Vanderbilt Engine for Art, Democracy & Justice awarded $1 million Mellon Foundation grant

Posted by Mary-Lou Watkinson on Monday, November 18, 2024 in News Story.

María Magdalena Campos-Pons, Cornelius Vanderbilt Professor of Art, secured a $1 million grant from the Mellon Foundation to advance the work of the Engine for Art, Democracy & Justice (EADJ), which she founded.

"I think as an artist, you are successful when what you dream alone engages others," said Campos-Pons. This belief is at the core of what EADJ aims to do.

EADJ is a platform for academic, creative, and social exploration aimed at developing knowledge and new practices at the intersection of art, democracy, and justice. A trans-institutional initiative and ongoing collaboration with Fisk University, the Frist Art Museum, and Millions of Conversations, EADJ explores creative approaches to living together in the global South.

Campos-Pons said the grant will not only allow EADJ to continue advancing current projects, it will also allow her to think strategically to ensure the program's longevity and introduce more collaborations.

"One of my visions for EADJ is make it a program with a steady footprint at Vanderbilt-a program that could have a longevity beyond my physical time here," she said. "This Mellon Foundation grant is an opportunity to redefine and rethink how EADJ moves forward, honoring the commitment that we have already in place, honoring a continuum of some ideas and some projects that we have in place, but allowing the program to rethink what the structure is and how I'm going to move forward with EADJ. It's an investment in the future."

Campos-Pons expressed her gratitude to the Mellon Foundation, Research Development and Support, her team at EADJ, present and past curators, and participating artists.

"To receive a grant of this significance is an incredible gesture and also an affirmation that the path that you have taken as an artist is understood and celebrated by others, and it aligns with their own vision," she said. "I am humbled by that and feel gratitude knowing that my vision is not just an artist's dream."

Vanderbilt's Research Development and Support, within the Office of the Vice Provost for Research and Innovation, assisted with this grant. RDS enhances grant success by guiding researchers through every stage of proposal development, from identifying aligned funding opportunities to refining proposals for sponsor goals. RDS fosters collaboration among faculty, sponsors, and partners to amplify Vanderbilt's impact locally and globally. For more information, contact [email protected].