Since launching the program in 2020, the Council has awarded 21 fellowships to visionary creatives across disciplines, investing in artists whose work expands the possibilities of their fields while strengthening Palm Beach County’s cultural landscape. In 2026, the program expanded in a significant way. Ten artists were each awarded $10,000 fellowships to support professional growth, experimentation, and the exploration of new work. Fellows are selected through a competitive process reviewed by a regional panel of discipline-specific arts professionals.
In addition to advancing their own artistic practice, each fellow will serve as a cultural tourism ambassador for Palm Beach County, representing the region through travel, research, and creative exploration throughout their fellowship year.
Looking for the Artist Innovation Fellows from previous rounds? Visit this page.
2026 Artist Innovation Fellows
Sonya Sanchez Arias
Visual Art
Sonya Sanchez Arias will expand her mixed-media practice through new technologies and materials, including direct printing on nontraditional surfaces and hand embroidery. The project will result in layered, dimensional works exploring memory, identity and transformation.
George Bayer
Visual Art
George Bayer will expand his Le Chat series through research and material exploration rooted in cross-cultural storytelling. The project will result in new works that further develop the character as a narrative device connecting memory, identity and global influence.
Virginia Blische
Visual Art
Virginia Blische will expand her fiber-based sculptural practice through new techniques and materials while developing character-driven forms. The project will result in a series of works that build on her established storytelling approach.
Michelle Drummond
Visual Art
Michelle Drummond will create a series of sculptural works informed by travel and research in communities across Latin America and the Caribbean. The project will draw on lived experiences surrounding water access and environmental resilience, translating them into forms that foster awareness and dialogue.
Jill Hotchkiss
Visual Art
Jill Hotchkiss will create a new body of work exploring dendritic patterns found in natural systems, informed by research into ecological networks and environmental structures. The project will translate these invisible forms into sculptural works reflecting interconnection, resilience and sustainability.
Quinn Miller
Visual Art
Quinn Miller will create a new series of conceptual portraits examining identity, mental health, and emotional experience through staged photographic compositions. The project will result in a cohesive body of work using symbolism and surrealism to visualize internal states.
Ashley Osorio
Music
Ashley Osorio will continue developing The Comala Project, focused on transcribing and reviving an 18th-century opera by Harriet Wainewright Stewart. The project will result in completed musical scores and expanded performances that bring this overlooked work to contemporary audiences.
Quimetta Perle
Visual Art
Quimetta Perle will create new mixed-media works continuing her exploration of aging, feminism, and the representation of older women. The project will expand her ongoing series through layered materials and techniques emphasizing visibility, identity, and power.
Elizabeth Price
Theatre
Elizabeth Price will develop an original performance work informed by advanced acting training and mentorship. The project will draw on her personal experience of injury and recovery, resulting in a live theatrical piece exploring resilience through physical and narrative expression.
Elizabeth Straight
Literature
Elizabeth Straight will develop a matrilineal poetry collection grounded in personal history and ancestral research. The project will result in a completed manuscript exploring identity, lineage and storytelling across generations.