ABOUT
Susan DiPronio has a broad artistic practice as a poet, filmmaker, playwright, performer, and photographer. They conduct free memoir writing workshops for women who are seriously ill, adults and children with HIV, those who are houseless and trauma victims.
Susan lives in Philadelphia where she founded Pink Hanger Presents, dedicated to giving voice to the unique life experiences of women. A breast cancer fighter/ warrior, Susan has been featured in articles on the struggles of those affected by breast cancer in the LGBT community in Curve, U.S. News and World Report and Cancer Today.
Susan is the co-founder and editor, along with David Acosta, of Wicked Gay Ways, a queer erotic arts journal. She was also a member of the SEXx collective which produced sex positive, body positive performance events and days long conferences to raise money for non-profits with similar missions.
As a recipient of the Transformation Award (2013) and the Art for Change Grant (2007) from The Leeway Foundation, a 5-County Arts Fund co-recipient (2008), and an honorarium from Philadelphia Fight (2012), she continues to fight as an artist for social change.
Susan's poetry has appeared in Sinister Wisdom, Corset Magazine, The Avocet, Defenestration, and Spillway, a literary journal. She has received awards for her silver-gelatin photography from Fleisher Art Memorial, The Plastic Club and Project Basho. A personal essay: “Damaged: A journey of healing from sexual assault” is included in the book The Survivors Project: Telling the Truth About Life After Sexual Abuse.
CONTACT SUSAN AT:
sd742live@gmail.com | 215-870-3867
AWARDS AND GRANTS
Fleisher Art Memorial 2016 ~ 2nd place in photography - Silver Gelatin “Maggie”
The Plastic Club 2016 ~ Honorable Mention - Silver Gelatin “Claudia”
The Leeway Transformation Award 2013 ~ Financial award given to artist's for their body of work in the past decade to expand their art to the next level.
Philadelphia Fight 2012 ~ Honorarium for conducting “Shout”, an 8-week writing workshop with adults with HIV/AIDS. Workshop became a live performance with participants performing their monologues in the black box theater at The Asian Arts Initiative.
5-County Arts Fund 2008 ~ Co-recipient “transgressions” mini arts festival at DaVinci Arts Alliance, over-head soundscape of the personal stories from “Screams”.
Leeway Foundation Art for Social Change 2007 ~ Co-recipient for “Invisible/Invincible” with Linda Dubin Garfield. Partnered with Endow-A-Home, a non-profit which provides permanent housing for formerly homeless women with young children. Helping them to find a way through art and speech to share their experiences in a way which supports rather than demeans them.