Populus Fund Grantees

Founded in 2020, Populus Fund is a regranting initiative organized by The Union, through the generous support of The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. Through this grant we’re able to support new, creative visual arts projects that exemplify exciting and meaningful ways of working in, for, and with the public. A selection jury of comprised of artists and arts professionals have chosen these individuals to each receive a $10,000 project grant for their proposed projects.

More information about the Populus Fund can be found at our Resources Page.

Below are the individuals chosen for 2026's Populus Fund.

Eric “E Rawq” Lawson

PROJECT: "Frydaddies" is a character-driven television dramedy adapted from my original stage play. The series follows four queer Black artists who gather every Monday to fry food, share life, and help one another navigate ambition, love, heartbreak, and the pursuit of their dreams. Blending humor with emotional honesty, "Frydaddies" celebrates chosen home and the extraordinary stories hidden inside ordinary moments while creating opportunities for Black artists and filmmakers in Omaha.

David Manzanares

PROJECT: "Seeds We Carry / Las semillas que llevamos" is a participatory glass sculpture shaped by community stories. Through free bilingual workshops, immigrants, refugees, families, and other Omaha residents will respond to questions about ancestry, migration, belonging, and the traditions we are creating for future generations. Their words, drawings, symbols, and textures will inform individually formed glass kernels assembled into a large ear of corn supported by a metal structure. Corn connects my Chinantec heritage to Nebraska, where the cornfields were among the first things that felt familiar when I arrived.

Hannah Demma

PROJECT: "Feelings, Mutual" is an interdisciplinary installation and performance inspired by the remarkable relationship between the yucca plant and the yucca moth. Created in collaboration with choreographer Susan Levine Ourada, the project explores mutualism, aging, and interdependence through movement, handmade paper, and sound. Community papermaking workshops become an integral part of the artwork, with participants helping create the handmade paper elements activated during the final performance. Rather than illustrating ecological relationships, the project embodies them, making collaboration and mutual reliance central to both the creative process and the immersive experience shared by performers and audiences.

Darci Gamerl

PROJECT: "Taking Flight: An Immersive Media Environment" is a multi-screen installation that combines film, original music, projection, and sound-responsive visuals to explore migration, ecology, and human connection. Building on our award-winning documentary "Taking Flight: The 8th Wonder of the World," the project transforms gallery space into a sensory-friendly environment of image and sound inspired by the annual migration of Sandhill cranes through Nebraska’s Platte River Basin. Drawing from NeuroArts research, healing music science, and minimalist artistic traditions, the installation invites audiences to slow down, reflect, and experience a deeper connection to the natural world.

Katie Stoneburner

PROJECT: "Dear Fútbol" is a 20–25 minute documentary portrait of South Omaha, told through the community’s deep connection to soccer. Set during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the film follows players, families, coaches, and residents of all ages whose stories reflect immigration, identity, belonging, and the pursuit of the American dream. Through intimate interviews, observational footage, neighborhood celebrations, and an original score composed by South Omaha musicians, "Dear Fútbol" reveals a community that is often discussed but rarely understood. At its heart, the film is about people, connection, and the power of sport to bring cultures and generations together.

Geraldine Dobos

PROJECT: "Art From The Inside: Frameworks of Dignity" is a multi-phasic curatorial initiative bringing unjuried artwork from incarcerated individuals in Nebraska into public dialogue. Phase I elevates raw, carceral art through museum-quality framing at high-capacity civic spaces. Phase II transforms this display into a standalone publication project, launching a high-resolution exhibition catalog with a community reveal at local, independent bookstores. Catalog sales will jump-start a permanent, self-sustaining fund for future programming and provide workforce integration pathways for returning individuals. Funding supports curatorial labor, framing assets, publication costs, and a long-term archival intern.