eNews - September 2009 Edition
From the Executive DirectorThe arts engage people in infinite ways, and for an endless variety of reasons. For our recent forum and workshops on audience engagement, nationally recognized researcher and consultant Alan Brown led a terrific exploration of how arts organizations can – and must - rethink how they engage people before, during, and after the arts experience. Alan sees engagement as a guiding philosophy in the creation and delivery of arts experiences – so that the arts experience has more meaning, audiences are more loyal, and arts organizations have more relevance and impact.
Some great audience engagement activities are happening now:
We invite you to learn more about audience engagement at a free webinar (phone and web connected) featuring Alan Brown, on Thursday, Sept. 23, at 10 am Pacific Time. Information on how to participate will be posted in the Arts Participation section of our website. Also be sure to check out Alan’s presentation (PDF) on Audience Engagement, and related reading material.
Keep in touch,
Artwork Conservation
A carved cedar artwork in the State Art Collection was recently conserved by WSAC Conservation Technician Adam Fah. The dry August weather opened a window to treat Elders by British Columbia-based sculptor Michael Dennis. The artwork was commissioned for Olympic College in Poulsbo and is comprised of three larger than life size figures. It was installed in 2004 and was created as a reminder of ancestors and our historic relationship with the environment.
The semi-abstract figures received mold, mildew, and insecticide treatments, as well as repair of a few holes created by woodpeckers. A fresh sealant was applied to protect the surface from environmental damage and prolong the life of the wood.
Artwork acquired through Washington State’s Art in Public Places program becomes part of the State Art Collection - a collection of over 4,600 works of art located at state agencies, public schools, colleges and universities throughout the state.
Arts Participation Leadership Initiative WebinarWe're hosting an online webinar on September 23 to expand on the successful Arts Participation Leadership Forum and Workshops presented by the Washington State Arts Commission and The Wallace Foundation. Participate in this timely discussion of emerging practices in Audience Engagement by nationally recognized researcher and consultant Alan Brown of WolfBrown. Information on how to join in this free event will be posted in the Arts Participation section of our website.
Articles and InformationOn July 26, the United States House of Representatives declared a resolution designating September 12 through 18 as Arts in Education Week. This national celebration complements Washington State’s Arts Education Month, which occurs in May of each year, and further highlights the value of the arts as an “essential element of a complete and balanced education for all students”. The resolution states the importance of arts education for developing critical thinking and problem solving skills, imagination and creativity, discipline, alternative ways to communicate, and express feelings and ideas, and cross-cultural understanding, which supports academic success across the curriculum as well as personal growth outside the classroom.
From England this lovely video expresses support for the arts in tough economic times.
Deaf developers strive to make movies more accessible, by John Cook of TechFlash reports on Chris Sano and Brendan Gramer's Captionfish, an online directory which shows movie times for local theaters that include captioning, subtitles, and descriptive audio.
Museum of Glass now accredited with AAM; offers free admission Sept. 25, by Rosemary Ponnekanti, Tacoma News Tribune. The American Association of Museums (AAM) awards accreditation to museums that reach high standards of excellence in governance, collections stewardship, public programs, financial stability, high professional standards and continued institutional improvement.
Seattle Foundation site seeks to inform, engage, By Kristi Heim, Seattle Times business reporter. The Seattle Foundation is kicking off a new website that supports financial transactions and takes the stories of its community assistance directly to the Web.
The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) has announced that Michael Killoren, current Executive Director of the Seattle Mayor’s Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs, will join the NEA as the director of Local Arts Agencies and Challenge America Fast Track.
Grants / OpportunitiesThe Project Support grants deadline for FY 2011 Round Two, is October 4, 2010, for projects taking place between January 1, 2011 and June 30, 2011.
The Snohomish County Arts Commission is seeking concepts from qualified artists to design and integrate a site-specific artwork for the Centennial Trail in Arlington, WA. The trail is over 17 miles long and is an enormously popular for walking, bicycling, hiking, and horseback riding. The Snohomish County Arts Commission seeks an artist to integrate an arch or arches in one or more locations along the northern portion. Proposed arches could act as gateways, way finders or trail markers or simply a pleasant surprise along the passage. Deadline: 09/27/10.
Presented annually by Chamber Music America and the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, the CMA/ASCAP Awards for Adventurous Programming honor U.S.-based professional ensembles, presenters, and festivals that have demonstrated a commitment to contemporary chamber music through adventurous, distinctive programming. Deadline: 10/01/10.
All kindergarten through 12th grade students are invited to participate in the 2010 Constitution Day Poster Contest. Entrants must create a poster that demonstrates how the freedoms embodied in the U.S. Constitution affect their daily lives. Entries will be judged on both artistic merit and relevance to the U.S. Constitution. Deadline: 10/01/10.
The City of Olympia is seeking to purchase (PDF) original studio art, two-dimensional or low relief wall-mounted art, for permanent installation, created and submitted by experienced artists who reside or create their work in a studio within 30 miles of the new City Hall in Olympia. Deadline: 10/11/10.
Events / Workshops / ConferencesTukwila - ArtsTime 2010: Transforming Classrooms, Education, and Lives is a biennial statewide arts education conference that will be held on October 8 - 9, at Foster High School in Tukwila. Hundreds of artists, arts professionals, administrators, principals, and classroom teachers from every part of Washington State will come together for this two-day event filled with workshops, presentations, performances, and a trade show. Participants will have the opportunity for professional development in a variety of areas to enhance their ability to help students reach the state's arts essential academic learning requirements.
Maryhill - The Maryhill Musuem of Art is presenting Comics at the Crossroads: Art of the Graphic Novel from September 18 through November 15. In recent years comics have moved from the cultural fringes into the artistic and literary mainstream. The Pacific Northwest is home to a growing community of comic artists, including more than half a dozen major comic publishing houses and many smaller ones. The exhibition Comics at the Crossroads: Art of the Graphic Novel examines this vibrant and evolving art form with a focus on 40 Northwest artists who are established stars and emerging lights in the comic art universe. The exhibition features previously published and unpublished works, such as sample page spreads and book covers, along with related toys.
Seattle - Creative Activities and VSA Washington presents a VSA Institute on Arts and Inclusive Learning, with guest instructors Susan D. Loesl and Fran Sillau. The Institute will be held Saturday, September 24, from 9 am to 4 pm at the Seattle Center; refreshments and lunch will be provided. Educators, teaching artists, and administrators are welcome to participate in this educational, hands-on experience! Topics include: Theories and methods for teaching in inclusive environments; engaging in hands-on teaching techniques, and the foundations of inclusive educations and arts-based learning. Deadline: 09/17/10. |
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