The Emerging Creative award was created to highlight and celebrate early career creatives making waves across the state. The artists we honor are bold and brave leaders. They are innovative in their approach to their work, have a deep impact on their communities, and this is only the beginning for them.
2023 Emerging Creative Awardees
Jasmine Jones, Hartford
Jasmine is a photographer and curator who has single-handedly run Aislin Magazine for the past 5 years. She uses her magazine to highlight art, artists and Connecticut in the best light.
Frances Pollock, New Haven
Frances Pollock is first a composer whose work has been programmed by festivals and opera companies across the United States. She is currently a doctoral candidate in the Yale School of Music. Frances is one of the visionaries and the CEO of Midnight Oil Collective (MOC), a venture studio that incubates, accelerates, and invests in art and entertainment. To date, MOC has invested in ten arts and entertainment ventures and has created jobs for over 300 artists.
Matin Malikzada, New Milford
Matin is a seventh-generation potter from Afghanistan. Matin and his family arrived in the U.S. in 2022 after having escaped the Taliban. He carries with him a unique centuries-old artistic tradition and is a master craftsman, now offering his art to the people of Connecticut.