GLAAD’S COMMUNITIES OF COLOR AND MEDIA DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCES CALL FOR VISUAL ARTISTS FOR YEAR 3 COHORT OF THE EQUITY IN MEDIA AND ENTERTAINMENT INITIATIVE (EMEI)

Artist Mickalene Thomas to Join as Advisor Focused on Emerging Black LGBTQ Visual Artists

Applications to Close on January 16, 2025

(Photo Assets Available Here)

New York, NY — Friday, December 20, 2024 — GLAAD’s Communities of Color and Media department, a division of the GLAAD Media Institute (GMI), in partnership with renowned visual artist Mickalene Thomas, today announced the opening of applications for the third year cohort of its Equity in Media and Entertainment Initiative (EMEI). 

Applications are now open and will be accepted until Thursday, January 16, 2025.

Launched in 2022 with support from Gilead Sciences, EMEI is a transformative program designed to empower Black LGBTQ creatives and individuals living with HIV (PLWH) by providing mentorship, resources, and opportunities to amplify their voices in entertainment and media. 

Comprised of three year-long cohorts, the initiative has supported various genres of Black LGBTQ creatives across a range of disciplines: The first year cohort, in 2023, was made up of short form filmmakers. The second year cohort, in 2024, currently focuses on music artists.

Next year, the final cohort will focus on emerging Visual Artists, exploring Black queer creatives working in disciplines such as painting, photography, mixed media, and sculpture.

Mickalene Thomas Joins as Advisor

Mickalene Thomas is a highly celebrated and renowned multidisciplinary artist celebrated for her vibrant, rhinestone-adorned portraits of Black women/ Femmes. Exploring themes of identity, race, and gender, her art works challenge Western art narratives. A Tony-nominated co-producer, curator, educator, and mentor, Thomas made history in 2023 as the first Black queer femme artist with a Yale University scholarship in her name. Her work is held in prominent collections, including MoMA, the Whitney, and the Smithsonian. Thomas will serve as an advisor to the upcoming cohort. Her mentorship will include monthly sessions with artists, offering invaluable insights into artistic practices, project development, and navigating the art world.

“I’m deeply honored to partner with GLAAD on this impactful initiative, empowering the next generation of Black LGBTQ+ visual artists. Representation is paramount, and I’m thrilled to support these talented creatives in cultivating their unique voices and artistic visions,” said Thomas. 

Program Benefits

10 Participants will be selected for the 2025 EMEI cohort and will receive:

• Funding for a New Creative Project: Each participating creative will be granted $10,000 to fund a new creative project to be produced during their time with the initiative.
• Mentorship: Monthly sessions with Mickalene Thomas and other leading visual artists to explore their artistic processes and career growth.
• Professional Development: Workshops covering industry navigation, portfolio building, and leveraging art for social impact.
• Final Showcase: A culminating exhibition to present their work to industry leaders, media, and the public, taking place between December 2025 and February 2026.

Eligibility Criteria

To apply, artists must:

• Identify as Black and LGBTQ+ and/or be a person living with HIV.
• Be early-career visual artists committed to amplifying diverse narratives.
• Be available to participate in program activities, including monthly mentorship sessions.

How to Apply

Artists are invited to submit their portfolios and a statement of intent at: glaad.org/emei 

Prospective applicants have until Thursday, January 16, 2025 to apply. Early application submissions are highly encouraged.

For detailed application guidelines and additional information, visit glaad.org/emei.

Quote from GLAAD’s DaShawn Usher:

“The Equity in Media and Entertainment Initiative (EMEI) continues to be a beacon for Black LGBTQ creatives and storytellers,” said DaShawn Usher, Senior Director of GLAAD’s Communities of Color and Media Department. “Partnering with Mickalene Thomas for this cohort is a testament to our commitment to empowering visual artists whose work challenges norms and uplifts marginalized voices.”

Contact

For applicant inquiries, please contact communities@glaad.org

For press inquiries, please contact press@glaad.org

For corporate partnerships opportunities, please reach out to partnerships@glaad.org

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About the GLAAD Media Institute:
The GLAAD Media Institute provides training, consultation, and actionable research to develop an army of social justice ambassadors for all marginalized communities to champion acceptance and amplify media impact. GLAAD’s Communities of Color Department is a division of the GLAAD Media Institute driving equitable and accurate representation of Black LGBTQ people, people living with HIV (PLWH), and queer Communities of Color in the realm of entertainment and media. GLAAD and Gilead Sciences have been partners since 2019 in this important work to reduce HIV stigma, and understand comfortability, media exposure, and trends related to HIV stigma.

About Mickalene Thomas:
Mickalene Thomas is a multidisciplinary artist celebrated for her instantly recognizable aesthetic languages within contemporary visual culture. Her elaborate, vibrant, and exquisite portraits of Black women/Femmes in repose, composed of rhinestones, acrylic, and enamel, have become iconic. Thomas’ masterful paintings, photographs, videos, and installations command space, eloquently dissecting the complexities of Black female identity within the Western canon.

Beyond her artistic practice, Thomas is a Tony Award-nominated co-producer, curator, educator, and mentor. She has curated exhibitions at galleries and museums, collaborated with corporations and luxury brands, and co-founded several organizations, including SOULAS House, Sock Factory Arts, and Art Arena.

Thomas has received numerous awards and honors, including the Queens Museum Gala Honoree (2025), Gordon Parks Foundation Honoree (2024), LA LGBT’s 2024 Vanguard Award, and the Creative Capital Wild Futures: Art, Culture, Impact Award (2024). She was also the recipient of the Hirshhorn Artist x Artist New York Gala Honoree (2023) and the Pratt Institute Legends Award (2022).

In 2023, Thomas became the first Black queer femme artist to have a scholarship endowed in her name at the Yale University School of Art. Her work is held in the permanent collections of numerous institutions, including the Museum of Modern Art, Whitney Museum of American Art, Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Smithsonian Institution. Thomas serves on the Board of Trustees for the Brooklyn Museum, A.I.M. by Kyle Abraham, the Romare Bearden Foundation, and The Last Resort.