Americans for the Arts Awards $70,000 Johnson Fellowship to Two Artists Advancing Disability Representation

Washington, DC (June 13, 2025) — Americans for the Arts proudly announces violinist Adrian Anantawan and multidisciplinary artist Rise Nerissa Osby as recipients of the 2025 Johnson Fellowship for Artists Transforming Communities. The fellowship, supported by the Laurel Johnson Living Trust in loving memory of Yankee Johnson, honors their belief that artists, when given opportunity, create real paths for change.

Each recipient will receive $35,000, with awards presented on Friday, June 13, during AFTACON 2025 at the Hyatt Regency Cincinnati. The timing is particularly significant: while 61% of Americans support local government funding for individual artists, federal arts funding and equity initiatives face unprecedented challenges nationwide. The Johnson Fellowship demonstrates why sustained investment in diverse artistic voices is essential for thriving communities. The fellowship celebrates Adrian and Rise for their creative work building community, fostering participation in civic life, and advancing equity, accessibility, and inclusion.

“Adrian and Rise exemplify this power—they don’t just create art, they create pathways for participation, belonging, and change. Artists with disabilities are a vital part of the equity conversation, yet they continue to face disproportionate barriers to support and recognition,” said Erin Harkey, CEO of Americans for the Arts. “The Johnson Fellowship honors Yankee and Laurel’s lifelong understanding that when we provide artists with time and resources to pursue their creative work, they create meaningful change in their communities.”

2025 Johnson Fellows Reflect on Their Work

• “Looking forward, I am eager to continue exploring the intersection of classical music, disability, and interdisciplinary arts,” said Adrian Anantawan. “I recognize that forging lasting connections within the disability community requires sustained, intentional effort. A long-term goal is to develop a mentorship network where accomplished disabled musicians can guide young people with disabilities, many of whom may not see a viable path in classical music.”
• “When my disability counteracted my dream of being a doctor, I used my writing and drawing practice to grieve it, while I began offering care work in my community,” said Rise Osby. “My art and care work has always intersected, and I believe that is what makes my work unique. I know that these programs will contribute to community and social transformation because they already have.”

Two-thirds of Americans believe it’s important for artists to afford housing and create in their communities, according to Americans Speak Out About the Arts, the largest national public opinion study of the arts ever conducted. Yet individual artists—particularly those from underrepresented communities—often lack sustainable support systems. The Johnson Fellowship offers a crucial lifeline with unrestricted funding that allows artists to use the support however they choose to advance their creative practice, showing what’s possible when artists receive the time and resources they need without constraints.

With arts and culture contributing $1.2 trillion to the U.S. economy and creating 5.4 million jobs, this support represents both an economic investment and a community imperative. The Johnson Fellowship illustrates how direct support transforms not just individual artists, but entire communities—a model that deserves replication through both private philanthropy and public arts funding nationwide.

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About the 2025 Johnson Fellows

Adrian Anantawan is a violinist who co-created the Virtual Chamber Music Initiative, developing adaptive instruments for young musicians with disabilities, and founded the Music Inclusion Program helping children with disabilities learn music alongside their peers.

Rise Nerissa Osby is a queer Black disabled femme artist and community care worker who creates healing spaces centered on disability justice through their business Riotous Roots, demonstrating how art and care work intersect to create social transformation.

The Johnson Fellowship, established in 2018, celebrates the legacy of Robert Leroy “Yankee” Johnson and Laurel Lee Johnson, who believed that artists, when given opportunity, create real paths for change. As an arts administrator, Yankee established programs to provide artists with the time and resources they needed, understanding firsthand the challenge of balancing artistic pursuits with earning a living. 

Each year, twelve distinguished nominators from across the country nominate a single artist, with a separate expert panel making the final selection—representing one of the most prestigious recognitions for community-engaged artists in the United States.

Previous Johnson Fellows include G. Peter Jemison (2023), Charya Burt (2022), Christopher “Mad Dog” Thomas (2022), Rosten Woo (2021), Laurie Woolery (2021), Yuniya Edi Kwon (2021), Hannibal Lokumbe (2020), Mark Valdez (2019), and Tanya Aguiñiga (2018).

About Americans for the Arts

Americans for the Arts is the nation’s leading nonprofit organization empowering arts leaders to become powerful community catalysts. Through research, advocacy, and professional development, AFTA transforms local victories into industry-wide advancement, building stronger communities through the transformative power of arts and culture.