CNY Arts

Some joyful moments from our recent Syracuse Prize Ceremony, held at Art in the Atrium ✨

We’re so grateful for those who showed up to celebrate our incredible Prize finalists, all of whom have enriched our shared city immeasurably. Thank you also to Channel 9’s own for emceeing, and to our new Onondaga County Poet Laureate for bringing her powerful spoken word to the space.

More highlights coming soon. Until then, another congratulations to all our finalists! Learn more about the incredible work they each do to enrich our community at cnyarts.org/past-grants/syracuse-prize



📸 by Amelia Beamish

The Everson’s current photography exhibits, “A Long Look at Documentary Photography, 1888-2016” and “Life: Six Women Photographers,” capture more than a century of life in America 📸

Learn more about these unique exhibits by reading the review, available on our profile under “Arts News” or at cnyarts.org under About Us > Arts News.

Catch both collections while they are up (through September 27, 2026!) Learn more at everson.org 

About the Author ✍️

Carl Mellor covered visual arts for the Syracuse New Times from 1994 through 2016. He writes reviews and artist profiles for CNY Arts as a community partner.

Round 2 of the Onondaga County MicroGrant is now open for applications! Scan the QR code or visit the “MicroGrant” highlight in our profile for the guidelines 📝

This program provides grants of up to $1,000 for arts and cultural projects, programs, and services offered by nonprofits and grassroots organisations that contribute to the cultural development of Onondaga County.

Mark the end of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month by choosing a couple new reads to explore! This reading list was curated by our staff, and is a collection of our favorites from AAPI authors.

We hope you’ll find a favorite among them too!

Discover the full reading list on our profile under “Arts News” or visit cnyarts.org/about-us/news 📚

Journey “Under the Waves” in Edgewood Gallery’s new exhibit ! Including works from visual artist Charles Cowell, glassblower R. Jason Howard, and metalsmith jewelry artist Susan Machamer, this unique collection is worth a deep dive!

Learn more by reading the exhibit review, available on our profile under “Arts News” or at cnyarts.org under About Us > Arts News. Catch the collection while it’s up!

About the Author

Carl Mellor covered visual arts for the Syracuse New Times from 1994 through 2019. He writes reviews and artist profiles for CNY Arts as a community partner.

🎉 Congratulations to Patrick W. Berry, the first-ever to receive the $10,000 Syracuse Prize!

Patrick is a Syracuse University writing and rhetoric professor, author, and founder of Project Mend , a grassroots initiative amplifying the voices of incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals through writing, art, and digital storytelling.

The $10,000 award will go directly toward supporting Project Mend. A round of applause for Patrick! 👏

Huang Lu D’s stunning collection “The Matriarch” is a meditation on motherhood, inspired by the artist’s years working as a photographer in hospitals, taking photographs of mothers and babies.

Lu D indicates that “these experiences reshaped my understanding of childbirth, leading me to see mothers as vessels carrying forward an ancient code of life.”

Up just in time for this Mother’s Day at Art in the Atrium , we’re so proud to have been able to showcase The Matriarch in our gallery space.

Learn more about this collection and the artist behind it by reading the full exhibition review at cnyarts.org/about-us/news or visit the Arts News highlight in our profile 🔗

About the Author

Carl Mellor covered visual arts for the Syracuse New Times from 1994 to 2019. He currently writes reviews and articles for CNY Arts as a community partner.

Your reminder to apply for our upcoming FREE 3.5-day in-person professional development intensive this June, brought to you in partnership with 🧡

Participating artists will:

— Dive into grant writing, marketing, financial literacy & strategic planning
— Receive tailored work sample reviews from industry professionals
—Join a cohort of like-minded peers working across disciplines
— Create an artist action plan to blueprint your practice or project AND MORE

Scan the QR code or navigate to nyfa.org/professional-development/artist-as-entrepreneur-program/

9 days left to apply so don’t miss your chance! 🔗

Priority will be given to artists in our service region (Cortland, Herkimer, Madison, Oneida, Onondaga & Oswego counties). Travel stipends are available for those commuting from outside the Syracuse area.

They’ve raised the bar! Meet our five finalists for the inaugural Syracuse Prize, a $10,000 award for a resident who has enriched our shared city! 🩷💜🩵

Swipe to hear from the finalists themselves, who are all doing uniquely important work to make Syracuse the vibrant hub of arts, culture, and community that it is.

Find their full bios at cnyarts.org/syracuse-prize and stay tuned for the Prize winner, announced on May 15!