Artists + Practitioners + Organizations

Meet the artists, practitioners, and organizations! Far South/Border North awarded funding to support artists and cultural practitioners working in disciplines from performing arts, visual arts, music, film and media, and literature to multidisciplinary and socially engaged forms.

Far South/Border North Round I Grant Recipients

Our Round I grant recipients include about 60 artists and cultural practitioners from San Diego and Imperial counties. Round I grant recipients began developing their campaigns in June 2023, and are now implemented those campaigns through May 2024.

Ciara Dominique Gutierrez

San Diego County

Ciara Dominique is a multi-disciplinary artist but a storyteller at her core. Wearing many hats as an award-winning documentarian, published author, working producer, and festival DJ, she aims to revolutionize the conventional pathways of artistic practice and success. With a heightened focus on community engagement and tangible results, she works primarily with under-represented and under-funded communities to make joy, art, and understanding accessible.

Elsa Alvarez

Imperial County

As an Imperial County artist for 30 years, Elsa Alvarez has utilized oil, acrylics, and mixed mediums to produce realistic art paintings highly influenced by her community and culture. She was born in Mexicali, Mexico, and later moved to the Imperial Valley with her family as a child, becoming an American citizen. While growing up in the county, Alvarez participated in art competitions and exhibits, the most recent of which included the Imperial Valley Palate, Palette & Pallet (P3), a popular fundraiser held by the Imperial Valley Food Bank. Alvarez is excited to transform her artistry into a public awareness campaign highlighting crucial community issues. For the last 15 years, Alvarez has become a knowledgeable Alzheimer's Disease caregiver for her mother. This essential work has influenced her future projects to highlight the complex nature of this disease and its impact on the community.

Kendrick "Mr. Lyrical Groove" Dial

San Diego County

Kendrick Dial, also known as Mr. Lyrical Groove, is a renaissance man with a mission to blend mental health and social justice art. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Africana Studies/Psychology from San Diego State University and a Master's in Social Work from the University of South California. Dial is an accomplished spoken word artist who published his first poetry book, Da JOYNT, in 2005. He has worked with the poetry collective Collective Purpose for over ten years, hosting one of Southern California's highest-attended open mic events, ELEVATED. He has collaborated with several arts-based organizations to perform and produce shows that inspire, challenge, educate, and entertain, including BkSoul, Playwrights Project, and Ira Aldridge Theatre. He is also a teaching artist with the Old Globe and recently completed a veteran playwriting workshop with the La Jolla Playhouse, where he is working on his two-person production.

Darreon "D-Stats" Staton

Imperial County

Darreon Staton is an accomplished Christian hip-hop artist hailing from Imperial, California. With an unwavering faith and a profound love for music, He channels his passion into delivering impactful messages of hope and inspiration. Known for his captivating stage presence and dynamic performances, Station has had the privilege of sharing the spotlight with numerous renowned artists, solidifying his presence in the music industry. Through these community gatherings, his mission is to touch the hearts and souls of his audience, creating an uplifting atmosphere of spiritual connection.

Anthony Sigala

Imperial County

Anthony Sigala, a contemporary Mexican-American artist intrigued by depicting the human form in its graceful complexity, movement, and many individual cultural identities. A draftsman, illustrator, and designer who uses form, line, movement, composition, and color to push subjects to their essence. He uses various art mediums, expanding his creative process by translating a concept into a visual language. He is a graduate of Art Center College of Design (illustration). His artworks include Mattel Toys, Reebok, Taco Bell, Disney, and numerous publications and municipalities. He has been an artist and educator, believing art and education can transform lives. Sigala has taught visual arts at Los Angeles County High School for the Arts, Pasadena City College, Imperial Valley College, and adult schools. Sigala is based in Brawley, California.

Oscar J. Romo

San Diego County

Oscar Romo graduated as an architect with master's degrees in urban planning, social housing, and computer science and doctoral studies in environmental sciences. His concentration is art, reflecting scientific discoveries and exemplifying his academic research. An advocate of sustainability, he has created hundreds of art pieces made entirely from repurposed materials. He has worked in several countries on sizeable public art structures down to miniatures, always inspired by natural systems and resource conservation. Committed to education since he was in college, he has led thousands of students to appreciate science.

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Far South/Border North Round II Grant Recipients

Our Round II grant recipients include 18 San Diego and Imperial County organizations. In fall 2023, they hired artists and cultural practitioners and began working alongside them to develop their campaigns, and implemented them through August 2024.

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