About
The DEMIL Art Fund (DAF) is a privately funded foundation that directly assists artists with their projects. DAF is dedicated to diversity with the demographics of the population it funds. Military veterans are a priority for the fund.
MISSION
We assist artists working to create knowledge around questions of peace and justice. DAF focuses on directly supporting artists, advancing their artistic practices, and engaging publics with artworks supported by the fund.
Amber Zora (Program Manager)
Amber Zora is an interdisciplinary artist based in Rapid City, SD. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from University of Alabama at Birmingham and a Master of Fine Arts degree in Photography + Integrated Media from Ohio University. Zora has exhibited her work in local and national galleries including the San Francisco Arts Commission, Chicago Cultural Center, the Las Vegas Contemporary Art Center and the National Veterans Art Museum.
Zora was enlisted in the US Army for 8 years and deployed to Qayyarah West, Iraq as an ammunition specialist from 2006-2007 with the 592nd Ordnance Company.
Ken Nielsen (Director and Founder)
Lead by Ken Nielsen, a group of anti-war veterans created the DEMIL Art Fund (DAF) in November 2020 to promote the creation of artwork inspiring racial and social justice, and promoting dialogue around war and militarism.
“We established the DAF to assist artists who are creating work that addresses societal problems. We believe art can stimulate discourse on issues that directly affect people’s everyday lives. This fund is intended to support artists who are engaging and informing society about the impact of institutional violence to manifest a more just and demilitarized world.” - Ken Nielsen