eNews - December 2011 EditionWe envision a Washington where the arts are thriving and celebrated throughout the state - woven into the fabric of vital and vibrant communities.
From the Executive DirectorLast weekend I attended a down-home production of The Nutcracker, with doting grandparents and squirmy siblings watching as young dancers performed the beloved ballet. Once again, the Nutcracker is happening on stages all across the state. This year marks Mid-Columbia Ballet's 36th Nutcracker, and Ballet Northwest's performance involves 220 dancers ages 8 to 69 - and dancers at Pacific Northwest Ballet wear out about 500 pairs of pointe shoes during the Nutcracker season. . Generations of dancers and dance audiences have made the Nutcracker part of their December plans. And the impact goes a long long way: Audiences support local businesses - restaurants, parking garages, babysitters and music stores. Dancers become dance teachers and choreographers. Dance students practice balance and geometry, rhythm and cooperation, joy and expression - and become supporters of the next generation of dancers. WSAC dollars support many - but certainly not all - Nutcracker performances across the state. Our dollars are part of the bigger mix that supports the health of the arts in Washington communities. As this year winds down, I hope you are finding joy and fun in various creative activities. Dance. Buy tickets. Write a check. Clap with enthusiasm. And celebrate the arts. Here's to a great holiday - and a terrific 2012. Keep in touch. Kris Tucker
Campus Art Conveys Sense of Place
One of the sculptural peaks comprising Commons, by Peter and Sue Richards, 2011. Photo: artist
Commons, a sculptural installation by artists Peter and Sue Richards, is a new addition to the heart of Peninsula College's campus in Port Angeles. Comprised of cast aluminum mountains, some perched on columnar basalt, the artwork represents the prominent peaks of Olympic National Park: Mounts Mystery, Deception, Constance, Inner Constance, Johnston, Clark, and Olympus. The first six castings are situated in reflecting pools lined with stones from the nearby Elwha River. The college, in consultation with the artists, designed the pools and constructed seating elements. Each sculptural peak is in relative proximity to the others as they exist on the map. The seventh peak, Olympus, is in the Science and Technology Building courtyard, a nod to its geographical distance from the others, as well as to the natural sciences departments housed within the building. The local Art Selection Committee at Peninsula College selected the artists and charged them with creating an artwork for their campus that would be a signature feature and identifier for sense of place, honor the north peninsula and its natural history, and be a gathering place. Commons was dedicated in September 2011, in conjunction with the opening of Maier Hall. Artwork acquired through Washington State's Art in Public Places program becomes part of the State Art Collection-a collection of more than 4,500 works of art located at state agencies, public schools, colleges and universities throughout the state. Information and Events Artist Trust bids farewell to Executive Director Fidelma McGinn, who leaves mid-January 2012 for a position at The Seattle Foundation. Here's wishing Fidelma the best of luck in her new position. We'll miss her but hope to see her active with the arts in the state. Nine new Artscapes installations are brightening otherwise vacant spaces in downtown Tacoma this holiday season. Look for the installations on Broadway and Pacific avenues. One of the featured works is a large dragon, created by 100 Eastside youth under the sponsorship of Metro Parks Tacoma. The dragon will be on parade at Tacoma's First Night celebration. For more information, visit www.SpaceWorksTacoma.com ____ It's just not the Holidays without ... Please touch the art. Members of the Northwest Designer Craftsmen (NWDC) will display works that are both functional and decorative during Toucheable, a juried exhibition hosted by Maude Kerns Art Center. The exhibit takes place from May 25 to June 29, 2012, at the Maude Kerns Art Center, 191 East 15th Avenue, Eugene, Ore - www.mkartcenter.org ___ Philip McCracken sculpture exhibition. McCracken, a Northwest master and artist on WSAC's Artist Roster, has a show of recent Night Sky work at the Sisko Gallery in Seattle. Runs through Dec. 31st. Sisko Gallery, 3126 Elliot Ave., Seattle, WA 98121 206-283-2998. More info at www.siskogallery.com ___ Spring Concerts. Camerata Musica spring productions (all take place in the Battelle Auditorium, Battelle Blvd, Richland):
Camerata Musica does not sell tickets to its programs, making music events accessible to all. Grants / OpportunitiesThe Public Facilities District Board and Spokane Arts Committee will commission an artist or artist team to create wall pieces or overhead sculptures at the Spokane Convention Center for several indoor locations. Art work must show a connection to the region and the unique attributes to the City of Spokane. Deadline for the design phase of the project is Jan. 20. The National Endowment for the Arts is accepting applications for Our Town grants ranging from from $25,000 to $150,000. Projects must "contribute toward the livability of communities and help transform them into lively, beautiful, and sustainable places with the arts at their core."Deadline Mar 1. The Edmonds Mural Society announces a Call to Artists for the 2012 mural raising season in Edmonds, Wash. The theme this year is "An Edmonds Kind of Day." Submitted artworks must include people in some form. Deadline for initial concept drawing and narrative is Jan. 30. The announcement notes, "If you have never painted a mural before, but wish to learn how, we can help you figure it out. Do not let that be a barrier to submitting your concept. Of our 9 muralists, 7 were first-timers that we helped along the way." The City of Coeur d'Alene Arts Commission is seeking artists to participate in its "ArtCurrents" program. Artists submit applications for placement of their sculptures around Coeur d'Alene's downtown for one year. The displayed works will also be offered for sale. Up to 15 art pieces will be selected. Deadline Apr 16. ____ The Seattle Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs is accepting project applications for its Youth Arts program. The program supports arts training opportunities for Seattle's middle and high school youth outside of school hours in a variety of artistic disciplines, including visual and literary arts, theater, music, dance and film. Individual teaching artists, artist teams, arts and cultural organizations, and youth-service agencies with nonprofit status or fiscal sponsorship are eligible to apply. Youth Arts prioritizes youth or communities with limited or no access to the arts. Funding awards may range up to $10,000 . Deadline is Feb. 15. ____ U.S./Japan Creative Artists' Program, sponsored by the U.S. Japan Friendship Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts and open to all professional creative artists. The program provides support for up to five U.S. artists to spend a three-month residency in Japan. Deadline is March 1, 2012 for residencies in 2013. ___ 49th Annual Lake Oswego Festival of the Arts, Lake Oswego, Ore., June 22-24. I-Park is offering multi-disciplinary, self-directed artists residencies free from May through November 2012. Includes housing and meals, as well as a private studio and meal program. Application fee. Deadline Jan. 30. The American Music Abroad, an international exchange program sponsored by the U.S. Dept. of States Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, is accepting applications for the 2012-2013 season. The program consists of month-long, multi-country tours for approximately 10 ensembles from a variety of American musical genres, including hip hop, rock & roll, jazz, and country. Deadline is Jan. 16. The Gig Harbor Arts Commission invites artists to submit proposals for its inaugural exhibit of the OutDoor Gallery Program, a new venue for public art. Artists may submit proposals for bronze sculptures or other durable outdoor art for display within City limits from spring 2012 to spring 2014. The sculpture exhibit is intended to integrate art into the daily lives of local residents and visitors by presenting works from locally and regionally acclaimed artists. Click here for more information.
^EmploymentProgramming Internship at Northwest Folklife. Seattle Center, 305 Harrison St., Seattle. January 2012-June 2012. www.nwfolklife.org ____ Executive Director, Central District Forum for Arts & Ideas. Deadline January 16th, 2012.
Workshops / ConferencesNonprofit Board Education- from United Way of King County. Classes include Leveraging Volunteer Engagement to Accomplish Your Mission (Feb. 9); How to Have the Board You Want and Need (Mar. 8); Efficient Review Practices of Financial Statements (Mar. 22); Inspiring Leaders to Raise Money Joyfully (Mar. 27); Strengthening the Board (Apr. 3); and How to Be an Effective Chair (May 15). The Artist Space Assistance Program Workshop. Free workshop for artists, arts administrators, and arts business people who want a long-term space to create and present their art.Saturday, Jan. 7, 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Bertha Knight Landes Room at Seattle City Hall, 600 Fourth Ave, 2nd Floor, Seattle. |
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