This week on Spotlight On Maryland, Gina Crash was joined in studio by Frederick J. Riley, Executive Director of Weave: The Social Fabric Project at the Aspen Institute to talk about their Weaver Awards with 2023 Awardee Nikki Stokes who used her award to help support the opening of Roman's Room: The Touch Me Exhibit. This exhibit is a groundbreaking sensory art experience designed to make art inclusively accessible through spaces that bring beauty, healing and value to the lives of our community. This immersive experience debuts to the public at Make Studio in Baltimore Friday, July 12th from 6-8:30pm. Make Studio is a community-based non-profit arts organization in Baltimore that empowers artists with disabilities. Nikki turned to fiber art as a therapeutic tool during her son Roman's autism diagnosis. Nikki shares more about Roman's story during the interview and how being recognized as a Weaver Award winner has impacted her work.
Frederick J. Riley explains how The Aspen Institute, a global non-profit in Washington, DC, and M & T Bank created the Weaver Awards to honor neighbors who are serving their communities and creating emotional connection, lasting relationships and a strong, inclusive social fabric. The Weaver Awards celebrate and publicly recognize these neighbors and each receives $5000 to advance their projects and weave a tighter community. A group of Baltimore neighbors who live in and care about Baltimore City review applications and recommendations and select 20 Awardees. The Awards are $5000 grants to support projects that build trust, connect people and help a neighborhood get stronger in some way. Now in its 4th year, the Awards have given out almost $300k. Applications are open now through September 30th for another $100k this year.
The Weaver Awards are designed for regular Baltimoreans who rarely receive grants and small nonprofits with budgets of less than $250K. You don't need to be a nonprofit to apply. Any project that brings people together and builds relationships to support people in the Baltimore community is eligible. Learn more at WeaverAwards.org/Baltimore. You can also find Weave: The Social Fabric Project online at weavers.org and you can follow them on Instagram, X and Facebook.
Click the media player below to listen to the interview and find out more about the Weaver Awards and Weave: The Social Fabric Project at the Aspen Institute.