“I am absolutely blown away by the work that John Sheridan does with the Sheridan Prize for Art. It is just these kinds of initiatives, focused on local artists; and absolutely inclusive of all, including those presently incarcerated and others. The Sheridan Prize for Art inspires us all to think about the difference we can each make in the world.”
— James G. Leventhal, Executive Director, ICA San Jose
The Sheridan Prize for Art is accepting donations from art lovers and those of us who want to support creating new and better opportunities, showcases, acknowledgement and awards for Artists in the Bay Area.
This Prize is being fiscally sponsored by Independent Media & Arts of San Francisco, a 501 (c)(3) charity. Please donate here and you will be acknowledged below by name (if you like, just let us know!) and we will be glad to include you on our Wall of Fame.
Your donation will be tax-deductible to the full extent possible, and you will be a great and appreciated pioneer in aiding the third ever Sheridan Prize for Art in its goal of giving ALL our living artists a platform to showcase their art – something that has never been done before.
Your Donation Can Make a Difference
Something very interesting has happened. In July 2026 I was invited to the SF Museum of Modern Art to attend a reception for a very special, very talented artist Orlando Smith.
I first encountered Orlando’s wonderful work when in 2021 I began my Sheridan Prize for Art, the first and still only regional art prize in the moribund, sleepy SF Bay Area.
Orlando is unjustly serving a sentence, if you can even believe this, of 250 YEARS in San Quentin – for armed robbery!!!! That is 8 consecutive life sentences – for armed robbery. The result of our fascist 3 strikes laws.
He creates superbly interesting and moving graphic cartoons/drawing and protest art about his incarceration and that of other inmates, many of whom are elderly yet who we still keep in a maximum security prison. Just a little of the outrageous abuse of human rights in this very evil country I live in.
Orlando entered my Prize for Art in 2021 (and subsequently) with a number of excellent works and although the juror did not award Orlando with a prize the folks at the Manna Gallery in Oakland saw his work in my Prize for Art – and OFFERED HIM A SOLO SHOW IN THEIR GALLERY !!! This is one of the reasons why I created the Sheridan Prize for Art – to create opportunities for artists that we don’t have here in the great, highly overrated Bay Area.
He has since then been offered a show at the SFMOMA!!!!!!!!!. Where a number of his works are hanging!!! I would like to think that his showing first in my Prize for Art which led to his show at the Manna Gallery helped then lead to his show at one of the premier art museums in the country! Here is what he mentioned about the Prize for Art – in his own words he says, “Yet. From that loss I REALLY WON”.
This is the kind of community and synergy that gladdens my heart and one of the reasons I created The Sheridan Prize for Art. If you find this moving as I did, I hope you will find it in your heart to donate as much as you can to this year’s Prize for Art. Your generosity will help ALL the artists in the Bay Area, even if they are kept inside of a maximum security prison, to have an opportunity to get their work before our eyes. Please donate, thank you!
— John Sheridan
The Sheridan Prize for Art Wall of Fame. Donors who have given so generously to help the arts:
2026 DONORS:
For 2026 I dedicate this page to a wonderful supporter of the Sheridan Prize for Art. Vicki Thompson (1952 – 2024) truly appreciated – and she still supports – this innovative, unique and inclusive exhibition and prize for Bay Area artists. Thank you so much, Vicki, your generous gift is extremely touching.
Vicki Thompson
Supporter – up to $99!
Joan Lovell