News

Donation funds college fellowships

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Arts patron and philanthropist Toby Lewis has donated a total of $100,000 to 10 American art colleges and university art programs to fund one $10,000 fellowship at each for a master-of-fine-arts graduate.

Jenny Frutchy, who advises Lewis on philanthropy, described the program as a way to support emerging artists, offering a first step toward launching a career. Lewis may repeat the program in coming years, Frutchy said.

The first recipient at the Cleveland Institute of Art, one of the 10 programs involved, is Kidist Getachew, who graduated earlier this month with an master's degree in fine arts in digital arts.

Other schools granted fellowships include the Rhode Island School of Design, Columbia University in New York and Cranbrook in Michigan.

- Steven Litt, Plain Dealer Art Critic