Sumi Tonooka and fellow artists, Karen Smith and Samantha Rise are among The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage’s 2023 grantees. The Fellowships program provides direct support to the Philadelphia region’s most talented artists, working in all disciplines.

Over the past 31 years, Pew Fellows have made an impact regionally, nationally, and internationally. They have been recognized with numerous prestigious grants and awards, and have had their work presented in 49 US states and more than 60 countries.

In becoming a Pew Fellow, Tonooka said “This gives me the opportunity to reassess what it is that I hold, and make some decisions about how to move forward in the most authentic and joyful way.”