Kudos to Transgender Artist Justin Vivian Bond '85, Performer, Obie Winner and Now Recipient of a MacArthur Fellowship “Genius Grant”

The cabaret performer and artist is recognized for "weaving history, cultural critique and an ethic of care into performances and artwork animated by wit, whimsy and calls to action."

Justin Vivian Bond '85, who earned their Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Arts, has been recognized with a highly prized MacArthur Fellowship-popularly referred to as a "Genius Grant." Awarded by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the fellowship recognizes individuals who have shown exceptional creativity in their work and the potential for even more significant contributions in the future.

As the MacArthur Foundation states on its site about Bond, "Justin Vivian Bond (Viv) is an artist and performer working in the cabaret tradition weaving history, cultural critique and an ethic of care into performances and artworks animated by wit, whimsy and calls to action. Bond uses cabaret to explore the political and cultural ethos of the moment and tie it back to history to address contemporary challenges, in particular those facing queer communities."

The MacArthur Fellowship is designed to recognize individuals who have shown exceptional creativity in their work and the potential for even more significant contributions in the future. Each recipient, or "MacArthur Fellow," receives a no-strings-attached grant of $800,000 (as of 2024), disbursed over five years. The fellowship is unique in that there are no specific requirements or obligations for how the money must be used, and recipients are selected from various fields, including arts, sciences, humanities and social activism. The MacArthur Foundation nominates individuals anonymously, and there is no application process.

Bond posted about this honor on Instagram, stating, "I joyfully accept the title "Genius" on behalf of all of the people who have held me steady on my path, come to my shows, formed friend groups, fallen in love, gotten loaded, cried or laughed" and "Being 'seen' is something we all aspire to, I think, to have others acknowledge our truth and embrace it. So thank you for seeing me through it all, and for believing in me from the very beginning until I was able to believe in myself. This award is an acknowledgement of our symbiosis and how beautifully it has worked. I'm filled with so much love … As I grow older I hope we can keep growing together through the time that lies ahead."

Bond is not the first Adelphi alum to receive this award: Jacqueline Woodson '16 (Hon.) is a 2020 recipient.