fabric collages, raw edge mixed media quilts, and functional art. Influenced by her Jamaican born, Canadian, and American heritage at her Southeast Florida home; her professional graphic design and textile training, melds multi-cultural portraiture, Adinka symbolism, native plants, and environmental themes. Gillian’s socially uplifting creative energy is fueled by Wilma Rudolph’s words to” never underestimate the power of dreams”, and Georgia O’Keeffe’s bold colors and shapes.