Artist of the Year
New Award for 2022
The Artist of the Year Award honors a young person who, through their creative efforts, is making their community a more vibrant place.
2024 Winner - Jozimar Matimano
A gifted artist and refugee from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Jozimar is recognized as the Artist of the Year for his evocative work that captures the human spirit. Since arriving in Manchester in 2016, through the International Institute of New England, Jozimar has channeled his lived experiences as a refugee into his art, creating powerful, large-scale pieces that tell poignant stories of migration, identity, and resilience.
With a glowing reputation that continues to rise, Jozimar is truly a "rising star" in the New Hampshire art scene, poised to make a lasting impact both locally and beyond.
2023 Winner - Gemma Soldati
Gemma Soldati is a performing and teaching artist and Artist in Residence at Kimball Jenkins and focuses on clown-inspired work, created in front of live audiences.
Gemma is supported in part by a grant from the New Hampshire State Council on the Arts & the National Endowment for the Arts and was a recipient of a Community Grant by the New Hampshire Humanities, as well as an Artist Entrepreneurial Grant from New Hampshire State Council on the Arts. She is a member of the NH State Council on the Arts in Education Roster.
Gemma has a gift for conveying both playfulness and deep meaning in her joyous and unique work.
2022 Winner - Manuel “Manny” Ramirez
Manny Ramirez is Co-Founder and Artist in Residence at Positive Street Art and creates art under the name Phelany.
He has completed about 24 murals throughout NH, and works to connect the BIPOC and ALAANA (African, Latinx, Asian, Arab, Native American) communities together by working to preserve the culture and artistic traditions of these communities.
Manny brings color and vibrancy to the communities he works with and brings people together through his art.