Oregon-connected artists among winners of 2024 Doris Duke Foundation awards

Three women artists with connections to Oregon are among this year’s Doris Duke Artist Awards winners, an honor that brings recipients an unrestricted cash prize of $525,000 and up to $25,000 in retirement funds.

According to the Doris Duke Foundation, the awards are the largest national prize given to individual performing artists. Established in 2012, the Doris Duke Artist Awards are intended “to unlock the power of creativity and to shape our society for the better.” Award winners receive support including professional development, financial planning and management services, enhanced networking and performance opportunities.

Among this year’s winners are Acosia Red Elk, an enrolled member of the Umatilla Tribe. The Pendleton-based artist is a 10-time world champion Jingle dancer, who as the news release says, is also known for “public speaking and storytelling, tribal dance performance, indigenizing fitness, teaching yoga through a tribal lens and instructing powwow dance to tribal youth across Turtle Island.”

Also honored is esperanza spalding, the Grammy-winning jazz artist who grew up in Portland, and whose accomplishments include co-founding and co-directing Prismid Inc., a Portland nonprofit that supports artists with residency, performance, and workshop services.

The third 2024 Doris Duke Artist Awards winner with Oregon ties is Nataki Garrett, the former executive artistic director of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and former acting artistic director of the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. Garrett is co-artistic director of One Nation/One Project, and leads their national arts and health initiative, #ArtsforEveryBody.

Other winners of the award, which honors “trailblazing artists in theater, dance, and jazz,” are Shamel Pitts (dance), Chay Yew (theater) and Miguel Zenón (jazz).

— Kristi Turnquist covers features and entertainment. Reach her at 503-221-8227, kturnquist@oregonian.com or @Kristiturnquist

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