Announcing The Masterwork Music and Art Foundation 2025 Emerging Artist Awardee, Fadi J. Khoury of FJK Dance

 August 2025 

 This year the Masterwork Music and Art Foundation decided to expand their portfolio of awards to include an Emerging Artist Award. This $500 award is given to an emerging artist of distinction who has exhibited excellence in the arts. 

 

 

We're pleased to announce that Fadi J. Khoury of FJK Dance is the recipient of the inaugural award.

Special thanks to Masterwork’s Program Committee - Joseph White, Eric Hafen, Eileen White, Tony Javed and Alice Glock for their work identifying our awardee.

More About Fadi J. Khoury 

Fadi J. Khoury’s innovative style – both as dancer and choreographer – showcases his life-long immersion in a world of dance forms. He was born in Baghdad, Iraq, surrounded by the folkloric music and dance of Arab culture. His father, also a dancer and choreographer, was the Artistic Director of the National Iraqi Ballet. Through his father, Fadi was exposed to diverse approaches to dance in Mesopotamia, still present in Assyrian, Syriac, and Bedouin folkloric dances of the Middle East. When Fadi was thirteen, he moved to Beirut, Lebanon, where he trained in Classical Ballet, Folkloric Dance, and also in Modern, Jazz, and Ballroom. Still in his teens, he began experimenting with the eclecticism that has defined his work ever since. By seventeen, he was dancing professionally with the Rahbani Musical Theatre, while studying at the Lebanese Fine Arts University and Lebanon Dance Academy.

In 2014, inspired by a successful collaboration with Sevin Ceviker, he created his own company, FJK Dance, where he could continue to refine his distinct, personal style. Every FJK Dance performance reflects his unique mix of experiences, unlike anyone else’s in the current dance scene and still exuberantly evolving. In 2018,  Fadi received a CUNY Dance Initiative award and the opportunity to perform the first production of “UnTold” at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice.  Fadi was recently appointed as the first dance “Artist-in-Residence” at Kings County Hospital, Brooklyn, Wellness and Recovery Division, Behavioral Services, “to use dance to remove the stigma of, and to enable the public to better understand, mental illness.”

For more about Fadi J. Khoury, please visit: www.fjkdance.org/

The Masterwork Music and Arts Foundation has been supporting excellence in the arts for over 60 years. 100 percent of your donation funds art and artists through community grants, competitive awards, and a premier award for an emerging artist. Find out more at www.masterworkarts.org.
 
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   #CommunityArts
   #LovetheArtist
   #LovetheArts

Announcing The Masterwork Music and Art Foundation 2025 Community Arts Grant Awardees

 
August 2025 
 
Our Community Grant Awards are designed to support organizations and people that encourage excellence in the arts at the community level. For the 2025-2026 community grant season, four grants were offered — one at the $1,000 level and three at the $500 level.  Artists and arts organizations in the tri-state area were encouraged to apply. 

Special thanks to Masterwork’s Program Committee - Joseph White, Eric Hafen, Eileen White, Tony Javed and Alice Glock for their work identifying award criteria and evaluating applicants.
We’re pleased to announce the following awardees:

 
·      Our $1,000 award goes to the Chelsea Music Festival
 
Chelsea Music Festival celebrates great music by convening world-leading musicians & artists in the performing, culinary, and visual arts for an international audience. The Festival invites artists, composers, and performers to collaborate in pursuit of new perspectives in artistic expression.

Inspired by its Chelsea roots, the Festival reflects the creativity of one of New York City's most dynamic neighborhoods. Programs span musical genres ranging from classical to contemporary to jazz with a special emphasis on Festival commissions by composers whose works are not in the traditional western canon. In addition to its on-the-ground programming, the Festival hosts an online library of recordings so music enthusiasts, artists, and students alike can explore unique interpretations of classical, jazz, and contemporary works via high-quality videos of world-class performances and dialogues available for years to come.
 
For more about the Chelsea Music Festival, visit: https://www.chelseamusicfestival.org/
 
·      Our three $500 awards go to Flute Choir Day, Blues Alive and Site-Specific Dances respectively

1.Carter-Glennon Center for Arts and Nature’s Flute Choir Day  
 
An annual event at the Carter Glennon Center for Arts and Nature, the New Jersey Flute Choir Day celebrates flutists of all abilities, ages and backgrounds.  Participants range in age from 9 years old to 90. A day long rehearsal culminates with a concert featuring a piece by J.S. Bach, as well as an original work reflective of the year’s theme.

For more about New Jersey Flute Choir Day, visit: www.carter-glennon.org

 

 
2. Blues Alive, for Ma Rainey’s Living Tradition of the Blues
 
Part of the Brooklyn Folk Fest, Blues Alive will partner with the Ma Rainey House Museum in Columbus, Georgia to frame Gertrude Pritchett—a.k.a. Ma Rainey—as a trail-blazing American composer and band leader.
 
We shine a light on the woman as a powerful musician, mentor, and collaborator to several young sidemen who in-turn became innovators in their own careers; trumpeter/vocalist Louis Armstrong, pianist Thomas Dorsey, guitarist Tampa Red, and saxophonist Coleman Hawkins.

This awardee offering includes a 40 minute panel discussion and a 60 minute concert.

For more about Blues Alive, visit: https://www.brooklynfolkfest.com

3. Site-Specific Dances
 
Site-Specific Dances is an interdisciplinary performing arts collective of artists, choreographers, musicians, and designers. Much like architecture, our projects emerge from a direct engagement with a particular place. Our work moves beyond the stage to engage deeply with the world around us, with the site as a protagonist - and not a backdrop. 

Our practice unfolds across three primary typologies

* STAGE PIECES about sites
* SITE ACTIVATIONS in spaces not designed for performance
* COMMUNITY-DANCE, a participation-based project that invites local participants to create a community performance in public space

Our performances often feature original scores by collaborating composers in a range of styles, frequently performed live.

For more about Site-Specific Dances, visit: https://www.sitespecificdances.com/


Congratulations to our 2025 awardees!

 

The Masterwork Music and Arts Foundation has been supporting excellence in the arts for over 60 years. 100 percent of your donation funds art and artists through community grants, competitive awards, and a premier award for an emerging artist. Find out more at www.masterworkarts.org.
 
   #MasterworkArts
   #CommunityArts
   #LovetheArtist
   #LovetheArts

Protect the National Endowment for the Arts

 Governmental support for the arts is under threat in unprecedented ways -- which means we need your support as someone who values the arts to advocate in its defense. 

We must respond strategically and in solidarity to protect what we’ve built and ensure the arts remain a national priority. 

 

 

The single most impactful thing you can do is to connect with your elected officials!

Personalized outreach is critical at this moment. Remind them of the irreplaceable value of the arts in your community.

• Email: Use the Americans for the Arts Advocacy Alert to send an email to your elected officials.
• Postal: Send a letter via the US Postal Service with a personalized note to your elected officials.

Rep. XXX XXX
US House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515

Senator XXX XXX
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510

For additional resources and information visit the Protect the NEA site. 

The Masterwork Music and Arts Foundation has been supporting excellence in the arts for over 60 years. One hundred percent of your donation funds art and artists through community grants, an emerging artist award, and a premier award for a new work. Find out more at www.masterworkarts.org.

  

Camille A. Brown: Giant Steps - A PBS American Masters Feature

 The Masterwork Music and Art Premier Awardee, Camille A. Brown, has been profiled in a new series by PBS' American Masters. 

 

Camille A. Brown: Giant Steps is part of In The Making, a documentary shorts series from American Masters and Firelight Media follows emerging cultural icons on their journeys to becoming masters of their artistic disciplines. 

Follow the 5-time Tony-nominated director and choreographer of Broadway’s Gypsy and Hell’s Kitchen as she elevates the possible with bold explorations of everyday movement, and African Diasporic dance. The film foregrounds Brown’s visionary talent from her Queens, New York neighborhood to the Broadway stage, television and movie screens, and schools around the world. 

 See: Camille A. Brown: Giant Steps, streaming on PBS!

 

The Masterwork Music and Arts Foundation has been supporting excellence in the arts for over 60 years. One hundred percent of your donation funds art and artists through community grants, an emerging artist award, and a premier award for a new work. Find out more at www.masterworkarts.org.

 

 

 

Camille A. Brown's I AM Comes to Princeton's McCarter Theatre Center

 

 

The Masterwork Music and Arts Foundation's Premier Awardee, Camille A. Brown's I AM will be presented for one night only at Princeton's McCarter Theatre on Friday, September 26 at 7:30pm. Don't miss this critically acclaimed work.  

With I AM, Brown creates a bold new work that celebrates cultural liberation and limitless imagination. Featuring a fusion of dance genres from the African diaspora, her choreography embodies artistic freedom and boundless creativity. A Tony-nominated and award-winning choreographer, Brown continues to push artistic boundaries, reaffirming her company’s place at the forefront of contemporary dance.  

Get your tickets here today!  

The Masterwork Music and Arts Foundation has been supporting excellence in the arts for over 60 years. One hundred percent of your donation funds art and artists through community grants, an emerging artist award and a premier award for a new work. Find out more at www.masterworkarts.org.

Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story

When it comes to excellence in the arts - few can compare to the incomparable Liza!

Woven throughout this new documentary from American Masters is an ode to the mentors and influences that helped develop one of the most enigmatic talents of our time. Watching Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story you're reminded just how special she is and how deeply imprinted she's been on our culture.

Watch the documentary here:

https://www.thirteen.org/programs/american-masters/liza-a-truly-terrific-absolutely-true-story-jmqhn5/ 

The Masterwork Music and Arts Foundation has been supporting excellence in the arts for over 60 years. One hundred percent of your donation funds art and artists through community grants, an emerging artist award and a premier award for a new work. Find out more at www.masterworkarts.org.

Applications Available for Masterwork's 2025-2026 Community Arts Grants

4 Community Arts Grants Available!

Applicants must submit their entries to masterworkarts@gmail.com by midnight Friday, June 6 to be considered for the 2025-2026 grant season.

 

The Masterwork Music and Arts Foundation is pleased to offer a number of community grants to organizations or individuals striving for excellence in the arts. 

For the 2025-2026 community grant season, we’ll be giving out four grants. One grant will be given at the $1,000 level. Three additional grants will be issued at the $500 level. The Masterwork Board encourages individual aspiring artists and arts organizations located in the tri-state area of New Jersey, New York and Connecticut to apply. 

 

Here are more specifics on our grant criteria: 

• We’re looking for the best proposals for arts projects that encompasses fine and performing arts - including music, dance, the visual arts, and nonprofit theatrical productions that engage the community. 
• Volunteer involvement is an important factor. Please explain how volunteers will be engaged for your submission.
• Individual aspiring artists and arts organizations in New Jersey and New York are encouraged to apply.
• Works that illustrate a commitment to excellence in the arts -- either through theme or by design will receive greater consideration.
• Note that this award is not intended to cover operating expenses or support for a fundraising initiative.
• 2024-2025 Community Grant Awardees should not apply. 
• Applicants will need to email masterworkarts@gmail.com for an official form and then submit the completed form to masterworkarts@gmail.com by midnight Friday, June 6, 2025. 
• Applicants should identify how The Masterwork Music and Art Foundation will be recognized in relation to the work. 

Awardees agree to be featured in Masterwork Arts promotional materials and promote Masterwork Arts offerings.

 Awardees will be notified the week of June 30, 2025. 

How to apply:

 

Email masterworkarts@gmail.com for your application. Fill it out and email it back to masterworkarts@gmail.com  before midnight Friday, June 6, 2025. 

 

For questions about the above contact masterworkarts@gmail.com

 

About Masterwork Arts  

 

The Masterwork Music and Arts Foundation has been supporting excellence in the arts for over 60 years. One hundred percent of your donation funds art and artists through community grants, an emerging artist award, and a premier award for a new work. Find out more at www.masterworkarts.org.

 

The Stephen Petronio Dance Company's Final Season

The Stephen Petronio Dance Company, a Masterwork Music and Arts Foundation Community Arts Grant Awardee, announced their final season.

After 40 years, numerous awards and an impressive catalogue of work, the Stephen Petronio Dance Company is presenting their final season at Jacob's Pillow from July 23-27. Here's a glimpse of what the final season will showcase: 

To get tickets to what's sure to be an unforgettable show, visit the Jacob's Pillow web site.

Included here is a timeline of the Company's events and activities:

Spring - Summer 2025 - New York Intensive - legacy research and rehearsal, free classes and open rehearsals.

Spring 2025 - Final season of Petronio Education Program in Greene County, NY Public School System led by Marcus McGregor.

July 23-27, 2025 - Final performances at Jacob's PillowDance Festival

Fall 2025 - Spring 2026 - Creation of the Petronio Digital Archive

Fall 2025 - Spring 2026 - Establish Reserve Fund for Blookdlines (futuer) Award. The fund is restricted for early career dancemakers working in experimental movement

Beloved and admired across the dance community and beyond, Stephen Petronio is a giant of Modern Dance. 

From Wikipedia: 

Petronio has been commissioned to create new works for numerous companies, including National Dance Company Wales, Ballet de Lorraine, William Forsythe's Ballett Frankfurt (1987), the Tulsa Opera (1990), the Deutsche Opera Berlin (1992), the Lyon Opera Ballet (1994), the Maggio Danza Florence (1996), and the Ricochet Dance Company of London (1998)

Stephen Petronio received a 1999 Foundation for Contemporary Arts Grants to Artists Award. Petronio received a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1988, fellowships from the New York Foundation for the Arts in 1985 and 2004, the first of the American Choreographer Awards in 1987, and a New York Dance & Performance Award (Bessie) in 1986. He has been awarded choreography fellowships from the NEA from 1985 to 1988, and company grants from the NEA, like the Advancement Program Grant in 1994. He also received the New York State Council on the Arts consecutively since 1988. In 2007 Petronio was inducted into the Nutley, New Jersey Hall of Fame.

We wish Stephen and his company all the best and encourage all to celebrate his work by purchasing a ticket to their run at Jacob's Pillow or by making a tax-deductible donation. 

The Masterwork Music and Arts Foundation has been supporting excellence in the arts for over 60 years. One hundred percent of your donation funds art and artists through community grants, an emerging artist award, and a premier award for a new work. Find out more at www.masterworkarts.org.

#Dance #StephenPetronio #MasterworkArts 

It's a Busy Spring for Camille A. Brown and Dancers!

We're thrilled to share that Masterwork's Premier Awardee continues to make headlines after the exuberant run of I AM at The Joyce in February. 

Here are some highlights from her very busy schedule: 

• Camille will be featured on PBS this Spring

Camille is featured in the PBS American Masters series In the Making. Here’s more on the segment:

Camille A. Brown: Giant Steps
Directed by Shellée Haynesworth and Michelle Parkerson

Camille A. Brown: Giant Steps follows the rising choreographer, director, and educator as she elevates the possible with bold explorations of everyday movement and African Diasporic dance. The film foregrounds her visionary talent—affirming urban youth, Black female identity, and community power—from her Queens, New York, neighborhood to the Broadway stage, television and movie screens, and schools around the world.

For more on the series, See: https://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/season-3-in-the-making/35096/ 

• Camille A. Brown and Dancers will kick off the McCarter Theatre Center's dance program with I AM!

McCarter Theatre Center Announces 2025-2026 Season

See: https://www.newjerseystage.com/articles2/2025/04/02/mccarter-theatre-center-announces-its-2025-2026-theater-classical-music-and-dance-season/ 

• Camille was profiled in Broadway media twice

Camille A. Brown Shares the Advice that Changed Everything

See: https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Interview-Camille-A-Brown-Shares-the-Advice-That-Changed-Everything-20250303 

Black History Month Spotlight: Gypsy and Hell’s Kitchen Choreographer Camille A. Brown

See: https://www.broadway.com/buzz/205237/black-history-month-spotlight-gypsy-and-hells-kitchen-choreographer-camille-a-brown/ 

• The Camille A. Brown and Dancers Company releases applications for free arts program

Camille A. Brown and Dancers is offering a free arts program for high school and college aged students: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdn7kwbYs9cgHVsK6k6s74RMTg5WvLBTEy3at-YLg0GI_6BhA/viewform  

The Masterwork Music and Arts Foundation has been supporting excellence in the arts for over 60 years. One hundred percent of your donation funds art and artists through community grants, an emerging artist award, and a premier award for a new work. Find out more at www.masterworkarts.org.

Camille A. Brown at The Joyce!

 Masterwork Premier Awardee, Camille A. Brown and Dancers, will have the New York City premier of the work I AM at The Joyce this February!

 

 On of the busiest and most talented choreographers working today will be premiering I AM at the Joyce from Wednesday, February 5th through the Sunday, February 9th. Don't miss this exhuberant work that "explores Black Joy." 

For tickets, visit The Joyce Theater.

The Masterwork Music and Arts Foundation has been supporting excellence in the arts for over 60 years. One hundred percent of your donation funds art and artists through community grants, an emerging artist award, and a premier award for a new work. Find out more at www.masterworkarts.org.

 

Support an Emerging Artist

             Masterwork's Emerging Artist Grant offers donors input on the awardee process!

 

 

 

The Masterwork Music and Arts Foundation is launching a new grant for en emerging artist with the intention of helping artists with a cash award when they need it most - at the beginning of their careers. With this award, Masterwork is opening up the review process to donors to help determine who should receive the award.  Anyone who makes a contribution at www.masterworkarts.org of any size will be able to weigh in on how the gift is awarded.

 

100% of all donations to Masterwork go to benefit an artist or arts organization, which provides maximum value for your contribution. 

 

For more about the Emerging Artist Grant,  visit www.masterworkarts.org or follow us on Facebook. 

 

 The Masterwork Music and Arts Foundation has been supporting excellence in the arts for over 60 years. 100 percent of your donation funds art and artists through community grants, competitive awards, and a premier award for a new work. Find out more at www.masterworkarts.org.