Thank you for supporting the Eighth Annual Grilled Cheese Grant!

This year, we raised $6,626.51!

For the first time in GCG history, ALL FIVE FINALISTS will be
FULLY FUNDED!

A portion of the proceeds will be donated to Diverse & Resilient, an organization that supports the LGBTQ+ community in Milwaukee.

Read the MIAD web story feature here

Photo by Adam White/docMyArt

2023 Finalists:
1st Place: Andrea Cabrera Manuel
2nd Place: Jovanny Hernandez Caballero
3rd Place: Jo Willis
4th Place: Xarion Latimore

5th Place: Brandom Terres-Sanchez

The Grilled Cheese Grant (GCG) is an annual community fundraising event and emerging artist grant that provides financial support for undergraduate seniors at The Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD) and The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) who are working towards completing their senior exhibition projects in the areas of Fine Arts and/or Design. The Grilled Cheese Grant was created as a secondary platform for graduating seniors to receive financial support for their projects outside of their institution.

At the Grilled Cheese Grant, attendees donate $5 or more to receive a grilled cheese sandwich made with cheese and bread provided by local community organizations. In addition to grilled cheese, all attendees also receive a ballot to cast their vote for one of five selected finalists, chosen through an application process by a jury of creative professionals not directly affiliated with GCG, MIAD or UWM. Each selected finalist will exhibit work at Vanguard Sculpture Services (3374 W Hopkins St, Milwaukee, WI 53216) on April 1, 2023 for the Grilled Cheese Grant event.

The funds raised during the Grilled Cheese Grant are totaled and awarded to the selected finalists in the form of an artist/project grant to support their senior exhibition projects. The grant amounts are determined by the money raised during the event. Selected finalists receive the largest portion of funds and a percentage is retained by GCG organizers, collaborators and partners for future programming support. Additionally, a portion of the proceeds are donated to Diverse & Resilient, a local organization that supports the LGBTQ+ community.

The winners of The Grilled Cheese Grant are announced at the event and on the GCG social media after all votes are tallied and all funds are totaled. The selected finalists are ranked first through fifth place based on collected votes and each finalist receives financial support for their senior exhibition project. Grant award amounts are based on the total funds raised and each finalist’s proposed budget is considered when funds are awarded. The Grilled Cheese Grant aims to fully fund the first place winner’s senior exhibition project and partially fund all other projects. In addition, Grilled Cheese Grant finalists may receive professional development opportunities facilitated by members of the GCG team.
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The Eighth Annual Grilled Cheese Grant is generously sponsored by Portrait Society Contemporary Art Gallery, Var Gallery, McCaw/Budsberg Collaborations & Current Projects, Heinn Chapman, facilitating situations, Julia Taylor Watercolor, gener8tor Art, Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design, Artdose Magazine, Reason at Work, LLC, aryn kresol, docmyart, Task Creative, and Scott Frazier. Milwaukee Artist Resource Network is the Top Community Sponsor for Grilled Cheese Grant 2023. Funding is provided in part by a grant from the Open Fund. Cheese and bread supplied by Clock Shadow Creamery and Troubadour Bakery. Drinks provided by Cactus Club. Thank you to community partner Walker’s Point Center for the Arts and event venue Vanguard Sculpture Services. The Grilled Cheese Grant is voluntarily organized by a small group of MIAD graduates: Rachel Hausmann-Schall, Alyssa Anderson, Joe Acri, and Sal Nicholson.