Above photo: 2024 Art Project for The Source LGBT+ Center
The James Irvine Foundation is building on its commitment to creative storytelling by continuing to elevate the voices of its Leadership Award recipients through art. What began as a pilot project has now grown into maturity in its fourth year—one that blends community advocacy with creativity to help recipients reach new audiences in powerful ways.
These collaborations highlight the urgency of the issues they champion, while also opening fresh ways for communities to connect, reflect, and imagine what’s possible.
We’re excited to share a glimpse into the projects that are taking shape this year:
Annenberg Inclusion Initiative
Leadership Award Recipients: Stacy L. Smith
Participating Artist(s): Tre Borden / Co
Completion Timeline: 2026
Medium: To Be Announced
An upcoming campaign will spotlight new research from Annenberg Inclusion Initiative. Building on their research in inclusion in the entertainment industry, the project will communicate findings and spark dialogue to inspire action. More details to be announced.
BLACK Wellness & Prosperity Center
Leadership Award Recipient(s): Shantay Davies-Balch
Participating Engineer(s): CRWN Magazine
Completion Timeline: Spring 2026
Medium: Print and Digital Media
This project is a collaboration with CRWN Magazine exploring maternal health and the role of doulas. By blending firsthand stories with powerful visuals and detailed information, the guide will be the first comprehensive, visual resource covering the birth experience from this perspective.
Central California Environmental Justice Network
Leadership Award Recipient(s): Nayamin Martinez
Participating Artist(s): Dorian Lynde
Completed: January 2026
Medium: Immersive Installation
Image description: A farm stand installation at the steps of the California State Capital
On January 27, Nayamin Martinez of Central California Environmental Justice Network (CCEJN) presented “La Causa Sigue: A Farmstand for Farmworkers,” an interactive art installation on the steps of The California State Capitol. This installation honors the farmworker rights movement led by the National Farmworkers Association (now merged to United Farmers Movement), whose motto was “Viva la causa,” and brings its legacy into conversation with today’s realities. Each piece in the installation was created by artist Dorian Lynde, informed by interviews with current farmworkers about their lived experience.
The backside of the stand serves as a memorial, honoring those who have lost their lives to the agriculture industry and reminding us of the human cost behind our food system.
Hispanas Organized for Political Equality (HOPE)
Leadership Award Recipient(s): Helen Torres
Participating Artist(s): Camila Flaquez
Completion Timeline: Winter 2025
Medium: Photography
This new photo series is rooted in the leadership and vision of Latina communities. Developed with community input, it will imagine Latinas in a wide range of leadership roles and be shared online and at events to inspire, affirm, and expand the narrative of who leads.
LA County Library
Leadership Award Recipient(s): Skye Patrick
Participating Artist(s): NuSalt Lasers
Completed: October 2025
Medium: Light Installation
Image description: A light installation reading “All Titles Welcome” on the side of the Library.
At the LA County Writers Festival, an immersive light installation will celebrate the power of storytelling and community imagination, honor local voices, and invite reflection on shared histories and futures. During the event, attendees can create and take home a special tote bag celebrating the literary works most meaningful to them.
Rou Dalagurr Food Sovereignty Lab & Traditional Ecological Knowledges Institute
Leadership Award Recipient(s): Cutcha Risling Baldy & Kaitlin Reed
Participating Artist(s): Tre Borden / Co
Completion Timeline: 2026
Medium: Wood, Paint, Screens
An art installation at Cal Poly Humboldt campus, guided by Indigenous knowledges and deep ties to place. The temporary work will honor a buried stream and reconnect the campus with its original landscape and the stories that flow through it.
Check back here as the projects continue—new updates will be shared over the next few months!
Learn more about the 2025 Award recipients here.