On the occasion of the 2023 edition of Frieze Los Angeles, Creative Capital celebrated exemplary artists who have received a Creative Capital Award, including the 2023 “Wild Futures: Art, Culture, Impact” grantees and past grantees working in the Visual Arts, Performing Arts, Technology, Film, and Literature, as well as Multidisciplinary and Socially Engaged forms. On the rooftop of the Santa Monica Proper Hotel, artists, friends and patrons toasted the opening of Frieze and the artistic community in Los Angeles. 

Creative Capital and ALMA Founder, Hannah Gottlieb-Graham were excited to collaborate on a festive gathering of creatives and art enthusiasts, including the visionary Creative Capital Awardees that attended: Annie Han and Daniel Miyalyo, Caitlin Berrigan, Danielle Dean, David Burns, Edgar Arceneaux, Guillermo Brown, Hilari Scarl, Jasmine Orpilla, Larissa FastHorse, Liz Ferrer, Maura Brewer, Mercedes Dorame, Miriam Simun, Ron Athey, Samora Pinderhughes, Sandy Rodriguez, and Sarah Rosalena. 

Christine Kuan, Creative Capital President and Executive Director, said: “None of the Frieze Week experience would be possible without artists. That is what Creative Capital is here to do, to support artistic freedom of expression, fund artists’ dream projects, and build community. Since our founding, Creative Capital has disbursed $50 million in grants and services to more than 900 groundbreaking artists across the country. We need artists and free speech now more than ever.”

Reginald M. Browne, Creative Capital Board Chair, said: “Since its founding in 1999, Creative Capital has been committed to artists and the business practices of the artists we support. Direct funding to artists is essential and that is our core belief—funding new ideas and cutting-edge work. We need artists to document what they see today and challenge what they believe to be conventional. Artists are essential to the vibrancy of our nation.”

Notable guests, including Akintunde Ahmad, Ali Gass, Angelik Vizcarrondo-Laboy, Auttrianna Ward, Christina Caputo, Christine Kuan, Colleen Jennings-Roggensack, Edgar Arceneaux, Guillermo Brown, Hannah Gottlieb-Graham, Jackie Amézquita, Joey Lico, Harold Mendez, Joseph V. Melillo, Kathleen Lynch, Michelle Coffey, Pamela and David Hornik, Reginald M. Browne, Ron Athey, Sandy Rodriguez, Samora Pinderhughes, Shinique Smith, Susan Swig and Trish Bransten, sipped Negroni Messicanas over passed hors d’oeuvres and Earl Grey truffle desserts. 

Founded in direct resistance to state censorship when the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) discontinued the majority of its grants to individual artists, Creative Capital funds artistic freedom and risk-taking, adventurous artists across the country via a democratic, national open-call process. Creative Capital fundraises every dollar it gives away to support artists. In Fiscal Year 2022, 83 percent of the foundation’s budget expenditures were allocated for artist grants and programs.

The 2024 Creative Capital Award Open Call grant application for Visual Arts and Film/Moving Image projects (with awards up to $50,000) opens on March 1, 2023. Learn more.

Partners included ALMA Communications, BFA and The Santa Monica Proper.