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KDA Announces California Arts Council Individual Artists Fellowship Awards in the Central Valley & Eastern Sierra

Unrestricted Fellowships Totaling $360,000 Support Artists Across 13 Counties

KDA (Kern Dance Alliance) has announced the recipients of the 2026 KDA Individual Artists Fellowship (KDAIAF) awards. Funded by a grant from the California Arts Council (CAC), the program provides unrestricted fellowships totaling $360,000 to individual artists and culture bearers living, working, and/or serving in California’s Central Valley and Eastern Sierra region.

Selected from 265 applications requesting more than $4.55 million, the 34 awards recognize artistic excellence, sustained creative practice, and meaningful community impact. KDA is one of only eight organizations statewide chosen by the CAC to administer this highly competitive initiative. Due to limited available funding, only 8% of applicants were selected for a KDAIAF award.

Awards were determined through a rigorous, confidential peer-review process conducted by a panel of regional artists, culture bearers, and arts professionals who evaluated applications using published criteria focused on artistic excellence, sustained practice, and community impact.

The fellowships will help spark artistic entrepreneurship, free arts programs for youth and seniors, powerful new cultural works, mobile workshops reaching rural and underserved communities, and deeper connections across the counties KDA serves.

 “Artists are essential to the health, identity, and economic vitality of our communities,” said Andrea Hansen, KDA Executive Director and KDAIAF Program Director. “These fellows represent the extraordinary talent and resilience of our region. We are honored to invest in their practices and look forward to the creative work they will continue to share across the Central Valley and Eastern Sierra.”

Although KDA deeply regrets that they could not fund every deserving application, they value the vital work of all artists who applied. Every submission reflected the rich creativity and dedication present throughout the region. KDA remains committed to advocating for increased state funding allocations that will expand future opportunities for artists and culture bearers in California’s Central Valley and Eastern Sierra, and encourages community members, elected officials, and partners to join them in that effort.

After administrative costs, all $360,000 is restricted solely to direct fellowship awards. None of the funds support KDA’s existing programs or operations.

The KDAIAF serves artists and culture bearers in 14 counties: Amador, Calaveras, Fresno, Inyo, Kern, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Mono, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Tulare, and Tuolumne. The 34 fellows represent 13 of the 14 counties (applications were not submitted from Amador county) in KDA’s service area, underscoring the program’s commitment to equitable access for artists throughout the Central Valley and Eastern Sierra.

 2026 KDAIAF AWARD BREAKDOWN

  • Legacy Artist Fellows (3 awards of $50,000 each – $150,000 total) 
  • Established Artist Fellows (11 awards of $10,000 each – $110,000 total) 
  • Emerging Artist Fellows (20 awards of $5,000 each – $100,000 total)

All awards are unrestricted and matching funds were not required. The Fellowship Activity Period runs August 1, 2026 – August 1, 2027. Fellows will use their awards to enhance their creative practice and artistic entrepreneurship while participating in virtual convenings along with ongoing professional development workshops and networking opportunities throughout the one-year fellowship period.

Legacy Artist Fellows ($50,000)

  • Bobby Von Martin – Fresno: Cultural Bearer/Indigenous Practice 
  • Edna Garabedian – Madera: Music/Opera 
  • Kristen Elizabeth McLaughlin – Kern: Dance & Movement


Established Artist Fellows ($10,000)

  • Anthony Laurence Imperatrice – Fresno: Music, Media & Digital Arts 
  • Corey Brian Strauss – Stanislaus: Theater & Performance 
  • Erick Jovanny Rodriguez Ordoñez – Kern: Interdisciplinary & Social Practice 
  • Francisco Javier Alonso Sanchez – Tulare: Visual Arts 
  • Halima Lucas – San Joaquin: Literary Arts, Media & Digital Arts 
  • Ka’eo Koapaka Yoshikawa – Fresno: Literary Arts 
  • Martha Diana Ramirez – Kern: Literary Arts 
  • Michael Willis – Kern: Design & Applied Arts 
  • Richard Garrett Masterson – Madera: Visual Arts 
  • Valerie Anglen – Tulare: Visual Arts 
  • Victor M. Torres – Fresno: Dance & Movement


Emerging Artist Fellows ($5,000)

  • Alicia Ramona van de Bor – San Joaquin: Visual Arts 
  • Amanda Lee Stone – Kings: Literary Arts / Visual Arts 
  • Antonio Anaya Tapia – Stanislaus: Design & Applied Arts 
  • Ashlee Albrecht – Merced: Visual Arts 
  • Benjamin Blaine Ditto – Inyo: Visual Arts 
  • Brian Le Bui – San Joaquin: Culture Bearer 
  • Desirae Washington – Fresno: Media & Digital Arts 
  • Holly Meagher – Kings: Visual Arts 
  • Jacob Hazzard Been – Stanislaus: Visual Arts 
  • Jesse James Hunt – Merced: Visual Arts 
  • Laura D. Perrone – Stanislaus: Visual Arts, Design & Applied Arts 
  • Margaret Ruth Sloan – Calaveras: Literary Arts, Visual Arts 
  • Maria Fernanda Rosas – Fresno: Visual Arts 
  • Martha L. Gonzalez – Kern: Dance & Movement 
  • Michaela Carole Graves – Tuolumne: Visual Arts 
  • Nathaniel Scott Norman – Tulare: Interdisciplinary, Visual Arts 
  • Ruth Soderlund – Fresno: Visual Arts 
  • Susan Lee Bains – Mono: Visual Arts 
  • Tabatha Mills – Kern: Literary Arts 
  • Troian M. G. Cummings – Mariposa: Visual Arts

FELLOWS HIGHLIGHTS

  • Kristen Elizabeth McLaughlin (Legacy Artist Fellow, Kern County) will expand free and scholarship-supported programs that bring interactive arts workshops to children ages 4 – 8, immersive “Concerts 4 Kids,” and intergenerational movement sessions for seniors in assisted-living facilities – removing financial barriers while creating local artistic jobs.
  • Corey Brian Strauss (Established Artist Fellow, Stanislaus County) will deliver more than 20 free, high-quality live theatre performances directly onto elementary school campuses, prioritizing schools with limited arts access and giving thousands of students their first professional performing arts experience.
  • Holly Meagher (Emerging Artist Fellow, Kings County) will launch “Wheels on Wheels,” a mobile ceramics program that brings affordable, hands-on pottery workshops to schools, community events, and public spaces throughout Kings County’s military and rural communities, eliminating the one-hour travel barrier to the nearest studio.

Fellows were notified of their awards on July 31, 2026.

Follow the announcement and future updates on Instagram (@kda-ca) and Facebook (@KDA).

Full program details and the complete list of awardees are available at kda-ca.org/IAF.

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Jen Thompson

Vice President | Board Member

Jennifer Thompson is a proud Bakersfield native who fell in love with dance before she even started school. She grew up training under the guidance of renowned local instructor Georgia Peck, laying the foundation for a lifelong passion for movement and expression. Jennifer pursed her academic education with equal enthusiasm, earning both her BA and MA in English from National University. For over 20 years, she has worked as an English teacher with the Kern High School District, where ahe has inspired generations of students with her love of literature and language. Recently, she has decided to begin a new chapter-transitioning from teaching English to teaching dance. She is thrilled to channel her passion into helping build and strengthen the fine arts program, where she can continue to inspire students through the transformative power of the arts. In addition to her work in education, Jennifer has proudly served as a board member with Kern Dance Alliance for the past four years. She loves the opportunity to bring dance to her community, spreading joy and encouraging creative expression in people of all ages. Outside of the classroom and studio, Jennifer has raised two grown children who are now pursuing their own passions-a journey that continues to inspire her both personally and professionally. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her dogs, diving into a good book, and-of course-continuing to take dance classes herself.

Marcie Hronis

President | Board Member

Marcie Hronis is a distinguished author, dedicated arts advocate, accomplished business proprietor, and renowned interview specialist who resides in the vibrant community of Bakersfield, California.

With a dance career spanning nearly two decades, Marcie honed her craft through rigorous classical ballet training under the esteemed Royal Academy of Dance, achieving the pinnacle of her dance education with a distinction in the Advanced II examination. Marcie’s artistic journey included a passion for modern dance, where her formative training was shaped by the profound influences of Lester Horton and Martha Graham.

As the proprietor of Marcie Hronis Communications, she has garnered accolades and recognition as an award-winning interview coach, serving a diverse clientele across the nation.

Marcie is a published author, having penned the highly acclaimed vegan cookbook titled “Believe it or Not” available worldwide on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Wal-Mart.

Furthermore, Marcie has assumed the esteemed position of President of Kern Dance Alliance, stepping into this role in 2023 following the legacy of Andrea Hansen. Her enduring commitment to the organization is exemplified by her role as a founding board member. Additionally, she has played a pivotal role as one of the co-creators of ADAPTIdance: DANCE + DISABILITY, Kern County’s exclusive adaptive dance program in collaboration with the League of Dreams.

Beyond her professional endeavors, Marcie shares her life with her husband, Demetri, and together, they are parents to two children. Both of their children are engaged in pursuits ranging from classical dance, singing, and piano, to the expressive world of painting.