eNews - December 2007 Edition
From the Executive Director When the historic Fox Theater re-opened in downtown Spokane last month, it signaled the region’s commitment to cultural opportunities that link history with the future.
When some in Spokane started talking about demolishing the Fox to make way for a parking lot, others saw the Fox as the new home for the Spokane Symphony. “Save the Fox” became a new call to action. Success required public and private contributions, including funding from the State of Washington’s Building for the Arts program, foundations, corporations, and individuals. A generous benefactor, Miss Myrtle Woldson, provided funds to purchase the theater and begin the restoration. The project also received Historic and New Markets Tax Credits through an innovative partnership.
Spokane will benefit from the cultural return on this investment. The Fox Theater’s grand reopening is testimony to the significance of this cultural facility as part of Spokane’s vibrant arts scene. The opening night concert was a sell-out gala featuring a thrilling performance by the Spokane Symphony conducted by Eckart Preu, with guest soloist Frederica von Stade, mezzo soprano of the Metropolitan Opera. The next day’s community showcase offered a series of free performances and guided tours. And the week continued with Tony Bennett on Monday, and Too Slim & the Taildraggers with the Spokane Jazz Orchestra on Tuesday. The renovations show off the historic features of the Fox and add the acoustics, lighting, and modern amenities of a state-of-the-art theater. “The building is a lot more sophisticated than an office building or an apartment complex,” explained Fox Theater General Manager Patricia Iron. “We set out to create a space where people have experiences they hold onto for the rest of their lives. That means the acoustics, sight lines and environment all have to be just right.”
Today’s audiences benefit from generations of investment in the elegant Fox Theater. Last month, many in the audience had memories of special events there decades ago. It will take continued investment to ensure that the Fox will continue to be the place where people come for the arts, for generations yet to come.
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Artwork Installation Rhizomic Possibilities by Roger Ralston of Spokane was recently installed outside the main entrance of Newport High School in Bellevue.
Artwork acquired through Washington State’s Art in Public Places Program becomes part of the State Art Collection - a collection of over 4,500 works of art located at state agencies, public schools, colleges and universities throughout the state. Established by legislation in 1974, the Washington State Arts Commission's Art in Public Places Program is funded through the state’s capital construction budget. Each time a new state building is built, ½ of 1% of the state portion of construction costs are used to acquire artwork. Following an established process, community representatives develop criteria, select artists and review artwork proposals for new artwork. Stewardship of the State Art Collection is shared by the Arts Commission and the agencies where artwork is sited.
Articles & Information On January 1, 2008, the requirement for small tax-exempt organizations to submit Form 990-N, the e-Postcard, will be implemented. Nonprofits with gross receipts of $25,000 or less (formerly exempt from notification) will be able to access a simple, web-based process for submitting the e-Postcard (there will not be a paper form). It will ask for basic identifying information such as the organization’s legal name, name under which it operates, address, employer identification number, and the name and address of its principal officer. This annual notification will be due the 15th of the fifth month after the close of the organization’s tax period. If your tax period ends 12/31/07, the e-Postcard is due 5/15/08. Museums of all kinds, from art to zoos, are encouraged to participate in an important new study on public funding in the United States. The survey will provide a detailed look at the size and scope of public support for museums from federal, state, and local governments. The 30-minute confidential survey is being conducted by The Urban Institute, a non-partisan economic and social policy research organization based in Washington, D.C. through a cooperative agreement with the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). The survey is part of a larger study which will examine how public funding impacts museum services in the United States. To fill out the survey, please visit www.museumpublicfinance.org by December 21, 2007, 5 pm EST.
Opportunities Ethnic Arts Connection is a free one-day gathering of artists and presenters, taking place 9 am to 7 pm, Monday, March 10, 2008 at the Intiman Theatre in Seattle. Ethnic Arts Connection is open to Washington performing artists, presenters and community organizations and features a rich roster of showcase performances, workshops and booking and networking opportunities. The application deadline for performing artists who wish to present a six-minute juried showcase of their work is Friday, Dec. 21. General registration for participants will be open until Monday, Feb. 4, 2008. Additionally, artists who wish to reserve table-display space are encouraged to apply early as space is limited.
United Way of King County enhances the capacity of nonprofit organizations to deliver services in the community by providing training opportunities and discussion forums to staff and board members around key nonprofit management and governance issues. These trainings and forums are open to all nonprofit organizations and volunteers. Visit the Training Calendar for more information.
4Culture has extended the deadline for Heritage Sustained Support Grants. The program offers annual funding to heritage organizations through a two-year program intended to provide predictable levels of financial support. Deadline: 12/10/07.
The Department of Community Trade and Economic Development's (CTED) application process for competitive grant programs (Building for the Arts, Community Services Facilities, and Youth Recreational Facilities) will begin in the spring of 2008. CTED Capital Programs will be holding LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) workshops for potential applicants at that time.
Spokane Civic Theatre, an award-winning community theater, is seeking one-act plays for its 25th Annual Playwrights’ Forum Festival. The selected one-act play will receive a full production in the small, black-box Firth J. Chew Studio Theatre. Deadline: 12/31/07.
The Wing Luke Asian Museum is accepting completed exhibit proposals from high school students for the 2007 YouthCAN High School Exhibits Contest! Up to five high school students will be rewarded for their innovative ideas on an exhibit topic that speaks directly to the experiences of Asian Pacific American (APA) youth. Besides a $100 cash prize, winners will be invited as YouthCAN Fellows to refine their original proposals through further exhibit development and design workshops. Fellows will explore their topics in depth in partnership with community mentors. At the end of the fellowship, one proposal will be chosen and developed into a real exhibit to open on Friday, August 15, 2008! Deadline: 12/17/07.
Held annually in June, Film Independent's Los Angeles Film Festival showcases the best of American and international cinema over the course of ten days. Film Independent is accepting film submissions for the 2008 Festival. There are multiple deadlines depending on the category.
The Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs in Seattle is seeking artist and community exhibition proposals for display in two City Hall gallery spaces in 2008. The galleries — the City Hall Lobby Gallery and the Anne Focke Gallery — focus on artworks that reflect the broad diversity of Seattle’s communities and highlight the work of regional artists, nonprofit organizations and community groups. Deadline: 12/21/07.
I-Park is accepting applications for its Artist in Residency program. I-Park is a 450-acre woodland retreat in rural East Haddam, CT. Residencies are offered from May-November to visual artists (including digital and environmental), composers, landscape and garden designers, writers and architects. There is a $20 processing fee and artists are responsible for transportation to and from the area as well as food and work materials. International applicants are welcome, and a $1,000 grant will be offered to two international artists whose work is held in high regard by the selection committee. Deadline: 12/31/07.
The Public Art Program of the Utah Arts Council announced a call for artist qualifications for the creation of site-specific public art for the new Elizabeth Dee Shaw Stewart Arts and Humanities Building (Elizabeth Hall) on the campus of Weber State University in Ogden, Utah. Deadline: 01/08/08.
The Oak Harbor Arts Commission is seeking an artist to create and install a site specific artwork or artistic feature which will enhance an open green space within Fort Nugent Park on North Whidbey Island. The project budget is $11,000. To obtain the full call to artists proposal please contact Karla Freund or Erica Schumacher. Deadline: 01/15/08.
Art in Public Places, Inc. on behalf of a new public art initiative for the City of Bend, Oregon known as ArtMatch, seeks to commission a permanent large scale work of art for a roundabout (traffic circle) in Bend, Oregon. This is an open competition for professional artists residing in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Northern California. A team of artists is welcome to apply and the submitted images must reflect the collaborative work of the team members. DEADLINE: 01/31/08.
Artist Trust is currently accepting GAP (Grants for Artist Projects) Applications. The program provides support for individual artist projects by awarding up to $1,500 for projects including (but not limited to) the development, completion or presentation of new work. Additionally, nominations are now being accepted for the Twining Humber Award for Lifetime Artistic Achievement. The annual award of $10,000 is given to a Washington State female visual artist, age 60 or over, who has dedicated 25 years of her life to creating art. GAP Deadline: 02/22/08. Award Deadline: 01/25/08.
The Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation is offering curators the opportunity to be awarded the 2008 Emily Hall Tremaine Exhibition Award (PDF) -- a grant of $150,000 for the realization of a strong thematic exhibition concept that challenges the boundaries of contemporary art. Now in its 10th year, the biennial Emily Hall Tremaine Exhibition Award, established in 1998, rewards innovation and experimentation at the curatorial level. Deadline: 03/07/08.
The Washington State Historical Society is inviting nominations for its annual awards recognizing excellence in advancing the field of history in the state of Washington through writing, teaching, historic projects, understanding cultural diversity and volunteerism. Deadline: 02/01/08.
Employment The Oregon Arts Commission is recruiting for its first full-time Arts Education Coordinator position (DOC). The position is responsible for managing the Arts Commission’s Arts Learning programs which are designed to strengthen the ability of pre-K-12 schools and arts and community organizations to provide quality arts education programming and to advocate for the importance of arts learning to the complete education of all students. The position closes December 17, 2007.
The Henry Art Gallery is currently hiring an Associate Director of Education. The position closes December 14, 2007.
Events Wenatchee - The Central Washington University Jazz Band performs “The Jazz Nutcracker and Other Holiday Gems” at the Performing Arts Center on December 8 at 7:30 pm. This creative jazz band arrangement of the fabled “Nutcracker Suite” was first performed by the Duke Ellington Orchestra in 1960.
Seattle - John Boylan hosts a conversation on "Confessions" this Monday, December 10, from 7 to 9 pm on the lower level of the Capitol Hill Arts Center. This series of round table conversations focuses on current events and issues. Previous topics have ranged from election politics to experimentation in the arts.
Yakima - The Seasons Performance Hall presents the Brubeck Brothers Quartet
Tacoma - Tacoma Art Museum showcases the work of regional quilters in Threads that Bind: Works by Pacific Northwest African American Quilters, on view December 18, 2007 through February 18, 2008.
Seattle - PUNCH + SOIL are presenting a joint international juried exhibition: A bell is a cup until it is struck, from December 6-30. Nearly 1000 entries were submitted from more than 300 artists. Juried by Eric Fredericksen, director of Western Bridge, this exhibition includes a focused assemblage of photography, video, sculpture, ink on paper, cough drop labels and other mixed media. Themes include spills, spots, piles, trash, smoke, mirrors, bread, sunsets, Jesus, trees, motor homes, and a poodle.
Richland - Allied Arts, Richland, is presenting Gallery Aglow, featuring the arts and crafts of the many artists who regularly display and sell their work at the Gallery, now through December 29.
Redmond - The Eastside Association of Fine Arts (EAFA) is presenting their 32nd Annual Exhibition featuring over 100 local and regional painters, sculptors, and photographers at Redmond City Hall as a featured event of the RedmondLights Celebration, now through January.
Seattle - The Seattle Symphony is performing perennial holiday favorite Handel's Messiah December 13 - 16.
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