eNews - March 2009 Edition
From the Executive Director
“The arts and cultural industries provide jobs, attract investments, and stimulate local economies through tourism, consumer purchases, and tax revenues. Perhaps more significantly, they also prepare workers to participate in the contemporary workforce, create communities with high appeal to residents, businesses, and tourists, and contribute to the economic success of other sectors.“ - Arts and the Economy
A new document from the National Governor’s Association (NGA) is chock-full of data, real-life stories, and encouragement for policy makers and practitioners seeking to connect the arts with economic development. Briefly mentioned in last month’s e-News, the report Arts and the Economy: Using Arts and Culture to Stimulate State Economic Development (PDF) is the latest in a series of arts-related Issue Briefs from the NGA Center for Best Practices. Intended for governors and other state-level leaders, this document is essential reading for those working at the local level as well.
But why now?
Because even as the economic downturn continues, arts leaders must be part of discussions about the future. We must be able to explain and document how the arts contribute to, and are impacted by, the economic health of our communities. Some advice from the NGA:
Below you’ll find the latest information about the NEA’s new one-time program to provide funding to protect arts jobs in the nonprofit sector – part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. We need to make good decisions now, and strategically position the arts for new possibilities.
Keep in touch,
Night Dive
Down here, no light but what we carry with us.
we don’t inflate our vests, but let the scrubbed cheeks
hands brush the open mouths of anemones,
"Night Dive" ©2008 by Poet Laureate Sam Green; from his book, The Grace of Necessity, Carnegie Mellon University Press, 2008.
National Endowment for the Arts - Federal Recovery Act
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 ("Recovery Act") recognizes that the non-profit arts industry is an important sector of the economy and is providing $50 million in funding to the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). The NEA has already released guidelines for a granting program to fund arts projects and activities that preserve jobs in the nonprofit arts sector. In order to get money out to the arts field as quickly as possible, the NEA is fast-tracking the process.
Funding Program - Competitive Grants: One-time grants to eligible nonprofit organizations including arts organizations, local arts agencies, statewide assemblies of local arts agencies, arts service organizations, units of state or local government, and a wide range of other organizations for projects that focus on the preservation of jobs in the arts. All applicants must be previous NEA award recipients from the past four years. The deadline for applying is April 2, 2009, with grants being awarded as early as July 1, 2009.
We’re still working out how the NEA Recovery Act funding will impact the Washington State Arts Commission and will provide updated information in next month's eNews.
Cultural Congress
Survive or Thrive: What are the Artful Solutions? is the theme for this year's Cultural Congress, an annual convening of arts organizations and artists, April 27 - 29 at the Sleeping Lady Mountain Retreat in Leavenworth.
The Cultural Congress provides networking opportunities, the sharing of best practices, and peer-to-peer learning to provide participants with the essential information and tools needed to continue offering high quality cultural programming and arts experiences. WSAC staff will be presenting three workshops:
There are still Professional Development funds available for attendance at the Cultural Congress. Postmark Deadline: 03/16/09. Arts Education Month - Coming this May!
Join us in celebrating Arts Education Month in Washington State this May. ArtsEd Washington and the Washington State Arts Commission encourages your community to mark this month of celebration with a local proclamation or resolution.
lease ask your Mayor and City Council to take this simple step and show that they value the arts as part of a complete education for all students. School Boards, Arts Commissions, and other entities (e.g. Boards of arts organizations, PTAs, Chambers of Commerce, etc.) can also pass a Board resolution in support of Arts Education Month. It’s easy! All you have to do is ask. ArtsEd Washington has made it even easier with ready-to-use templates.
Arts Education Month is proudly sponsored by ArtsEd Washington, the Washington State Arts Commission, and the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction.
Changes to Grants to Organizations - Meetings
WSAC is holding two meetings to answer questions about changes to the guidelines for Grants to Organizations.
These meetings (plus the opportunity at the Cultural Congress) are your chance to ask those nagging questions and find out about the changes to the Grants to Organizations program, guidelines, and application procedures. If you have any questions, please contact Bitsy Bidwell or call 360-586-2421.
WSAC Deadlines
The application deadline for the Arts in Education First Step grant is March 18, 2009. For more information on this grant program please review the application guidelines.
The application deadline for the Roster of Teaching artists is June 1, 2009. Updated guidelines and application materials will be posted in March.
WSAC has limited Professional Development funds available to assist with attendance at the Americans for the Arts Annual Convention, which will be held June 18-20, 2009 in Seattle. Guidelines and application forms are available. Deadline: 04/01/09.
Folk Arts Apprenticeship applications and Fellowship applications are available. Deadlines: 04/24/09.
Opportunities
Americans for the Arts’ annual conference Renewable Resources: Arts in Sustainable Communities will be held in Seattle June 18 – 20. Register online to receive a discount.
National Arts Strategies is offering a finance workshop in Seattle April 16-17. Full tuition fellowships (DOC) are available. Deadline: 03/20/09.
The Seattle Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs has several opportunities. They are accepting nominations for 2009 Mayor's Arts Awards to acknowledge individuals or organizations making a difference in Seattle's communities through arts and culture. Deadline: 04/08/09. And in partnership with the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) they are seeking an artist or artist team to design on-street bicycle parking. Deadline: 04/13/09.
The Spokane Arts Commission has announced a call for artists for its annual All-Media Juried Show that will be held at the Chase Gallery. Deadline: 04/10/09.
The 27th Annual Wallowa Valley Festival of Arts is seeking entries (PDF) for its visual arts show, June 5-7 2009. Most mediums accepted; no film, performance or installation. Deadline: 04/13/09.
Northwest Film Forum has issued a call for films based on the surrealist game Exquisite Corpse. Participants will be free to film anything they want, but will begin and end their segments with images chosen randomly out of a hat. For example, one person might pick from a hat a slip that says "Begin with man with a hat/ End with barking dog." This is how they begin and end their film. Another person will draw a slip that says "Begin with barking dog/ End with girl riding a bike." What happens in the interim will be the filmmaker's choice. The finished films will be shown in sequence with the chosen images anchoring the films together. Deadline: 04/28/09.
Parklane Gallery, in Kirkland, Washington has a call to artists to submit entries to their 17th Annual International Miniature Show which will run May 5 - 31, 2009. Deadline: 04/28/09.
Artist Trust is accepting applications for the 2009 EDGE Professional Development Residency Program for Visual Artists. The EDGE Program provides artists with a comprehensive survey of professional practices through a hands-on, interactive curriculum that includes instruction by professionals in the field as well as specialized presentations, panel discussions and assignments. Deadline: 05/01/09.
Washington Attorneys Assisting Community Organizations (WAACO) connects nonprofit organizations that are unable to afford legal representation with volunteer attorneys willing to assist them on their business-related, non-litigation legal matters.
Employment / Internship / Volunteer
The Nature Consortium is currently accepting applications for two positions:
The Central District Forum for Arts and Ideas is recruiting an Executive Director (PDF) responsible for the overall leadership and management of the organization with primary focus in the areas of development, fiscal management, public and community relations, planning, governance, and marketing.
Events
Tacoma - With words, breath, and determination, students from Washington high schools will compete in Tacoma on Saturday, March 7 in the state finals for Poetry Out Loud, a national poetry recitation contest. The competition will be held at the University of Puget Sound, Music Building - Schneebeck Concert Hall from 1 to 5 pm. The event is free and open to the public.
Vashon Island - Vashon Allied Arts honors National Women’s History Month with a special, one night only performance of From the Heart by award-winning Los Angeles playwright, Jude Narita, Saturday, March 21, 8 pm, at the Blue Heron Art Center.
Seattle - The Biennial Black History Conference Black History: Full Disclosure will be held March 21 - 22 on the Seattle University campus. The conference will feature presenters from across the nation and other countries, and will include paper sessions, panels, roundtables, and workshops.
Wenatchee - The Performing Arts Center of Wenatchee is presenting the Icicle Creek Youth Symphony on March 23, at 7 pm. Talented youth from around the region perform as the PAC’s own Symphony in Residence.
Twisp - The Merc Playhouse is presenting The Little Prince, based on the classic French novella by Antoine de Saint-Exupry, March 13-15.
Seattle - Early Music Guild presents Ingrid Matthews April 19, at 1 pm in the Downstairs at Town Hall. Baroque violinist Ingrid Matthews, the founder and music director of Seattle Baroque Orchestra, plays a short program of favorites demonstrating the stylistic and tonal possibilities of the gut-strung Baroque violin.
Tacoma - With Our Hands: World Folk Art Traditions of Washington runs now through August 23 at the Washington State History Museum in Tacoma.
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