We are excited to announce Maori Karmael Holmes will receive the 2023 Berresford Prize, our annual award honoring cultural practitioners who have contributed significantly to the advancement, well-being, and care of artists in society.
As a curator, filmmaker, and cultural worker, Maori Karmael Holmes has exemplified what it means to envision and maintain conditions for artists to thrive. Maori describes her cultural organizing as a form of worldmaking, forging innovative paths forward to fulfill unmet needs. This philosophy guided her as she built BlackStar, an institution that supports and centers Black, Brown, and Indigenous artists, establishing platforms and spaces for makers to find audiences and build vital skills and community. Through her worldmaking, Maori has supplied our field with a blueprint for a fuller approach to working with and for our communities.
