Artists Choose Artists: The Socrates Annual Fellowship Anniversary
Since its inception, the Fellowship program has supported early career artists who receive financial and onsite fabrication support to realize ambitious public artworks. The program champions artists with a multi-disciplinary approach to public art, including outdoor sculpture, ecological “living” installations, performance, and community-engaged practice.
In honor of the 30th anniversary of the program and the Park’s 40th anniversary in 2026, Socrates turned to its esteemed alumni network to help guide the Fellowship’s next chapter through the Park’s first nomination-based process. Harkening back to Artists Choose Artists, Socrates’ third ever exhibition in 1987, artists who previously exhibited at Socrates nominated other artists for whom they believed the Fellowship would be a momentous opportunity at this stage of their artistic growth.
The 2026-2028 Artist Fellows Mrinalini Aggarwal, Cynthia Alberto, Francheska Alcántara, Josué Guarionex, Xayvier Haughton, Vaishnavi Ilankamban, Manami Ishimura, Jeremy John Kaplan, Nicole Mouriño* and Andrew Robinson were selected for the artistic merit of their work and their projects’ potential to respond to the social, ecological, and historical dimensions of the Park. The Socrates Annual projects will accumulate in the Park over the two year Fellowship cycle. This expanded timeline offers a unique opportunity for sustained artistic development, mentorship, and site-specific activation across the Park as we celebrate our 40th anniversary.
Fellowship Anniversary projects were selected from over 100 submissions by a selection committee that included: Suhaly Bautista-Carolina, Chief of Programs and Partnerships at the American LGBTQ+ Museum; kier blake, Co-Founder and Director of NYC Programs as Earth Convergence; Carlos Jiménez Cahua, Artist & Socrates Fellow 2018; Kimberly Chou Tsun An, Artist & Socrates Fellow 2024; Dave Harper, Executive Director of the New York City AIDS Memorial; Jamie Maleszka-Tate, Director of Creative Arts at The Fortune Society; Prerana Reddy, Associate Director for Artist Programs at Recess ; Sofia Reeser del Rio, Curator and Associate Director of Programs at The Clemente Soto Vélez Cultural & Educational Center
Artist Fellows Spring 2026 Cohort
Josué Guarionex, Jeremy John Kaplan, Nicole Mouriño*
Artist Fellows Fall 2026 Cohort
Xayvier Haughton, Andrew Robinson
Artist Fellows Spring 2027 Cohort
Francheska Alcántara, Vaishnavi Ilankamban
Artist Fellows Fall 2027 Cohort
Mrinalini Aggarwal, Cynthia Alberto, Manami Ishimura
*Nicole Mouriño is the 2026 Devra Freelander Artist Fellow
Image: Artist Fellow Jeremy John Kaplan, Rest in Tension, 2026
Related Events
More Performance and Public Program events will be announced.
Summer Solstice & Opening Celebration: The Socrates Annual 2026 x Alumni Artist Picnic Sunday, June 21 | 5 – 8:30pm
