I Hollis Parry/Ann Parry Billman Fine Arts Graduate Award

Chaddock + Morrow College of Fine Arts

The deadline for Student Submissions is February 25, 2025

The I. Hollis Parry/Ann Parry Billman Fine Arts Award is offered in the spirit of inspiring new arts-related creative activity that will stimulate thoughts, insights, and ideas. A primary goal is to help talented graduate students realize an ambitious and influential project that may not otherwise be possible due to financial restrictions. Funding may be used for, but is not limited to, international research; solo/collaborative performance; public engagement projects; travel to an on-location project site; to build, purchase, or rent equipment; etc. The award provides project support as well as funding to increase the public impact and dissemination of outstanding projects through marketing/public relations/social media to connect with communities beyond the School and College.

Each of the six schools within the Chaddock + Morrow College of Fine Arts (Art + Design, Dance, Film, Interdisciplinary Arts, Music, Theater) will identify one nominee to put forward for consideration of this award at the college-level. Additionally, a seventh pool may be formed by applicants from the Master of Arts in Health and the Master of Arts Administration degrees; and by students proposing inter-School collaborative projects. A “Fine Arts+” committee will select one nominee from this additional pool to move forward to the college-level. Of these seven nominees, one will be selected by CoFA to receive the $5000 I. Hollis Parry/Ann Parry Billman Fine Arts Award. The remaining nominees will receive a $1,000 Project Development Award. Funding will be dispersed at the end of the semester in which the award was received.

Eligibility

All degree-seeking graduate students enrolled full-time in the College of Fine Arts are eligible to apply for this award.
Applicants must be pursuing their graduate degree at the time of project completion. (Note: Funding is not dispersed until May 2025; therefore, those graduating in Spring 2025 may not be eligible.)
While projects of individual graduate students are most common, proposals that involve collaboration between 2 or more graduate students are also encouraged. Interdisciplinary or community collaborations are also permissable, both within CoFA, within OU and externally. For example, projects that involve the Kennedy Museum, Athena Cinema, Tantrum Theater could be considered; or collaborations with OU’s entrepreneurship, fashion merchandising, advertising, engineering, and healthcare programs. External organizations, such as, Passion Works, ARTS/West, Athens Photographic Project, Dairy Barn, O’Bleness Hospital, and others could all yield fruitful partnerships. Please refer to the Appendix regarding collaborative proposals.

Proposal Components

Project Narrative (4-page limit):

The project narrative will be comprised of a clear and detailed description of the project, no more than 4 double-spaced pages in length. It must include the following:

The purpose of this project as it relates to the student’s pursuit of their graduate degree at Ohio University must be explained.
The project’s significance, aims, originality and overall contribution to the fine arts must be discussed. If appropriate, the student’s methodologies should be addressed.
The student must demonstrate an understanding of how this project relates to similar creative projects or past research by others within this specific field.

Budget Outline & Description

Clearly outline anticipated expenditures related to the project, such as, materials, equipment, travel, lodging, personnel, etc.; and justify each of the expenditures. In addition, the budget must specify how at least 5% of the budget will be devoted to a public- impact/marketing plan. The budget should also identify potential external sources of grant funding, should the total budget exceed the amount of potential funding.

Public Impact Statement

Describe how the project will have an impact beyond the School and College. Identify who the anticipated audience will be and a marketing plan for the projects. A public-impact statement may include everything from a plan for marketing, social media, community engagement, festivals, conferences, websites, lectures, to performances. Firm and well-articulated plans for public impact that address specificity, methods, range, and dissemination goals will strengthen the application.

Draft Press Release

In anticipation of the project’s completion and presentation to the intended audience, write a draft version of the public announcement.

Timeline

Create a clear timeline directly related to the research that will be conducted and/or the creative activity undertaken. Note that award funding will be dispersed at the end of Spring term and the project must be completed prior to the student’s graduation.

Audio-Visual support materials

This can include sketches, reference imagery, diagrams, hyperlinks to recordings/videos, scores, transcriptions, schematics, charts or other materials that will assist the committee in more fully understanding the intent of the project. Please provide image captions with brief context as to the reason for their inclusion.

CV/Resume

Limit of 1-2 pages.

DARS

A copy of your DARS report.

External letters of support (if applicable to the project)

Brief letters of support from any potential partners, collaborators, galleries, venues, publications, conferences, organizations, etc. who are listed in the proposal should be included.

Nomination Letter

A letter of nomination and support from the student’s primary mentor/advisor must be included.

Some Examples of Possible Projects

A proposal to work with a local arts organization or the local schools to create a work of public art with supporting letters from the organization as well as the City of Athens and/or the school.
A proposal to complete research in a particular area of the arts at an offsite location and then to create a public symposium or website around the completed research.
A proposal for a series of performances at regional museums, schools, theaters, historic buildings, etc.; accompanied by supporting letters from the museums.
An interdisciplinary engagement with a student from another artistic field or from a business field, such as entrepreneurship or marketing.
A proposal for a work of art that will be displayed by a particular gallery, museum, public building, with a support letter from said partnerships.
A proposal for a project that requires on-site work and a list of festivals/conferences where the project will be submitted and a public-relations plan to support the project.

Deadlines and Details Regarding Student Proposals

February 25, 2025: Deadline for student proposal submission to School Director*

Each student's proposal must be submitted to the School Director in a single PDF.
Letter of Support: The student's mentor/advisor (the faculty member who best understands the nature of the student's project) submits a letter of support separately to the Director to accompany the completed proposal.

*Notes to School Director: When received, submissions should be forwarded to your School’s award committee for review and selection of your School’s Billman nominee. Once these decisions have been made it is highly recommended that the student’s thesis advisor, the School award committee, and/or the Director work with the students to help make final edits to their proposal prior to the CoFA submission deadline. Based on past winning submissions, it is clear that this guidance considerably strengthens proposals. Similarly, each of these students will benefit from faculty assistance in preparing their 5-minute oral presentations to the CoFA Billman Award committee.

March 7, 2025: Deadline for submission of Schools’ Billman nominee to the CoFA Billman Fine Arts Award Committee (hackenmi@ohio.edu). Schools should also notify all applicants of their decisions by this same day.

March 21 – March 28, 2025:Required 5-minute ‘Pitch’ to the CoFA Billman Award committee to orally present their project. Guidelines and specific scheduling will be sent to each nominee by one week prior.

April 4, 2025:Award Recipient Selected by the CoFA Billman Award Committee.

April 7-11, 2025: Award Recipient Notification by CoFA in writing during the 2nd week of April. The remaining nominees will also be notified this week regarding the results of this process.

Requirements for the Awards

Requirements of the Billman Fine Arts Award Recipient:

The I. Hollis Parry/Ann Parry Billman Fine Arts Award recipient must participate in a meeting with members of the Billman family, the CoFA Dean, and their School Director/Mentor in April/May.
The recipient may also be invited to participate in college functions, such as the CoFA Leadership Council retreat.
After the Billman Fine Arts Award recipient has completed the project or research as described in the student’s winning proposal, the award recipient must send a summary of the results to the Dean of the Chaddock + Morrow College of Fine Arts. This will then be shared with the Billman family.
The student may also choose to occasionally update the Billman family on the progress of the project, although this is optional.
The award-winning proposal will be used as an example for the benefit of future applicants.

Requirements of the Project Development Award Recipients:

These funding recipients are not expected to complete the full project that they initially proposed. Instead, they will be asked to submit a revised budget and short description of some aspect or portion of the originally proposed project that can be accomplished with the $1000 award. This must be approved by the Dean’s office prior to disbursement of the award. All proposals that receive funding will be used as examples for the benefit of future applicants.

2024 Award Winning Proposals

2024 Billman Award Winner

The "Dance4yourlife" project, designed by Fedra Tavia Hunte, aims to bridge the gap in dance education on the Caribbean Island of Antigua by offering young performing arts students and professionals an immersive experience to enhance their skills and prepare them for higher education. Through a 5-day workshop at the University of the West Indies Open Campus, participants will engage in diverse dance sessions, discussions on dance education, and community-based activities. Hunte will collaborate with local organizations and leverage social media influencers to maximize outreach to aspiring dancers aged 16 to 25 in the region. Hunte hopes this workshop will lay the groundwork for a longer-term, transformative initiative that fosters mental, physical, and intellectual growth in Caribbean dancers, empowers tomorrow's dance leaders, and redefines the possibilities of dance education within the Antiguan community.

—Fedra Tavia Hunte (Dance)

Michael Binder - Art + Design ($1000)

Michael Binder Jr. is a graduate student at Ohio University in the Chaddock + Morrow College of Fine Arts. The exhibition, Between Idealism and Reality revolves around Binder’s experiences as a “Katrina kid” a term used to describe children along the Gulf Coast who were displaced by Hurricane Katrina.

Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans on Aug. 29, 2005, as a category 3 hurricane, claiming over 1800 lives and causing $125 Billion in damages. Binder’s work is a reflection of those experiences, as well as an effort to raise awareness. “With climate change, hurricanes are only becoming more frequent and more powerful,” Binder said. “In the next few decades, we’re going to see a lot more of the issues we saw during Katrina concerning displacement, refugee situations, search and recovery efforts, and assessment of severe damage.”

Jordan Spayd - Film ($1000)

First Night Out is a short film about a bisexual man who is married to a woman and part of his journey figuring out how he fits into the queer community. The film was shot at the local Athens bar, The Union, and was produced by a cast and crew from the greater Athens and Columbus communities. The funds from the grant will be used to hire an editor to put the film together, a composer to create an original soundtrack/score for the film, and a sound designer to do a final sound mix. The film was written and directed by Jordan Spayd, who graduated with a M.F.A. from Ohio University's School of Film.

Sam Sernavski - I Arts ($1000)

Sam K. Sernavski, is a Ph.D. candidate and Teaching Assistant in both the School of Interdisciplinary Arts and the School of Music. This event, titled "The Aspects of Performativity in Toru Takemitsu's Music," is scheduled for December 2024.

Sernavski's presentation delves into the intricate challenges of interpreting the musical compositions of renowned Japanese composer Toru Takemitsu. It meticulously examines the hurdles faced by performers in conveying the complexities of Takemitsu's works, drawing profound insights from extensive research. A highlight of the event includes performance recordings featuring Takemitsu's works, skillfully executed by the Akikazu NakamuraMusic Ensemble in Japan. This promises the audience a firsthand auditory experience, immersing them in the unique fusion of modern Western and traditional Japanese musical elements characteristic of Takemitsu's compositions.

Employing an interdisciplinary approach blending musicology, ethnomusicology, and composition, Sernavski's presentation aims to engage the audience in a profound exploration of the cultural and artistic dimensions embedded in Takemitsu's music. As a Ph.D. candidate at Ohio University, Sernavski's expertise in twentieth-century art music, traditional Japanese music, and Japanese cultural studies enriches the depth and breadth of the event. Under the mentorship of Dr. Garrett Field in musicology and ethnomusicology, along with Dr. Robert McClure in composition, Sam K. Sernavski brings a unique blend of scholarly and artistic expertise to the event.

Papa Kojo Essuman Yamoah, Bernard Agorsor, Nina Asiamah - Music ($1000)

This project, aims to explore the histories of early brass band groups in Ghana, highlighting their socio-cultural significance and evolution. Collaborating with two Ghanaian graduate students, Bernard Agorsor (M.F.A. Film Production) and Nina Asiamah (M.F.A. Commercial Photography) at Ohio University, this project takes a novel approach by incorporating audiovisual elements into ethnographic studies, enhancing the depth and accessibility of the research. By leveraging their expertise in video and photography, we will visually document and interpret historical accounts, interviews, and archival materials, enriching the narrative and engaging a broader audience through an academic documentary titled “Sound of the Coast.” Supported by professors at the University of Cape Coast, including Dr. John Doe Dordzro (Department of Music and Dance, University of Cape Coast) and Professor Paschal Younge (School of Music, Ohio University), and drawing on our insider knowledge of Cape Coast, cultural values, and established connections, this collaboration ensures a comprehensive and culturally sensitive approach to data collection and analysis. This collaboration promises to yield valuable insights into Ghana’s brass band culture through meticulous project planning, nuanced data collection, and ethical considerations.

2023 WINNERS

Guidance Regarding Your Proposal

Paper copies of all previous winning proposals are available for review in person in Jennings House. Keep in mind that many of these proposals do not completely match all of the current guidelines. Please contact Paula Morrison (morrisop@ohio.edu) to schedule a time to review these proposals.

Students are highly encouraged to work with their mentor/advisor when developing and writing this proposal. In addition, there will be general Q&A sessions scheduled with the CoFA Billman Award Committee. Contact Karla Hackenmiller (hackenmi@ohio.edu) for specific questions.

Proposal Review Process:

Each School will identify a small committee to review proposals and determine their School’s Billman Award nominee. This top proposal will then be forwarded on to the Associate Dean, hackenmi@ohio.edu. Similarly, the “Fine Arts+” committee will review and select a Billman Award nominee to forward to the college-level. Then, the CoFA Billman Award committee, consisting of a representative from each School offering a graduate degree program, will evaluate these proposals.

As part of the review process, the CoFA Billman Award nominees must orally present a “5-minute pitch” to the CoFA committee. Based on a combination of this oral presentation and the written proposal, the committee will select the $5,000 I. Hollis Parry/Ann Parry Billman Award winner. Billman nominees who do not win the Billman Award will receive a $1,000 Project Development Grant.

Proposal Review Process

Each School will identify a small committee to review proposals and determine their School’s Billman Award nominee. This top proposal will then be forwarded on to the Associate Dean, hackenmi@ohio.edu. The Fine Arts Billman Award committee, which consists of a representative from each School offering a graduate degree program, will evaluate these proposals.

Additionally, students need to orally present a 5-minute pitch to this committee. Based on a combination of this presentation and the written proposal, the committee will select the $5,000 I. Hollis Parry/Ann Parry Billman Award winner. School-selected Billman nominees who do not win the Billman Award will receive a $1,000 Project Development Grant.

Questions?

There will be open Q&A sessions scheduled with the CoFA Billman Fine Arts Award. Specific questions can also be directed to: Karla Hackenmiller, Associate Dean, hackenmi@ohio.edu.

APPENDIX: Collaborative proposals

This funding is intended to benefit graduate students in the College of Fine Arts. Therefore, proposals for collaborations with those outside of CoFA, must list at least one, eligible CoFA graduate student as the principal investigator for the project. If awarded, the CoFA student(s) listed will be responsible for the project’s expenditures. All graduate students included in the proposal must secure a letter of support from their mentor/advisor and must participate in the “5-minute Pitch” segment of the review process.
Students who wish to collaborate across schools within CoFA, will submit their proposals to the “Fine Arts+” committee for review (hackenmi@ohio.edu). All graduate students included in the proposal must secure a letter of support from their mentor/advisor and must participate in the “5-minute Pitch” segment of the review process.

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