|
 |
|||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||
|
|
fall. The recent support received from all sectors of the region is an important indication of the program’s relevance and viability." "Thomas Breuckman, principal, Beach School in North Portland said of his new relationship with Right Brain: "At Beach PK - 8, we are very excited to begin a partnership with The Right Brain Initiative! The Initiative will help us achieve our academic (and other) goals by giving us the resources and the planning tools to integrate arts activities into our curriculum, inviting each student to engage in learning—not only with reading and writing, but also with collaboration, team work and problem solving."Regional Arts & Culture Council online 01/12/2010
01/19/2010 Sundance Reveals Special Events RosterScreen Daily.com 01/19/2010
01/26/2010 "Self-Made Man" Donated to Business Park"Developer Bob Blettner believes that the business parks he creates should evoke emotion and that the people who work there should be celebrated — through art. Not with just watercolors in an atrium or landscape prints in a conference room, but with big, bold, expressive sculptures.
Now he wants to put a 10-foot bronze sculpture of a man chiseling himself out of stone in a public place — the median of Deming Way south of Airport Road. The location is also the entrance to Blettner’s Middleton Corporate Center business park. Blettner has tried to donate the sculpture to Middleton before, but city officials were concerned that it posed a safety hazard should motorists ever run into it. This time, designers from Gary Brink and Associates have suggested replacing shrubs currently in the 14-foot-wide median with "jagged rocks" that would surround the sculpture. "If a vehicle were to enter the median, their wheels would be hung up on the stone before it hit the sculpture," said Abby Attoun, the city’s associate planner. The Middleton Plan Commission this month approved the design of the median, but it needs to go back to the city’s Arts Committee to finalize the lighting details. The plan could have final city approval by March, Attoun said. Liesel Fenner, who manages the public art program at Americans for the Arts, said more developers are integrating art in their projects. Fenner, whose arts-advocacy organization is based in Washington, D.C., recommends that communities develop policies on how to handle art donations. "The donation policy is usually to ensure that there's a mindfulness about the overall direction about the city's overall art collection," she said." Wisconsin State Journal 01/22/2010
01/28/2010 No Dancing at the Jefferson Memorial"So you think you can dance at the Jefferson Memorial? Think again. A federal judge has ruled against a woman who was arrested for dancing with a group of 17 others at the memorial dedicated to President Thomas Jefferson. The woman, Mary Oberwetter, and others were dancing to music on their headphones near midnight April 12, 2008, the eve of Jefferson's birthday." Washington Post 01/27/2010
01/27/2010 Art Hangs in Limbo of Saints - Colts GameThe outcome of the Super Bowl will determine where two famous paintings hang for the next few months. The Indianapolis Museum of Art and the New Orleans Museum of Art have each wagered a three-month loan of one of their works as part of a bet for their respective teams. Apparently the combination of art and hometown teams got the museum directors all riled up as Tyler Green reports on ArtsJournal's, Modern Arts Note blog. Art museum director Super Bowl trash talk: It's ON First, some background: On Monday, IMA director Max Anderson initially proposed wagering an IMA loan of an Ingrid Calame painting. That was a nice choice... but apparently Anderson wasn't too worried about having to pay off the bet: "We're already spackling the wall where the NOMA loan will hang," he tweeted. On Tuesday morning Bullard emailed MAN HQ: "Max Anderson must not really believe the Colts can beat the Saints in the Super Bowl. Otherwise why would he bet such an insignificant work as the Ingrid Calame painting? Let's up the ante. The New Orleans Museum of Art will bet the three-month loan of its $4 million Renoir painting, Seamstress at Window, circa 1908, which is currently in the big Renoir exhibition in Paris. What will Max wager of equal importance? Go Saints!" Anderson TwitPics from his seat at the Colts' Lucas Oil Stadium. I expect a response... UPDATE, Tuesday, 2:20pm EST: SNAP! Anderson tweets back at NOMA: "We'll see the sentimental blancmange by that "China Painter" and raise you a proper trophy: [A Jean-Valentine Morel jeweled cup, which won the Grand Medal at the 1855 Paris World Fair.]" UPDATE: Tuesday, 11:20pm EST: These museums are getting serious.
Ouch!: I suspect Bullard knows that the Indianapolis Museum of Art actually owns a farm. (It's part of the IMA's endowment.) A couple hours after Bullard's rejoinder, Anderson replied to both Bullard and to @NOMA via Twitter: "Colts will win; here's how sure I am: [the IMA's four-by-six-foot JMW] Turner for Vigée Lebrun's Portrait of Marie Antoinette." I think we might have a winner..." Modern Arts Notes 01/28/2010
02/03/2010 Now Accepting Fellowship Applications
RACC established the Artist Fellowship program in 1999 to honor and support uniquely talented local artists who have contributed to the community in very meaningful ways. The accompanying cash award allows the selected artist to explore a particular project, or enhance his or her artistic process. RACC rotates the discipline being honored every year, and past recipients have crafted ideas and developed works that reflected the shape of our region and the voice of their time. RACC did not award a fellowship in 2009 because of the unstable economic climate. After thoroughly assessing the organization’s strong fiscal position and re-affirming the value of this career-changing award in our community, RACC’s Grants Review Committee recommended, and the RACC Board of Directors unanimously approved, restoring the fellowship program in 2010. A panel of community representatives from both in and outside the tri-county area with expertise in the performing arts will select the fellowship winner. Review criteria for the Fellowship Award includes proof of sustained high artistic quality in the applicant’s work, as well as evidence of the applicant’s involvement in the community and the importance of his/her work to the local culture. Artists who are current, physical residents of Clackamas, Multnomah or Washington counties and meet strict eligibility criteria are eligible to apply. Guidelines can be downloaded from the RACC website and access to the online application form, www.racc.org/GrantApps. All applications must be submitted electronically through RACC’s GrantsOnline system. To be eligible to apply, applicants must submit an "Intent to Apply" form electronically no later than 5:00pm, Wednesday, March 31, 2010. The deadline for electronic submission of the full application is April 7, 2010 by 5:00pm. Applicants are then required to physically submit hard-copies of the application along with supplementary materials.
Regional Arts & Culture Council online 02/02/2010
02/18/2010 "Be The Next" Helps At-Risk Arts Programs"Best Buy and the GRAMMY Foundation have joined together to launch the Be The Next initiative; an innovative partnership joining the corporate resources and relationships of the leading consumer electronics retailer with the established music education programs and initiatives of the nonprofit organization of The Recording Academy. The Be The Next initiative will expand on GRAMMY Foundation's support of music education by leveraging Best Buy's philanthropic @15 platform, Club Beats, and Best Buy Mobile resources. Through these programs, Best Buy will pledge up to $1 million in funds to at-risk music education programs in schools across the country." Business Wire 02/11/2010
02/18/2010 New Rule on Cargo Is Shaking Art World "Collectors and dealers of fragile, phenomenally expensive art have never wanted for reasons to stay awake at night. A piece could plunge from a wall. Somebody could stumble into it or step on it or add a new color to it with a splash of red wine. Contemporary art, sometimes made to resemble trash, has occasionally been mistaken for it and thrown away. But those responsible for safeguarding art will soon have a new category of anxiety, the stuff of real nightmares: the possibility that airline employees could open carefully crated works of art to search them the way checked baggage is sometimes searched now, poking around Picassos instead of sweaters and socks. The Transportation Security Administration has mandated that beginning on August 1, all items shipped as cargo on commercial passenger airplanes—estimates are that as much as 20 percent of art shipped around the world travels this way—will have to go through airline security screening."
The New York Times 02/12/2010
02/18/2010 Ground Zero Arts Center Gets Go Ahead"After endless debate over the final location for a performing arts center to be built at Ground Zero, New York City officials told Crain's last week that the Frank Gehry-designed theater will be constructed on the originally planned site, and that below-ground construction work on the foundation will start next quarter. The 1,000-seat theater and rehearsal facility, to be run by the Joyce Theater, a dance presenter, was originally scheduled to open this fall. But disagreements between city and state officials, and the complexity of building at Ground Zero, have kept the project on the back burner. Now, after much wrangling, the Lower Manhattan Development Corp. has released the $50 million needed to construct the subterranean support structure for the center, which will be built in the area bounded by Fulton, Greenwich, Vesey, and Washington streets near the 1,776-foot-high 1 World Trade Center...But even if the foundation work moves ahead as planned, the project faces numerous challenges, leaving skeptics questioning whether it will ever be built." Crain's New York Business 02/14/2010
02/25/2010 Singapore Looks to the Arts for Growth"Singapore may be best known as a hub of electronics manufacturing and transportation, but as it plans for its next stage of economic growth, its leaders are looking toward a radically different sector: the arts. Support for theater, museums, and other cultural activities has been quietly moving up the official agenda of the city-state in recent years. But this month, an economic panel appointed by the government recommended that establishing Singapore as a 'leading cultural capital' and a 'distinctive global city' should be among officials’ top three priorities in the next decade...From 2005 to 2008, the government doubled its support for the arts to 110.3 million Singapore dollars from 55.1 million Singapore dollars." New York Times 02/20/2010
02/25/2010 Music Therapy May Help Stroke Patients"Words and music, such natural partners that it seems obvious they go together. Now science is confirming that those abilities are linked in the brain, a finding that might even lead to better stroke treatments. Studies have found overlap in the brain's processing of language and instrumental music, and new research suggests that intensive musical therapy may help improve speech in stroke patients, researchers said at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. In addition, researchers said, music education can help children with developmental dyslexia or autism more accurately use speech. People who have suffered a severe stroke on the left side of the brain and cannot speak can sometimes learn to communicate through singing, Gottfried Schlaug, associate professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School told the meeting...Schlaug showed a video of one patient who could only make meaningless sounds learning to say 'I am thirsty,' by singing the words, and another was able to sing Happy Birthday." The New York Times 02/20/2010
03/04/2010 Obama Proposes Consolidation of Arts"As part of a budget plan designed to reshape federal support for education, President Barack Obama is seeking to consolidate more than a dozen discrete programs into three broader, competitive funds focused on 'effective teaching and learning' across the academic-content areas. The proposal emphasizes literacy, the STEM fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, and a final catchall category dubbed a 'well-rounded education.' But elements of that approach are facing stiff resistance from an array of organizations as well as from Democratic and Republican lawmakers...The literacy fund at the Department of Education would consolidate six existing programs into a $450 million fund for fiscal year 2011, and the Well-Rounded Education fund would consolidate nine programs into a $265 million spending pot. Among the programs targeted for consolidation for the latter fund are the Arts in Education program, Foreign Language Assistance, and Teaching American History." Education Week 02/26/2010
03/04/2010 Revitalizing Music Education in Haiti"In an effort to revitalize music education in Haiti, Loyola University New Orleans music professor and Haitian native Jean Montès, D.M.A., will travel there in late March with a group of students and volunteers to deliver musical instruments to the earthquake-devastated Holy Trinity School of Music. The group, with the generous support of the Greater New Orleans Youth Orchestra, is organizing a massive effort to collect music instruments from individuals who no longer use them. After collecting unwanted instruments and funds to purchase others, the group will travel to Haiti for three days to deliver the supplies to students of the school...Items that will be accepted for the drive include brass, woodwind, string, and percussion instruments. Also accepted will be supplies such as strings, rosin, reeds, music books, solo and ensemble sheet music, and scores." Loyola University New Orleans Press Release 03/01/2010
03/03/2010 High-Crime City Saves the Youth with Music "For years, the neighborhoods that sprawl over the mountains in northern Medellin, known locally as 'Las Comunas,' have been consumed by poverty, unemployment, and gang warfare. For young people, the lure of crime can be overwhelming. Pressure to join armed gangs for protection and to earn a livelihood is constant, and with a lack of other viable options, the young people from these communities are often drawn into the world of violence and crime. However, amidst all of this chaos and violence comes a breath of fresh air, in the form of the rather eerie sound of beautiful classical music flowing through the air in the Barrio Popular #1 neighborhood. In the heart of 'Las Comunas' grows a seed that was planted many years ago, with the intention of giving the young people of this area an alternative path in life. The Music School of Barrio Popular #1 has blossomed over the years, guiding the lives of many hundreds of young people from the neighborhood, by showing them that drugs and violence are not the way to go."
ColombiaReports.com 03/01/2010
03/11/2010 Transforming Vacant Storefronts with Art"Crestwood Court has won the MAXI Award from the International Council of Shopping Centers for its ArtSpace. The mall transformed vacant storefronts awaiting redevelopment into an arts experience. It was the first development of its kind in the country. 'When we were faced with the grim realities of a slumping economy, our owners challenged us to put the empty space at the mall to good purpose until the mall could be redeveloped,' says Leisa Son, marketing manager of Crestwood Court. When Jones Lange LaSalle first offered space to artists just over a year and a half ago, Son and her team expected about 20 artists to be interested. Instead, 200 showed up to the first organizational meeting, and the tenant list is still growing." ksdk.com 03/04/2010
03/11/2010 Balance STEM Learning with ArtsJoseph Piro, an associate professor of curriculum and instruction at Long Island University's C.W. Post campus provides commentary on the importance of the arts being included in STEM education: "In the midst of all the STEM frenzy, we may want to do something riskier, and more imaginative, to save the country: turn STEM funding into STEAM funding. Inserting the letter A, for the arts, into the acronym could afford us even greater global advantage. Many may be puzzled by this statement, considering that the arts have held a traditionally marginalized place in both American society and the school curriculum. And, in the eyes of some, support for the arts has a dubious payback, especially in areas of national concern such as defense, homeland security, and technology. The arts are something we do when we stop being serious...Perhaps if we tried to achieve a synergistic balance between the arts and sciences we could curtail debates that have traditionally turned the issue of arts funding into an us-against-them argument. The ancient Greeks promoted not a hierarchy of subjects, but a continuum of learning. They made no firm distinction between the arts and the sciences, so why should we?" Education Week 03/09/2010
03/18/2010 Nashville Lands National Folk Festival"No longer just the country music capital of the world, Nashville has been chosen to host next year’s National Folk Festival. The longest running multi-ethnic music festival in the United States—which boasts Native American, Caribbean, Middle Eastern, and East Asian music among its offerings—will begin a three-year engagement with the city starting in 2011. Mayor Karl Dean was pleased with the announcement, saying, 'No city in the United States can match the raw talent, creativity, and long history of making music like we have here in Nashville. You combine that with our growing international diversity and growing recognition and appreciation for the arts, and you have a city that is well primed to host the National Folk Festival and to create an event of a caliber worthy of serving as the celebration of its 75th anniversary.' Another reason for Dean’s excitement may be the economic benefits of hosting the festival, which some are predicting will attract upwards of 150,000 attendees and stimulate the local economy to the tune of 15 million dollars." American Songwriter 03/12/2010
03/18/2010 CauseWorld Mobile Application "CauseWorld is a mash-up of location-based game apps such as Foursquare, GoWalla, or Loopt with cause marketing, and has added checking into actual products in retail stores as the newest way for consumers to use mobile-check-in services to earn money for charity. With the free iPhone app, users check in at retail stores to earn points, or 'karmas,' that eventually add up to real money from marketers for the charity of their choice. Since the app launched in December, CauseWorld users, with retail check-ins alone, are donating at a rate of more than $200,000 per month, thanks to sponsors such as Proctor & Gamble (P&G), Kraft, and Citi. In the next few weeks, those consumers will earn extra points when they pick up products such as Pampers, Tide, Gillette, or, yes, even Tampax, to scan the barcode with their phones. P&G was the first marketer to sign on for product check-ins, but Kraft has followed suit with 32 products, including Miracle Whip, Oreo, Ritz, and Philadelphia." [Editor's Note: Americans for the Arts is one of the CauseWorld recipients.]Visit ArtsBlog to read about more iPhone applications that benefit the arts! Advertising Age 03/16/2010
03/18/2010 Students Making Music Without Instruments "McKinley High School could become home to the music industry’s next great producer. That, or students will leave school with a greater appreciation for music, thanks to a new program. The program, music technology, has expanded from 50 students in the fall to 80 this semester. It is so new that there are no textbooks for it. Most of the instruction comes from online resources. In this course, students—freshmen to seniors—learn how to make music without an instrument. Teacher Brian Laakso said music technology engages today’s students to create, share, and appreciate music made via technology. And it’s relevant...Today’s youth have different outlets to make music, such as video games, or to showcase their talents on websites such as YouTube...So, his students have made music videos, their own cell phone ringtones, and they’ve used drum-beat machines."
CantonRep.com 03/15/2010
03/22/2010 4D Sidewalk Unveiled in SE Portland
4D Sidewalk creates a temporal event by recording and broadcasting a series of time-shifted video at street level, bringing the fourth dimension of time into the experience of the building. This interactive installation creates a feedback relationship with pedestrians and explores the extent to which a building can actively shape its environment. 4D Sidewalk can be experienced from 6pm to midnight daily through May 1, 2010." Regional Arts & Culture Council online 03/22/2010
03/25/2010 Student Orchestra Worth Fighting For"It would be extraordinary on any day—more than 800 student musicians performing together under one roof on March 22. For many of the orchestra students and families who gathered in Alpharetta, it was something they may not see or hear again for a long time. But they're not going down without a fight. Fulton County School Board members voted to cut the $4 million a year elementary school band and orchestra programs because of the projected $120 million shortfall in next school year's system-wide budget. That cut directly impacts 8,000 students, including the more than 300 fourth and fifth graders performing with older students on March 22...Parents have just hired a consultant, John Benham of St. Paul, MN, who has a track record of saving music from school budget cuts across the country. They hope they'll be able to show the board alternatives to the budget cuts; they hope to show there is enough money in the tight budget for the programs." 11Alive.com 03/22/2010
03/25/2010 The Day the Music Didn't Die"The day the music didn't die was May 16, 2008. Two months earlier, the Davis Joint Unified School District had sent layoff notices to its junior high and high school music teachers, essentially making them the last musical dominoes to fall in a budget crisis. Their replacements would be elementary school teachers whose entire music program was to be eliminated. What happened next had less to do with saving jobs than saving a musical legacy that would have taken decades to rebound even if funding were restored. Music education builds from fourth grade on, and without a 'farm team' coming up, orchestras and bands in the upper grades eventually would wither away. 'At that point, we got the troops together to figure out how to turn this situation around,' said Angelo Moreno, Davis Senior High School's orchestra director. 'We found out the price to buy back the elementary program and reset the other teachers' jobs. We had eight weeks to raise $230,000.' The situation was too desperate for mere bake sales and car washes. Student musicians launched a frenzy of public performances, and at each one, a parent volunteer took to the stage, begging for money. The community rallied, with professional musicians, retired music teachers, members of the UC Davis music department, corporate donors and, in particular, the parent volunteers who make up DSOMA, the Davis Schools Orchestra Music Association, stepping up to help. 'We made it to $230,000 on the day of the deadline,' Moreno said. 'As I'm walking up to the school, parents are stuffing checks in my pockets. It took me aback how people came to the rescue of music. We weren't going to let it disappear. Davis really defined itself then.' In all, the community raised $1.77 million for the Davis Schools Foundation's Dollar a Day campaign by May 16, 2008, which saved programs and teaching positions that had been threatened and assured a rosy future for Davis High's orchestras. Six months later, Davis voters overwhelmingly approved Measure W, a parcel tax that funds city schools' academic and extracurricular activities." The Sacramento Bee 03/23/2010
04/01/2010 "Yarnbombing" Hits the Streets "The magnolia tree on the north side of Rittenhouse Square looks as if it were plucked from a Dr. Seuss book. Its split trunk is wrapped in a whimsical sweater of pinks, blues, purples, and oranges. The tree cozy is the work of Jessie Hemmons, 23, a graduate student in psychology at Chestnut Hill College and census worker—and a graffiti artist with a soft side. Hemmons is part of a growing trend of rogue knitters who have taken their 'yarnbombing' to the street to brighten the cityscape. She ties crocheted flowers to lampposts, wraps bike racks with rainbow-colored covers, and gave the Rocky statue a scarf. Her motivation is simple. 'Times are tough,' Hemmons said. 'People want to see something bright and pretty.' Yesterday morning she put up her largest installation yet. Passersby stopped to watch and snap pictures as Hemmons began stitching about 15 feet of knitting—a 30-hour project—to a tree near 19th and Walnut Streets."
The Philadelphia Inquirer 03/25/2010
04/01/2010 Subway Tunnel to Turn Into Cultural Space
The winning proposal presented by architects Sapir Ng, an associate at Boston architecture firm Tsoi/Kobus & Associates (TK&A), and Andrzej Zarzycki, a former TK&A architect now teaching at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, laid the plans for turning an abandoned subway tunnel beneath Tremont Street into an underground art gallery, theater, and event space linking Boylston Street and the South End. That’s right: A party in the T. Their idea stems from a growing movement in the architectural world, one that aims to preserve — and reuse — urban infrastructure. Q. Most people use the T despite the fact it’s underground. You want us to go there for fun? Zarzycki: The Tremont Underground Theater Space [TUTS], that’s what we’re calling it, is actually, we think, very current and appropriate. Historically, architects have worked to preserve architecture. That’s the point of the whole warehouse-chic, industrial-revival movement. But architects are slowly moving to preserve infrastructure as well, and work with the idea of keeping it part of the productive landscape. Infrastructure revitalization is about bringing new life and relevance to a city landmark." Visit the Tremont Underground Theater Space website at www.the-tuts.org. Boston.com 04/01/2010
04/06/2010 Ford Foundation Gives $100M to the ArtsThe Ford Foundation announced an initiative to give $100 million "to the development of arts spaces nationwide over the next decade. The plan is by far the largest commitment the foundation has ever made to the construction, maintenance and enhancement of arts facilities. The plan, called the Supporting Diverse Art Spaces Initiative, is one of several large financing projects that have resulted from a strategic overhaul of the foundation’s operations since its president, Luis A. Ubiñas, took over in 2008. In addition to helping arts groups build new spaces and renovate and expand old ones, the latest initiative aims to encourage the construction of affordable housing for artists in or around some of these spaces and to spur economic development in their surrounding areas. Mr. Ubiñas said that during his travels around the country he had been astonished when he would visit an arts organization and find that "all around it have developed whole neighborhoods — of artists and their families, of businesses that cater to them, of diverse people who want to live in a thriving community." This notion of the economic benefits of the arts has become increasingly popular lately among arts financers and administrators, who are keenly aware that in times of economic paucity spending on the arts is sometimes seen as frivolous. Rocco Landesman, chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, has been on the road frequently in recent months for a project that involves collecting information and anecdotes to help make the case to Congress and the public that the arts pay. ("Art Works" is the official slogan of the endowment's project.)" The New York Times 04/04/2010
04/06/2010 In Memoriam: Arthur Greenberg
AMS Planning & Research 04/06/2010
04/08/2010 Creativity Needed for Science Innovations"In a world of periodic tables and algorithms, it’s easy to forget how to let the creative juices flow. 'I find the scientists I work with to be very creative people,' says Brian Knep, an associate and the artist-in-residence at the Systems Biology department in the Harvard Medical School (HMS). 'What I find kind of sad is that a lot of the science world feels very constrained in a way that’s not very good for inspiration in general.' With an obligation to address this concern in mind, Knep has been inviting local artists on a monthly basis to come discuss their work with the various scientists, chemists, and engineers on the medical school campus. By organizing these talks, Knep says he hopes to encourage the explorative and imaginative nature of science that is often subdued by the demands of hard data, precision, and controlled objectivity." The Harvard Crimson 04/06/2010
04/23/2010 NYC Seeks Limits on Art Vendors
ArtDaily.org 04/19/2010
04/23/2010 The Art of Rejuvenation "Last October, simplified paintings of windows and doors began to appear across the boarded-up facades of derelict buildings around Over-the-Rhine. Since then, they’ve been sprouting consistently around the inner city. Fittingly, these are the work of Future Blooms, an unusual public art program initiated by Keep Cincinnati Beautiful. In a small, localized way, it recalls the work of the Federal Art Project, part of the job-creation Works Progress Administration that existed as part of the New Deal during the Great Depression. The imaginary windows and doors are painted in various bold and soft hues onto the barricades that cover the original architecture’s actual windows and doors...Future Blooms is a $100,000 grant project funded by Cincinnati Empowerment Corporation, the Jacob G. Schmidlapp Trusts, and trustees of the Fifth Third Bank. According to its mission statement, it is specifically aimed at 'the aesthetic enhancement of vacant, abandoned, and foreclosed properties within the Empowerment Zone.'"
CityBeat.com 04/20/2010
04/23/2010 Local Crime Victims Heal Through Art "As the victim of an assault, Lindsay Erin Lough of Rochester was left with a shattered view of the world. 'It's still hard for me to talk about,' she said. Focusing on photography throughout her recovery, however, helped bring her life back into focus. Then, while snapping a photo of a Peruvian woman with deep-set wrinkles, Lough found a renewed sense of beauty. 'It was a turning point for me, when I took it and when I looked at it,' Lough said of the photo. That photo now hangs as part of a photo essay she created for the seventh annual Art of Recovery exhibit in St. Paul. The art show features visual and literary artwork by 23 Minnesota crime victims who used art as a means to explore, express, or heal. The exhibit commemorates Minnesota Crime Victims' Rights Week and is co-sponsored by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety Office of Justice Programs and Minnesota State Arts Board."
Rochester Post-Bulletin 04/20/2010
04/29/2010 Poetry Foundation Builds a Home in Chicago"The Poetry Foundation announced that it has begun construction of a new home that will be Chicago's first building dedicated solely to the art form of poetry and the first permanent venue for Poetry magazine in its nearly 100-year history in the city. The new building, in the city's River North neighborhood, fulfills a century-old vision of magazine founder Harriet Monroe. Writing her first editorial in 1912, Monroe imagined that ultimately the magazine would help poets pursue their art, increase public interest in poetry, and raise poetry's profile in society...The new building's primary purpose is to help the Foundation carry out its mission of discovering and celebrating the best poetry and putting it before the largest possible audience. The ground floor of the two-story building will be devoted to public use, including a multipurpose performance space expected to be one of the leading venues for the spoken word, a public garden, a 35,000-volume non-circulating collection that is currently in storage, and an exhibition gallery." PR Newswire 04/21/2010
04/29/2010 In Perfect Harmony with 'Glee' "Glee, which just returned after a four-month hiatus, has struck a chord among high school choral students. It has emboldened students who are tired of being seen as dorky, and bolstered music programs across the country, with students lobbying for show choirs at their own schools. The National Association for Music Education recently polled choral teachers to see whether the Fox show has had an impact on their music programs: 43 percent said it had, reporting that students had been turning out in record numbers for auditions and pleading for choral arrangements of songs from the show. 'Glee helped make chorus cool again,' one teacher said. Show choirs—the term glee club isn’t used much anymore—combine choral pop singing with choreographed dance movements in glitzy productions reminiscent of the TV variety shows of the 1960s."
Boston.com 04/24/2010
04/28/2010 Seller of Phony Picasso Pleads Guilty
"That woman, 70-year-old Tatiana Khan, agreed to plead guilty to federal charges related to the sale of the phony Picasso, authorities said Tuesday. The woman is scheduled to appear in federal court next month to plead guilty to felony counts of making false statements to the FBI and witness tampering, federal authorities said. Khan faces a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison but the plea agreement recommends a maximum prison sentence of 21 months, according to the Justice Department."CNN 04/28/2010
05/05/2010 Of Compost, Art is Born
He kills the cockroaches with a spray, pops them into a jar, takes them back to his studio in Florida, and then puts their parts to work in his art. He glues their legs together into long, lacy cylinders that look like giant larval casings. He arranges their wings into medically precise images of a human skull, foot bones and hand bones, all scaled to his own head and appendages. Mr. Peña likes the medium of cockroach aesthetically, the way he can use the different tones in the wings as his palette to convey light and shadow. He likes it metaphorically, how we are disgusted by something with which we have so much in common — the same taste in foods, the same easy adaptability to every possible niche. “Cockroaches are a witness to our daily lives," Mr. Peña said. He also likes his medium pragmatically. “It’s a material that I can easily find," he said, "and it’s cheaper than buying paint." Mr. Peña is among the growing ranks of artists who have gone natural, who are scavenging the world’s vivarium and rummaging through the life sciences in search of materials, ideas, cosmic verities, tragicomic homilies, personal agency, a personal agent, a way to stand out in the crowd." The New York Times 05/03/2010
05/06/2010 Flooding Puts Music Under Water"The blazing fiddles and screaming guitars at Nashville's famed downtown honky tonks are a little quieter as the city recovers from flash flooding and storms blamed for at least 29 deaths in three states. Elsewhere in Nashville, the Country Music Hall of Fame has closed and the Grand Ole Opry, the most famous country music show in the world, had to move its performances. The Cumberland River, which winds through the heart of the city, spilled over its banks as Nashville received more than 13 inches of pounding rain over the weekend. The flash floods were blamed in the deaths of at least 18 people in Tennessee alone, including nine in Nashville." Associated Press 05/05/2010
05/13/2010 Mural Program Evolves from City Graffiti"City Councilor Sally Collura hopes painting murals on buildings will combat graffiti and add a new level of artistic vibrancy to the city...Learning that if graffiti isn't removed more graffiti will appear, Collura said she helped to acquire a power pressure washer for the city to remove the graffiti. The power washer worked 'beautifully,' in removing graffiti, said Collura, but over time graffiti would reappear on commercial buildings and places such as the Riverwalk. 'Once you give them a blank canvas, they are going to come back again,' said Collura. Through research, Collura discovered that if murals are painted, graffiti is less likely to appear over the works of art. Although murals can help prevent future graffiti, Collura said she realized she could take it a step further and create an outdoor arts program. Two months ago, Collura said she ran into Joshua Winer, a well-known mural artist and Waltham resident, at a local gas station. Winer agreed to help Collura jump start a mural project." The Milford Daily News 05/07/2010
05/13/2010 John Lennon Tour Bus Inspires Musicians
WRAL-TV 05/09/2010
05/13/2010 Program Makes Instruments More Affordable"For many young students, being part of the band or orchestra at school isn't an option. It's not because they don't have the talent. It's simply that they can't afford an instrument. The Tippecanoe Arts Federation, with support from a grant through North Central Health Services, is aiming to eliminate that barrier through its new ARTreach musical lending library. The organization is collecting used instruments—those old tubas and violins collecting dust in local attics—to refurbish and return to local classrooms. For every donated instrument, the North Central Health Services grant will allow the arts group to purchase a brand new instrument that is needed by local schools." Journal & Courier 05/10/2010
05/20/2010 Public Art Concealed in Caution Tape"Art lovers around the globe who are including Carbondale, CO, in their spring art-travel itineraries will arrive to a town adorned with public art, which is concealed in black plastic and caution tape. The national art scene is buzzing about Carbondale’s innovative new art awareness program, Carbondale Cover Up! Carbondale Cover Up encourages residents and guests alike to take a moment to appreciate the beauty that is present every day, but too often is taken for granted. On May 28, the public art around [the city] will be covered up for four weeks. For a donation of $500 a plaque will be affixed to an artwork crediting the donor. Contributions of any amount will help to uncover a sculpture, and will keep the Art Around Town program thriving. The goal is to raise $20,000 toward purchasing new sculpture for Carbondale’s permanent collection, competition prizes, artists' honoraria, marketing, and maintenance of the artwork." ArtDaily.org 05/17/2010
05/20/2010 Haiti Cultural Recovery Project "The Smithsonian is leading a team of cultural organizations to help the Haitian government assess, recover and restore Haiti’s cultural materials damaged by the devastating January 12 earthquake. A building in Port-au-Prince that once housed the United Nations Development Program will be leased by the Smithsonian. The 7,500-square-foot, three-story building will serve as a temporary conservation site where objects retrieved from the rubble can be assessed, conserved, and stored. It will also be the training center for Haitians who will be taking over this conservation effort in the future. Haiti’s Ministry of Culture and Communication and the Haitian President’s Commission for Reconstruction will lead the effort for Haiti. The Smithsonian Institution–Haiti Cultural Recovery Project is conducted in partnership with the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities with assistance from several other federal agencies."
ArtDaily.org 05/17/2010
05/27/2010 Students Play for 8 Hours to Save Teachers "It's a crunch that's felt in almost every school district across California, but when parents and students in the Vacaville Unified School District heard their music programs were facing elimination, they jumped at the opportunity to help. Due to a lack of state funding, two high school music directors now have pink slips and the elementary music program could be slashed in half. So the Nut Tree Plaza off Interstate 80 in Vacaville played host to an eight-hour music marathon as students from almost every school in the district came to perform, a performance which doubled as a fundraiser...Along with some help from others, [music teacher Gina] Freese organized the music marathon and fundraiser in just a few weeks...Organizers say the one-day fundraiser brought in $3,200."
News10.net 05/23/2010
05/27/2010 Museum Admission for Military Families"More than 600 museums nationwide are offering free admission to military families all summer in a new partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The list includes some of the nation's premier art museums, including New York's Museum of Modern Art and the Art Institute of Chicago, as well as science centers, children's museums and other sites in all 50 states. The program, called Blue Star Museums, [was announced] in San Diego, where 14 museums will participate. The offer for active duty military personnel and their families runs from Memorial Day through Labor Day. It was the brainchild of Kathy Roth-Douquet, chairwoman of the group Blue Star Families. Her husband, Marine Corps Col. Greg Douquet, is on his third deployment to Afghanistan." Associated Press 05/23/2010
05/26/2010 Workshop Subsidy Grants for ArtistsCreative Capital will be offering new Workshop Subsidy Grants through its Professional Development Program, which helps artists to manage the business side of their art with greater efficiency and results. Thanks to the generous support of the Kresge Foundation, funding for Workshop Subsidy Grants is earmarked to increase the diversity of participating artists. Organizations can apply for grants to offer these workshops to artists for a significantly reduced fee. Subsidies ranging from $3,000 to $10,000 are available for a limited number of workshops in planning, internet, and verbal communications, to be held in 2011 and 2012. The deadline for applicants wishing to host a workshop held in 2011, which must be submitted online, is 5:30pm eastern time on June 30, 2010. For applicants interested in hosting a 2012 workshop, the deadline will be announced in the spring of 2011. Round One Schedule (Apply in 2010 for a workshop in 2011): Round Two Schedule (Apply in 2011 for a workshop in 2012): Full details including guidelines can be found on Creative Capital’s website. Questions: Contact Suzanne Callahan at 202-955-8325 or via email at PDPSubsidy@ForTheArts.org. Keep up with us on Twitter for news and updates @CallahanArts 05/26/2010
06/03/2010 Mall Pairs with Arts to Fill Empty Spaces "Macon Mall is not just a place to shop for fashion and home goods anymore. It’s a place where people are learning to dance, performing in plays, making quilts, and creating and buying art from Middle Georgia artists. The mall dedicated spaces in its east wing last year for art space. So far 10 tenants have leased the space. The mall partnered with Macon Arts and the Middle Georgia Art Association to help give artists and those with artistic talent the space to perform and the visibility to reach a greater audience. It’s no secret the economy has taken a toll on malls and shopping centers, and the shrinking retail market has left dark spaces everywhere. The occupancy at Macon Mall is about 65–75 percent. Offering some of those vacant spaces to artists at discounted rates with lenient hours accomplishes several things, said mall General Manager Brian Olivi. 'It gives us the opportunity to provide a venue in the City of Macon where all these entities can be under one roof,' Olivi said. 'It definitely brightens up the spaces and hopefully when they’re open people stroll through and spend a little more time than they had planned.'"
Macon.com 05/30/2010
06/03/2010 Puppet Shows to Drivers Caught in Traffic
"Superclogger presents various puppet shows to drivers caught in traffic from a mobile theater housed in the back of a nondescript white pickup truck. An FM broadcaster placed inside the truck and similar to those used in drive-in movie theaters sends soundtracks of the various shows via radio waves to the viewing cars’ stereos...Superclogger aims to briefly halt the progression of chaos by temporarily drawing the audience out of the commute experience and placing them within an intimate space of engagement that highlights their own individual presence within the broader structure of the traffic jam." Follow Superclogger on Twitter for the project’s specific location throughout the days of its presentation (http://www.twitter.com/superclogger10)."ArtDaily.org 06/02/2010
06/03/2010 CA Dilutes Arts as High School Requirement"California arts advocates suffered their third and worst legislative shutout in less than two months Wednesday as the Assembly voted 76 to 0 in favor of a bill that would allow more students to skip arts instruction entirely during their high school years. To earn a diploma now, students have to take at least one yearlong course in arts or a foreign language. If the bill, AB 2446, passes the state Senate and is signed into law by the governor, students, starting in the 2011-12 school year, will be able to substitute a "career technical education" course for arts or a language. The bill has a "sunset" provision, meaning the change would be temporary, staying in effect for five academic years before expiring in mid-2016. Its author, Warren Furutani (D-Gardena) says in a statement on his website that "the intent … is to increase high school graduation rates, which is an ever-pressing issue." By allowing students to take a technical course rather than arts or a language, backers say, teens aiming for immediate full-time jobs rather than college will be better prepared for them. Meanwhile, they say, being able to use a technical course to graduate, rather than arts or a language, could prompt some potential dropouts to stay and earn a diploma."
Los Angeles Times 06/03/2010
06/09/2010 Lehman Looks to Sell More Art"Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. is seeking bankruptcy-court permission to hire Sotheby's to auction off more than 400 pieces of art, including pieces by Damien Hirst and Andy Warhol. Sotheby's expects the auction, slated for Sept. 25 in Manhattan, to bring in more than $10 million, the auction house said Friday. "It truly is a visionary collection," Lehman art adviser Kelly Wright said. "Many of the works were acquired from cutting-edge and emergent artists who have since evolved into the vanguards of the contemporary art world." Up for grabs are 447 pieces of art owned by Lehman and its affiliates that the investment bank no longer needs as it winds down its business, Lehman said in court papers filed Thursday." The Wall Street Journal 06/09/2010
06/16/2010 Once Cut, Now ReinstatedIt never hurts to make your voice heard about something you feel strongly towards, and that's just what the community of Molalla River School District did when the board decided to "eliminate middle school band and choir and reduce high school drama." The public outcry forced the board to revaluate their decision, and as a result, decided to "reinstate those programs and find other ways to balance next year’s budget." "Although the announcement led to a standing ovation from the audience, the decision does nothing to solve the district’s budget shortages. Next year, they anticipate a shortfall of $900,000 to $1 million in state funding next year, MRSD Superintendent Wayne Kostur said." Molalla Pioneer 06/11/2010
06/24/2010 Public Art Piano Project in a New York "An art installation touring the world is making its first U.S. stop. For two weeks, players can play tunes on pianos all over New York City, at famous landmarks like the Lincoln Center, the foot of the Brooklyn Bridge, the Staten Island ferry terminal, and Central Park's bandshell. The concept, devised by British artist Luke Jerram, has put more than 130 pianos in parks, squares, and bus stations since 2008 in cities including London, Sydney, and Sao Paulo...'There's going to be a huge amount of talent here,' Jerram said in an interview. 'The piano's actually a blank canvas for everyone's creativity, really, so I just hope that the city enjoys it.' The New York installation will be the largest in the project. It is double the size of the previous larges—30 pianos in London last year...The pianos were donated for the cause and have been painted and decorated by artists. They will be delivered to 27 locations in Manhattan, 10 in Brooklyn, five in Queens, and four each in Staten Island and the Bronx."
Associated Press 06/18/2010
06/21/2010 44 Arts Organizations Receive RACC Support
“These organizations represent the foundation of our arts community,” said Eloise Damrosch, Executive Director of RACC. “By investing $1.6 million this summer, we can provide 44 organizations with the working capital they need to achieve great things in the year ahead. Together, they have combined purchasing and payroll power of $71 million, and will present or produce more than 2.7 million high quality arts experiences – including more than 900,000 free and reduced cost admissions for children and other audiences. Clearly, these 44 arts organizations play a leading role in our mission to integrate arts and culture in all aspects of community life.” Four arts organizations are receiving RACC General Support for the first time: Children’s Healing Art Project, The Third Angle New Music Ensemble, Third Rail Repertory Theatre and Wordstock, Inc. RACC receives funding from The City of Portland, Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington Counties and Metro to provide these grants and many other services in the community. Also included in each General Support grant, RACC’s disbursement of $422,604 raised in last year’s Work for Art workplace giving campaigns. To qualify for RACC General Support, organizations must meet several eligibility requirements, including 501(c)(3) status; a mission centered on producing or presenting art; having one or more paid administrative staff members; and annual revenues of at least $80,000. A panel of experts in nonprofit management, organizational development, and artistic programming reviewed all applications, participated in interviews, and recommended funding to the RACC Board of Directors. The final award amounts are determined by overall merit, budget size, and compliance with past reporting requirements. Organizations receiving RACC General Support in 2010-11 are: Artist Repertory Theatre, $55,282 Blue Sky Gallery, $10,986 Bodyvox, $23,244 Broadway Rose Theatre Company, $34,845 Cappella Romana, Inc. $ 11,946 Chamber Music Northwest, $52,051 Children's Healing Art Project, $13,260 Do Jump Movement Theater, $28,097 Ethos Music Center, $17,304 Film Action Oregon, $17,569 Friends of Chamber Music, $20,004 Imago Theatre, $28,601 Lakewood Center for the Arts, $37,425 Literary Arts, Inc., $43,427 Live Wire! $10,814 Metropolitan Youth Symphony, $29,085 Miracle Theatre Group, $28,347 Northwest Children's Theatre, $27,983 NW Professional Dance Project, $13,604 Oregon Ballet Theatre, $85,500 Oregon Children's Theatre, $58,642 Oregon Repertory Singers, $26,875 Oregon Symphony Association, $142,616 Playwrite, Inc. $15,586 Portland Art Museum, $192,488 Portland Baroque Orchestra, $23,094 Portland Center Stage, $88,916 Portland Chamber Orchestra, $14,815 Portland Columbia Symphony Orchestra, $13,585 Portland Gay Men's Chorus, $15,886 Portland Institute for Contemporary Art, $24,355 Portland Opera, $138,419 Portland Piano International, $14,628 Portland Taiko, $37,024 Portland Youth Philharmonic, $29,415 Profile Theatre Project, $22,951 Tears of Joy Theatre, $30,173 The Portland Ballet, $16,628 The Third Angle New Music Ensemble, $10,600 Third Rail Repertory Theatre, $13,000 White Bird, $49,815 Wordstock, Inc. $13,260 Write Around Portland, $19,000 Young Audiences of Oregon and SW Washington, $27,646 Arts organizations apply for General Support every two years, and receive grants of a similar size for each of those two years. The next open application for General Support will begin in early 2012. RACC is currently accepting proposals from artists, arts organizations, and other community groups for one-time arts-related projects scheduled to take place in calendar year 2011. Approximately 90-100 “Project Grant” awards will be announced in December, 2010. RACC also provides Professional Development grants for artists and arts organizations in two cycles each year; administers special City funds that help arts organizations respond to special opportunities and emergencies; and awards Fast Track Grants to schools that need help paying for arts education activities. For more information on these grant programs, visit www.racc.org/grants. RACC Press Release 06/21/2010
07/02/2010 Community Arts Movement HistoryIn the history of the community arts movement in America, July 3 stands as a notable day. On this day, we celebrate the birthday of one giant, Robert Gard, born in 1910 and the passing of another, Ralph Burgard, in 2008. Gard and Burgard each created processes and pathways to creative engagement for individuals and communities. Each advanced the idea and value of community arts development through direct community work and the creation of infrastructure to promote community arts development and grow a movement. Each worked tirelessly to advance the right to creative expression for residents in every Americans city, town, and hamlet in America. To learn more about read the post on ArtsBlog The Third of July: Happy Community Arts Day. ArtsBlog The Third of July: Happy Community Arts Day 07/03/2010
07/08/2010 Water Bills Livened with Art"Medford residents can look forward to a little something extra in their water bills this month, thanks to a project introduced by the Medford Arts Council to bring attention to local artists. Each water bill sent out in July will be accompanied by a postcard featuring original artwork by one of three local artists, depicting a Medford scene. The winning images were selected from more than 60 submissions sent in response to the Council's call for art, and more than 200 people voted on their favorite images in an online poll, council chairwoman Maria Daniels said last week...More than 14,000 postcards will be sent out to residents in what Daniels hopes will be an annual event to give the public a glimpse into the local art scene." Boston.com 07/02/2010
07/08/2010 Summer Tours Struggle to Fill Seats"A slow economy and a glut of choices is turning the once ironclad summer tour season into something of a gamble. The evidence is everywhere. The always bankable Eagles have canceled dates. Christina Aguilera shut down an entire tour before it got started. Rihanna just canceled her tour opener. Add in what seems like a large number of injuries, illnesses, and mysterious happenings that have led to sometimes legitimate cancellations—U2's tour was postponed due to Bono's back surgery—and at least outwardly it looks like summer tours are starting to see the strain the rest of the music industry has been experiencing. Korn's Jonathan Davis calls it 'scary.' 'It's just a sign of the times,' Davis said. 'We're in a bad place now financially, everybody, and I think people are cutting back. Hopefully when this goes away, whenever it does, then things will get better, but it doesn't surprise me that people don't have as much money to spend as they used to.'" Associated Press 07/04/2010
07/08/2010 Glee Inspires Summer Camps"Inspired by the overwhelming popularity of the musical comedy-drama on the Fox Network, dozens of theater groups and arts organizations in Chicago and across the country have created Glee summer camps for kids using music and choreography from the hit show. Camps have formed in North Carolina, Florida, Arizona, Indiana, and Utah. In the Chicago area, Glee camps at the Circle Theatre in Forest Park and the Children's Theatre of Elgin just wrapped up their June sessions. At least 10 others are scheduled for July and August, with some already sold out...Camp directors said Glee's appeal is due to several factors, including its wide range of music that covers show tunes, classic rock, pop, and hip hop...Shellee Frazee, coordinator of music programs for the Beverly Arts Center, said the show's central message is to be your own person, regardless of what others think. [In light of that,] Frazee said she and her Glee campers held several discussions on self-confidence." The Chicago Tribune 07/05/2010
07/21/2010 $11 Million in Grant Support AwardedTo give a boost to New York City arts organizations hard hit by the financial crisis, the Open Society Foundations today announced $11 million in grants to support community and educational arts initiatives. "The arts--and arts education--are a vital part of the fabric of New York City," said George Soros, chairman of the Open Society Foundations. "This funding will help organizations that have been under severe strain because of the economic crisis." According to a report released by the Alliance for the Arts in May 2010, more than 60 percent of arts organizations in New York City reported significant budget cuts since the recession which have resulted in fewer jobs in the arts industry and reduced public programming. The $11 million investment is made through the Performing Arts Recovery Initiative, a special one-time grant program sponsored by the Open Society Foundations and managed by the Fund for the City of New York. The program is focused on supporting nonprofit music, dance, and theater groups that are recognized for the quality of their artistic work, their strong educational programs for young people, their employment of artists and their other contributions to the vibrancy of New York City's cultural life. Seventy-nine organizations will receive two-year operating-support grants ranging from $65,000 to $250,000. The groups, located in all five boroughs of New York City, vary in budget size from $75,000 to $7 million and are primarily small and less visible than larger mainstream organizations; consequently, they are most impacted by the economic crisis and most in need of assistance. They include the New York Youth Symphony, Bronx Arts Ensemble, Ballet Hispanico, Mark Morris Dance Group, Epic Theatre Ensemble and Dance Theater of Harlem. The full list of grant recipients is available here.
PR Newswire 07/21/2010
07/22/2010 First Lady Promotes Arts Education"In a White House where First Lady Michelle Obama's relationship to the arts strives to be both rarefied and common, cerebral, and pragmatic, the cultural program is dictated by tradition, personal life story...and an unabashed desire to shake things up.Information does not always come through the tried-and-true institutional channels. And many of the honored guests invited to gilded East Room soirees are not even old enough to vote. On [July 19], the president and first lady hosted the sixth installment in the White House Music Series: Broadway. As usual, there was an afternoon youth workshop. Dozens of students from the Duke Ellington School of the Arts gathered for a dance lesson from Jerry Mitchell, the award-winning choreographer of Hairspray. They had only about six hours of rehearsal at the Joy of Motion Dance Center in Northeast Washington before they took the stage at the White House. Their dress rehearsal, in the East Room, was in front of a daunting audience: the first lady, as well as parents and teachers.
'I didn't make the steps easier for them. They're doing the exact same steps they're doing on Broadway,' said Mitchell, tall and lean and wearing a pair of low-tech sneakers. 'Why else am I here if not to challenge them and let them know what it might take to do this' professionally? Washington Post 07/21/2010
07/26/2010 Technology Donations to Arts OrganizationsTechSoup is a not-for-profit organization that makes donated technology available to nonprofits. Forty major technology providers donate hardware and software, which TechSoup makes available to nonprofits for an administrative fee of as little as 5% of retail cost. In addition, TechSoup's Refurbished Computer Initiative offers nonprofits low-cost, high-quality computers. TechSoup received the 2008 ArtsTech Award from Carnegie Mellon University in recognition of product donations that have saved arts organizations more than $100 million in expenses since 2001. NASAA regularly uses TechSoup to acquire new software and computer equipment, and many state arts agencies have spread the word about TechSoup among their networks. TechSoup.org is itself a 501(c)3 nonprofit. Our mission is making software donations from 40 major technology providers, including Microsoft, Cisco, Symantec, Intuit, Adobe and Sun (for an administrative fee as little as 5% of retail cost). To qualify, organizations must be a 501(c)3 or a library. 07/26/2010
07/29/2010 Music Creates an Unlikely PartnershipWhat happens when the former Secretary of State gets together with the Queen of Soul? Beautiful music for a good cause. Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice accompanied Aretha Franklin on the piano Tuesday alongside the Philadelphia Orchestra in a one night only performance to raise money for inner city music education.
Good Morning America 07/29/2010
08/05/2010 Dance Helps Parkinson's Patients "At a dance class in Kirkland, WA, the students walk in slowly, some rigidly or with a bit of a tremor. They take their places, not at a ballet barre or on the dance floor, but sitting in chairs. As the live music starts, they flutter their fingers like hummingbird wings, point their toes along the ground. Limbs loosen and start to flow. And perhaps something even more important happens: Smiles emerge and laughter erupts. An unusual dance class is taking place: one taught by professional dancers and offered free of charge for people with Parkinson's disease and their caregivers. It's one of a small but growing number of such classes worldwide. The class is called Dance for Parkinson's, based on the Dance for PD program created in 2001 by the Brooklyn-based Mark Morris Dance Group and the Brooklyn Parkinson Group. Seattle and Spokane are among some 40 communities worldwide that have replicated the model. The idea is that dance helps ease the symptoms, and some hope might even slow the progression, of Parkinson's disease, a disorder of the brain that leads to rigid muscles, shaking, impaired balance and difficulty with walking, movement, and coordination."
The Seattle Times 07/29/2010
08/02/2010 Wynton Marsalis to Stream Live!CONCERT “MODERN NEW ORLEANS” WILL BE STREAMED FREE AUGUST 5 AT 5PM(EST) ON WYNTON’S FACEBOOK PAGE AND USTREAM On August 5th The Wynton Marsalis Quintet plus guests will perform "Modern New Orleans Music" featuring compositions from New Orleans natives within the last 30 years at the renowned Jazz in Marciac Festival. An annual favorite of the festival, Wynton celebrates his 20th annual appearance performing at Marciac, France, a town that is nearest to his heart next to his native New Orleans. For those who can't make the pilgrimage to Marciac in the south of France to witness this renowned trumpeter’s performance you can experience it LIVE via Wynton’s page on Facebook and Ustream.
08/02/2010
08/03/2010 $1 Million for Arts Ed Awarded to TNNASHVILLE - - The Tennessee Arts Commission was recently awarded over $1 million from the U.S. Department of Education through an Arts Education Model Development and Dissemination grant. Funds will be used for Arts360°, a whole-school instructional model that makes arts-based and arts integrated learning a focal point of the curriculum. Arts360° is based on the innovative Artist to Artist model pioneered by the Perpich Center for Arts Education, the North Dakota Council on the Arts, and the Minnesota State Arts Board. It includes year-round professional development for classroom teachers, arts specialists, and teaching artists. The Commission developed Arts360° from lessons learned through the successful Value Plus Schools program, funded through a previous $906,000 U.S. Department of Education grantin 2006. “Value Plus gave us the evidence to prove the arts impact student achievement,” states Kim Leavitt, director of arts education for the Commission and the creator of both Value Plus and Arts360°. “All six Value Plus Schools made greater academic gains than the control schools, despite having larger numbers of economically disadvantaged students.” This is significant, Leavitt says, as research shows high poverty schools typically perform lower on standardized tests. While Value Plus was a statewide model, Arts360° will focus on one district, Knox County Schools, which was selected due to Mooreland Heights Elementary’s success with implementing Value Plus. Knox County Superintendant Dr. James McIntyre says the district is delighted to have additional resources to build upon Mooreland Height’s accomplishments. “We know that the arts are an important part of a well rounded education for children, but this initiative has demonstrated that integrating the arts across the curriculum can be beneficial to student learning in all subject areas. We greatly appreciate the partnership with the Tennessee Arts Commission, and the support of Senator Jamie Woodson in making this exciting expansion a reality," stated Dr. McIntyre. Senator Woodson (R-Knoxville) is equally elated. “The arts educate the whole child. Programs like Arts360° will better prepare our next generation of Tennesseans to be more productive parents, better prepared community leaders, and fully engaged citizens.” For more information on Arts360°, contact Kim Leavitt. 08/03/2010
08/05/2010 Among Many, Arts Education ExcelsThis morning, the U.S. Department of Education released the names of the 49 awardees of Investing in Innovation Fund grants. The purpose of the $650 million program is to “provide competitive grants that expand the implementation of, and investment in, innovative and evidence-based practices, programs, and strategies that significantly: improve K-12 achievement and close achievement gaps; decrease dropout rates; increase high school graduation rates; and improve teacher and school leader effectiveness.”
Each of the three projects falls in the Development category and can receive up to $5 million provided a private sector match of 20 percent is secured by September 8, 2010. 08/05/2010
08/18/2010 Music is Almost as Potent as MedicineTo Denise Rich, the healing power of music is almost as potent as medicine. The songwriter, who lost her own daughter to acute myelogenous leukemia in 1996, is giving $100,000 to the Children's National Medical Center in Washington to restore a music therapy program that was in danger of being cut due to lack of funding. The gift comes through the teen committee of Gabrielle's Angel Foundation for Cancer Research, which Ms. Rich created in memory of her daughter, Gabrielle, who died at the age of 27. Since then, the foundation has given $13 million in medical research awards and funded more than 60 blood cancer researchers. A teen committee was formed two years ago to raise money for the foundation by a group of New York high school students to hold fund-raising concerts and events. Music played an important role in Gabrielle and her mother's lives. Ms. Rich recalls headphones glued to her daughter's head during chemotherapy treatments and a failed bone marrow transplant. Now, with its most recent donation, the Foundation will be able bring music to more than 200 new cancer patients a year through a music therapy program at the Children's Medical Center. The gift will enable the Center to hire a professional music teacher, as well as fund research studies on the physical and emotional influences music can have on cancer patients.
The Wall Street Journal 08/18/2010
08/18/2010 Poetry Out Loud ContestPoetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest
Poetry Out Loud is a program that encourages high school students to learn about great poetry through memorization, performance, and competition. During September 2010-February 10, 2011, schools are invited to participate in classroom and school-wide contests, advancing to a state competition. The state champion will advance to the National Finals, to take place on April 28-29, 2011, in Washington, DC. More than 320,000 students from nearly 2,000 high schools around the country took part in Poetry Out Loud in 2009-2010. Poetry Out Loud seeks to foster the next generation of literary readers by capitalizing on the latest trends in poetry - recitation and performance. The program builds on the resurgence of poetry as an oral art form, as seen in the slam poetry movement and the immense popularity of rap music among youth. Poetry Out Loud invites the dynamic aspects of slam poetry, spoken word, and theater into the English classroom. Through Poetry Out Loud, students can master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn about their literary heritage. “Poetry out Loud encourages students to begin a love affair with words, ideas, and imagination that will inspire them throughout their academic journeys and their careers,” said Rocco Landesman, chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts.
08/18/2010
08/25/2010 AMS Planning & Research Announces ChangesSteven Wolff and Robert Bailey, Principals of AMS Planning & Research Corp. announced a series of organizational changes as AMS looks to the future. AMS is recognized, uniquely, for its “success‐focused” approach to working with arts and community leaders to develop ventures that are both effective and sustainable. After more than 21 years as a Principal of AMS Planning & Research Corp. (AMS) and Audience Insight LLC, the research affiliate of AMS, “Bob” Bailey has begun his transition to a new role as Consulting Principal at AMS. In his new role, while Bob will have some time to relax and explore, he will continue to work with long‐standing clients, conduct research on best practices and develop industry insights and intelligence with the AMS team. Reflecting on his tenure Bob said, “looking back over the past twenty years, I feel we have provided high quality consulting services to the arts and cultural field and have helped to develop many ventures throughout the US, Canada and abroad that are effective and successful. Now it’s time for me to enjoy the garden, biking, hiking, traveling, and working on those countless projects around the house that got put off so many years.” Bob has been instrumental in assisting producers, presenters, government agencies, foundations and communities to achieve their arts and cultural goals. Looking forward and recognizing the many opportunities and challenges the industry faces AMS is delighted to announce two significant enhancements to its team: Michele Walter, a Director with AMS since 2006, will become Managing Director, effective immediately. John X. Fernandez, a long‐time collaborator, has joined AMS as an Associate Principal.
Visit AMS Planning & Research online. 08/25/2010
09/02/2010 The Chance to Spend Month in a Museum "The hottest home address in Chicago these days might be the Museum of Science and Industry. More than 1,500 people from all 50 states and more distant places including Antarctica and Australia applied to spend a 'Month at the Museum,' an immersion experience that lets the winner roam the museum freely, updating visitors about the experience and sleeping in exhibits like the U-505 submarine or the coal mine...After [semi-finalist] interviews, museum staff will choose three finalists, and the public will be able to vote for their favorite in September. From October 20–November 18, the winner gets unprecedented access to the museum, private quarters on the museum's office level, and $10,000 in exchange for interacting with museum guests and blogging, tweeting, and posting videos to the world about the experience."
Chicago Sun Times 08/25/2010
09/09/2010 Chicago Dance Company Uses Groupon"On August 18, the Groupon online 'deal of the day' offered discounted subscriptions to the upcoming season of the Joffrey Ballet of Chicago. Within 24 hours, 2,338 people had taken the bait, the Joffrey announced the following day in a press release. To offer some perspective, the Joffrey had about 4,900 subscribers on August 17. In other words, the ballet company saw a nearly 50 percent increase in its subscription base in one day. And they said subscriptions were dying. Or dead. Nonsense. The huge success—in arts terms, at least—of the promotion has been taken as evidence of the Chicago-based Groupon's potentially massive impact on culture." The Chicago Tribune 09/03/2010
09/08/2010 Michael Killoren Joins the NEA
"The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) announced today that Michael Killoren will join the NEA as the director of Local Arts Agencies and Challenge America Fast Track. Mr. Killoren will manage NEA's grantmaking for these two programs as well as develop partnerships to advance the local arts agency field as a whole. He will begin his work on October 12, 2010. Mr. Killoren comes to the NEA from Seattle, Washington where he served as director of the Mayor's Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs. Prior to July 2002 when he began his work with the mayor's office, he was the director of cultural tourism for Seattle's Convention and Visitors Bureau; the arts program coordinator and later executive director of the King County Arts Commission; and managing director of the Alice B. Theatre, all three organizations based in Seattle. For three and a half years prior to coming to Seattle, he was part of the programming staff at the Sheldon Arts Foundation in St. Louis, Missouri. "I am delighted to welcome Michael Killoren to the National Endowment for the Arts. His experience developing and managing programs that integrate the arts into community life and his leadership in cultural tourism will be invaluable for the NEA. As we deepen our work supporting the role of the arts in placemaking, Michael's knowledge will be key to our success," said NEA Chairman Rocco Landesman. Mr. Killoren said, "I am honored to join the NEA at this time. Under Chairman Landesman's leadership, the NEA is developing historic new partnerships with other federal agencies to expand the role of arts and culture in community and economic development, education and other areas. Local arts agencies are on the front lines in developing innovative strategies to increase public access to arts and culture, and I look forward to strengthening the relationship between local arts agencies and the NEA in advancing this important work." As the director of the Mayor's Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs, a cabinet-level position, Mr. Killoren had oversight of the office's Public Art program and the Civic Partnership funding areas, which included funding for individual artists; for Youth Arts programs to support after-school arts training; for neighborhood and community arts programs; and to provide support to more than 140 organizations. Mr. Killoren has served as president and vice-president of the U.S. Urban Arts Federation of Americans for the Arts, and as a member of the Downtown Seattle Association Marketing Committee, among other community service positions. He has a B.A. in Media Arts from Webster University in St. Louis and completed graduate studies in telecommunications at Indiana University, Bloomington." Mr. Killoren has has long been associated with Americans for the Arts’s USUAF. National Endowment for the Arts News Room 09/08/2010
09/09/2010 First Lady Hosts White House Dance Event"[The September 7] inaugural performance of the new White House Dance Series transformed the East Room into a stage for some of the world's most talented dancers to strut their stuff: endless pirouettes, gravity-defying leaps, and some crazy one-handed spinning handstands, too. Hosting the event was Michelle Obama, who brought along daughters Sasha and Malia—just home from their first day of school—and mom, Marian Robinson, too. The First Lady clapped along to some of the dances but leaped to a standing ovation when Dayton Tavares, one of Broadway's high-flying Billy Elliots, finished his song, Electricity, with a virtuoso set of turns." USA Today 09/09/2010
09/17/2010 September 25th is National Museum Day!
Museum Day is an annual event hosted by Smithsonian Media in which participating museums across the country open their doors for free to anyone presenting a Museum Day Ticket. The Museum Day Ticket provides free admission to one person, plus a guest.
smithsonianmag.com 09/17/2010
09/21/2010 A Broadway Celebration at the White House "In Performance at the White House" premieres nationally on PBS stations on Wednesday, October 20 at 9 p.m. ET. (Check local listings.) This series featires performances in the East Room of the White House by major Broadway artists and new talent, presenting selections from American musicals that reflect the spirit, energy and ambition of America. President and Mrs. Obama hosted the event on July 19. The special is emceed by Nathan Lane and includes Idina Menzel, Elaine Stritch, Brian d’Arcy James, Audra McDonald, Chad Kimball, Marvin Hamlisch, Karen Olivo, Tonya Pinkins, Assata Alston and a youth ensemble from the Joy of Motion Dance Center and Duke Ellington School of the Arts. Visit pbs.org/whitehouse for more details.The youth ensemble was choreographed by Jerry Mitchell, and gave a special rehearsal for the First Lady earlier in the day. PBS Pressroom 09/20/2010
09/21/2010 Parking Tickets Adorned with Public Art"Parking tickets messing with your inner tranquility? Try yoga! That’s the latest new age answer to modern aggravations from the City of Cambridge, where violation notices are now helpfully illustrated with a series of calming yoga poses...The city printed 40,000 yoga parking tickets as part of a public art project by artist-in-residence Daniel Peltz. There are new street signs explaining traffic rules in offbeat ways; '10,000 Excuses,' a mural of excuses given by ticketed drivers; and plush, stuffed 'soft-boots' to give the ultimate parking penalty a warmer, fuzzier feel. [City Transportation Chief Susan E.] Clippinger reports a mixed reaction from the city’s 33 parking enforcement officers, who write about 340,000 tickets each year." Boston Herald 09/21/2010
09/23/2010 October - Funding for Arts Month"This October, the Foundation Center, the nation's leading authority on philanthropy, will hold its annual Funding for Arts Month with special events, classes, and resources aimed at helping artists and nonprofit arts organizations become better grantseekers and increase their funding. "Now more than ever, the arts community needs to use its creativity to identify potential sources of revenue," said Janet Camarena, director of the Center's San Francisco office. "Our Funding for Arts Month elevates the work the Center does all year long by bringing together a unique collection of resources, training, and networking opportunities--all aimed at helping this group secure much-needed resources and learn from each other." Visitors to the Center's web site will find Focus on Funding for the Arts, a "one-stop shop" of free, easily accessible information including:
AScribe.org 09/23/2010
09/29/2010 Happy 45th Birthday NEA!Forty-five years ago today, President Lyndon Johnson signed the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act, establishing the National Endowment for the Arts. More than four decades later, the Endowment continues to play a key role in enhancing American communities through the arts. "Creativity is the source of successful, thriving American communities," said NEA Chairman Rocco Landesman. "The National Endowment for the Arts is doing its part to enhance the liveability of American communities through the arts." The importance of imagination and creative thinking was evident in the original legislation that created the Endowment. Here, an excerpt from the Declaration of Purpose of the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act: Democracy demands wisdom and vision in its citizens. It must therefore foster and support a form of education, and access to the arts and the humanities, designed to make people of all backgrounds and wherever located masters of their technology and not its unthinking servants. The Arts Endowment is the largest, annual, national grantmaker in the arts, awarding more than $100 million annually, and investing in every state. The Endowment has created model programs of artistic excellence and national reach, such as The Mayor's Institute on City Design 25th Anniversary initiative and The Big Read, which puts reading back at the center of American culture. The NEA is the agency of record on arts research, producing landmark reports that provoke national debate on issues surrounding the arts and arts education. The Endowment collaborates on private and public partnerships that extend the work of the agency, such as a first-ever collaboration with Housing and Urban Development to include the arts in new community development funding opportunities. The NEA convenes thought leaders to put the arts at the center of discussions on education, the economy, technology, and creative placemaking, or how the arts make more liveable, sustainable communities. In observance of its 45th Birthday, the National Endowment for the Arts has compiled statistics about the NEA and the arts and culture it supports. National Endowment for the Arts News Room 09/29/2010
10/04/2010 President Obama Declares NAHMOn October 1, President Barack Obama released a proclamation declaring October 2010 National Arts & Humanities Month (NAHM). NAHM was established in 1993 and is celebrated every October in the United States. It was initiated to encourage Americans to explore new facets of the arts and humanities in their lives, and to begin a lifelong habit of active participation in the arts and humanities. As the nation’s largest collective annual celebration of the arts, we want you to be a part of the festivities. Find out how you can get involved by hosting or attending an event in your community. Send us your stories and images of how you’re celebrating this October. 10/04/2010
10/14/2010 First Lady Brings the Arts to YouthFirst lady Michelle Obama says she's bringing the arts to the White House to "lift young people up." Mrs. Obama started a series of White House events last year highlighting different genres of music — from jazz and country to Latin and classical — and this year she kicked off a dance series with performances by the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. All the events include an instructional component for students led by professional artists. "We want to lift young people up," she told Harper's Bazaar in an interview in the magazine's November issue. "The country needs to be mindful that we have all these diamonds out there, and it would be a shame not to invest in those talents." Mrs. Obama learned to appreciate the arts growing up in Chicago. Her grandfather played jazz music constantly, she said, and her father sculpted, painted and spent time at the Art Institute of Chicago. She even dabbled in acting as a child. "I remember very early on being the good fairy in 'Hansel and Gretel' and having to sing a solo, which was humiliating," Mrs. Obama said. She said there's also a diplomatic power in the arts, which she says is a "universal voice." "When I travel to other countries, usually the first thing that spouses do is introduce you to their cultures through music and dance," Mrs. Obama said. She gave a guitar to musician Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, France's first lady, who later played it when Mrs. Obama visited. Mrs. Obama said that last year Russian first lady Svetlana Medvedeva "took me and my girls to see beautiful Russian folk dancing, and although we didn't speak the same language, we instantly connected." At the White House, events focused on the music of Motown and opera are being planned. Mrs. Obama said she thinks of daughters Malia, 12, and Sasha, 9, with the music series. "I don't want them to develop just one taste" in music, she said. "I want them to feel the power in country (music) as much as they feel it in Justin Bieber." As for the students who accept her invitation, Mrs. Obama said she imagines them not really believing they are at the White House when they come over. "And sometimes I think that. I still think that," she said, speaking of herself. "If you can walk into the White House and come up to the first lady and introduce yourself, if you can perform in front of the president of the United States in the East Room, there is nothing that you can't do," Mrs. Obama said. "End of story." The November issue of Harper's Bazaar is scheduled to hit newsstands on Oct. 26. ArtsDaily.org 10/14/2010
10/14/2010 MA Mayors' Video Art Challenge The arts are a huge part of communities everywhere, bringing culture, vibrancy, and economic well-being to cities around the country. But arts supporters often wonder if their civic leaders are aware of the impact the arts have, lobbying their local councils and state legislatures with stories and statistics on the importance of supporting the arts. The Massachusetts Cultural Council has turned the table on some of these civic leaders, asking mayors across Massachusetts to provide video testimonials on how and why arts and culture make their cities better places to live, work, and visit as part of the Mayors’ Arts Challenge.
You can check out all the video submissions on YouTube and vote on your favorites by “liking” the ones you believe make the best case for the power of the arts in building community. Sign-in to “like” these videos by Oct. 29, 2010. The winning video will be showcased at the Massachusetts State House in February 2011 as part of the Commonwealth Awards, the state’s highest honors in arts and culture. It will also be shown by Americans for the Arts at its annual presentation at the U.S. Conference of Mayors. For more information on the challenge, click here. 10/14/2010
10/19/2010 White House Hosts Live Arts Chat
In celebration of National Arts and Humanities Month, visual artist Chuck Close, ballet dancer Damian Woetzel, and committee co-chairs Margo Lion and George Stevens, Jr. discuss arts and humanities education and the arts.
whitehouse.gov 10/19/2010
10/22/2010 First Lady Honors Youth Arts Programs
"First Lady Michelle Obama, honorary chair of the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities (PCAH), celebrated fifteen exemplary programs from across the country that reach underserved youth by hosting the PCAH’s National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Awards. In her remarks, the First Lady spoke about the importance of after-school and out-of-school arts and humanities education and thanked the teachers, administrators, and artists that keep these programs running each and every day, particularly during tough economic times. She spoke about how experiences in the arts and the humanities foster creative and intellectual development -- and change lives. The 2010 National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award awardees are: After-School Playwriting Program Brooklyn Cultural Adventures Program (BCAP) Center for Community Arts Partnerships Community MusicWorks FACT After–School Programs Girlstories Theatre Project and Workshops New Directions YouthArts Project ALERTA RiverzEdge Arts Project San Francisco WritersCorps Scripps College Academy The After School Program Artists Collective’s Transforming the Lives of High Risk Youth: Training in the Arts & Culture of the African Diaspora Urban Voices YouthCAN Held every October, and coordinated by Americans for the Arts, National Arts and Humanities Month (NAHM) is the largest annual celebration of the arts and humanities in the nation. Congratulations to the 15 youth programs that were recognized. There are hundreds of other Local Art Organizations celebrating the arts in a big way this October. Check out the NAHM map and see how your state is celebrating. Maybe you can even join in on the celebration!
The White House Blog 10/20/2010
10/27/2010 Protest Have People Playing Dead
Earlier this week artists from around Buffalo, New York sent a message to Erie County executives about the effect proposed cultural cuts would have on them: they played dead in front of the county’s administrative offices. Armed with signs saying “Culture Counts in WNY,” the protesters wanted to let county executives to know that these cuts could have devastating effects on artists in the region. Check out the video below or click here for more information.
wkbw.com 10/25/2010
11/01/2010 AMS Planning & Research Announces ChangesSteven Wolff, Principal of AMS Planning & Research Corp., announced today that Karen Nagy, formerly Assistant Vice President for the Arts at Stanford University, and Clint Studinger, a marketing executive at Jazz at Lincoln Center, would be joining the firm. Read the full press release here. (pdf, 306KB)
//
11/04/2010 National Outdoor Arts Festival Survey"In a first-of-its-kind report, Live from Your Neighborhood: A National Study of Outdoor Arts Festivals finds outdoor arts festivals attract a range of audiences, they enhance their communities as creative placemakers, and they are a gateway to arts attendance...The survey analyzes data from 1,413 outdoor festivals in nearly every state and Washington, DC, reflecting a cross-section of outdoor arts festivals in artistic disciplines such as music, visual arts and crafts, dance, folk and traditional arts, theater, literature, and film...Arts festivals are one of the most popular arts activities according to the NEA’s Survey of Public Participation in the Arts, reflecting the growing demand for informal and interactive arts experiences." NEA.gov 10/29/2010
11/03/2010 Gates Donates $50 Million to Smithsonian"The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is giving $50 million to the Smithsonian Institution, the national museum announced [November 3]. The money will go principally to the Youth Access Endowment, a new entity created by the Smithsonian. Gates is giving $30 million of the gift to 'reach underserved students' in the United States. The endowment targets students in grades K–12, and will create a series of interactive websites and online conferences...A $10 million portion will support the [institution's] strategic plan through research and public programs. The final $10 million will go to the National Museum of African American History and Culture for its design and construction phase." The Washington Post ArtsPost blog 11/03/2010
11/04/2010 Austin Arts Raise the Technology Bar Code"Attendees of the Austin Lyric Opera's upcoming performance of La Traviata will notice something new in the show program—small graphical squares scattered throughout the pages. After downloading an app, patrons who target the icons with their smart phones can be directed to a variety of content without having to type in a URL...The postage-stamp-size icons, called QR (quick response) codes, are more sophisticated cousins of traditional bar codes. And in the age of smart phones, they're an increasingly popular way to interact with an audience, because they can instantly send people to websites, photos, or videos." The Statesman 10/31/2010
11/11/2010 Colleges Aim to Revive the HumanitiesCornell President David Skorton wrote the following about his campaign for humanities education in a column published November 10: "The most wretched nonmonetary consequence of our nation's economic distress over the past two years, in my view, is an acceleration of our country's loss of values. No, I am not referring to coded political messages about 'family values.' I mean values as related to language, literature, culture, and ethics, to the very breadth of knowledge that helps us understand ourselves and what it means to be human—in good times and bad. Yes, I am talking about the humanities." The Huffington Post 11/07/2010
11/11/2010 Joint Effort Supports African-American Art"The Heinz Endowments and The Pittsburgh Foundation have jointly launched a $650,000 initiative to ensure continuing support for local organizations and individuals whose work focuses primarily on the art of African-Americans. 'Advancing Black Art in Pittsburgh' [will be] established with an initial $325,000 from each foundation. Applications made by organizations to The Pittsburgh Foundation, which will process funding requests, will be reviewed by a panel that will include artists, curators, community representatives, and staff from both foundations. Grants will be awarded biannually beginning in the spring of 2011." Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 11/10/2010
11/11/2010 Temporary Art Installations in Storefronts
Through Portland Storefronts, RACC engages local artists to activate vacant storefronts with temporary art installations. On display for the next three months are four installations in storefront windows at 731 SW Morrison – the building formerly occupied by Carl Greve Jewelry. Portland artists Damien Gilley, Sean Healy, Bill Will and the team of Crystal Schenk and Shelby Davis created site-specific works responding to the physical features of the building and the surrounding retail area and activities. Visible around the clock, the installations coincide with the opening of five “pop-up shops” that are showcasing local independent design talent this holiday season. About the artists: Bill Will is a sculptor and installation artist who has exhibited extensively for more than 25 years. He is a professor at Oregon College of Art and Craft and a member of Nine Gallery, located inside Blue Sky Gallery at NW 8th and Davis. In 2005, The Art Gym at Marylhurst University featured a mid-career retrospective of his work and in 2006 he was awarded the 15th annual Bonnie Bronson Fellowship. In addition to sculpture and installation art, Bill has also completed more than 30 public art commissions, including several in Portland and at stations along the Westside Light Rail line. Damien Gilley, www.damiengilley.com Damien Gilley is a Portland based artist working in installation, drawing and sculpture. He has shown work nationally and internationally and has been awarded multiple grants from the Regional Arts & Culture Council as well as an Individual Artist Fellowship in 2010 from the Oregon Arts Commission. Sean Healy, www.elizabethleach.com Sean Healy is a multi-media artist based in Portland. He was included in the 1999 Portland Art Museum Biennial and has received several important public commissions as well, including: Pioneer Place, Portland, Oregon, the Nines Hotel in Portland, the General Services Administration Headquarters, Eugene, Oregon; and the FBI Headquarters, Houston, TX. The Elizabeth Leach Gallery has represented Healy since 1999. Crystal Schenk & Shelby Davis, www.crystalschenk.com and www.shelbydavis.com Crystal Schenk and Shelby Davis create works both individually and as collaborators. Their other collaborative work was a lifesize semi-truck installed for the recent Oregon Biennial, Portland 2010. Schenk is 2007 Master of Fine Arts graduate from Portland State University and won the International Sculpture Center’s Outstanding Student Achievement in Contemporary Sculpture Award in 2006. She teaches at Pacific Northwest College of Art, Portland State University, and Portland Community College. Davis is a multimedia artist who focuses on sculpture, often incorporating found materials. He teaches at the Art Institute of Portland. He has had solo shows in the Carolinas and in a variety of Portland venues, and with his collaborative arts group, PAINTALLICA!, his work has been shown at Portland’s Time-Based Arts festival, as well as in Los Angeles and Tennessee.
11/10/2010
11/17/2010 "The Arts Matter" Campaign of FL“The Arts Matter” is more than a slogan – the arts are an integral part of our everyday lives. United Arts of Central Florida recently launched www.TheArtsMatter.com, created as an outlet for arts enthusiasts, donors, arts lovers, and artists to share their personal experiences, memories, and emotions connected to the arts. When you share your thoughts and stories, you’ll receive an exclusive The Arts Matter car magnet, and have the opportunity to sign up for United Arts’ email advocacy alerts to keep you connected with ways to actively support arts education and arts funding in Florida. Through this initiative, United Arts hopes to encourage community involvement and awareness, and to advocate support of quality cultural experiences for every taste and pocketbook. Stay tuned for continued additions to The Arts Matter campaign, including a YouTube channel with weekly featured videos. For our children – for our economy – for our community: keep the creative spirit alive in Central Florida. Log onto www.TheArtsMatter.com today and share why The Arts Matter to you. United Arts of Central Florida is a dynamic collaboration of 140 businesses, 8 governments and school districts, 26 foundations, more than 50 arts and cultural organizations, and 3,165 artists and individuals. This partnership works to enhance the quality and variety of cultural experiences available throughout Lake, Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties. Since its inception in 1989, United Arts has invested more than $112 million in local cultural organizations and cultural education. For more information please visit www.UnitedArts.cc.
United Arts of Central Florida press release 11/17/2010
11/18/2010 Science and Humanities Blend Well TogetherHarrisburg University of Science and Technology President Mel Schiavelli authored the following in an editorial discussing the common ground between science and the arts: "But STEM isn’t mutually exclusive. It’s incumbent on educators to encourage and sustain a creative curriculum, too, that blends in the arts and humanities. Too many institutions focus entirely on one at the expense of the other. This is a disservice to not only students but also the nation’s long-term future. To maximize the potential of the new workforce, educators need to balance science and technology-focused education with the best of the liberal arts, general education, communication, teamwork, and practical application to fully meet the needs of the 21st century business world." The Patriot-News 11/16/2010
11/22/2010 Memphis Welcomes TN Arts CommissionThe Tennessee Arts Commission will hold its next quarterly meeting in Memphis at the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, located at 1934 Poplar Avenue. The meeting will be Thursday, December 2, 2010 at 11 a.m. (CST). The Brooks Museum is recognized as one of the largest and most innovative museums in the American South, and known nationally for its educational programs, community outreach, and world-class art collection. Quarterly Commission meetings are open to the public and as part of the meeting agenda, a public hearing is scheduled where Memphis and regional arts organizations are invited to address the board. ArtsMemphis is assisting the Commission with local arrangements. Susan Schadt, president and CEO of ArtsMemphis, is pleased the Commission is coming to Memphis. “ArtsMemphis is so happy to welcome the Tennessee Arts Commission to Memphis for their December meeting,” said Schadt. “We are excited that they will get to experience the unique vibe of Memphis and our vibrant, diverse artistic community. We look forward to making their visit a memorable and enjoyable one.” Rich Boyd, executive director of the Tennessee Arts Commission, says the Commission is pleased about returning to Memphis. “Memphis is a city with a rich cultural heritage, and in recent years the arts have become central to the quality of life in the city,” said Boyd. “Our three Commission members from Memphis have helped plan an exciting agenda.” Commission members from Memphis include Gale Jones Carson, Lucia Gilliland, and Carol W. Prentiss. According to Ellen M. Hays, chair of the Commission, the meeting agenda will include reports on the Fiscal Year 2012 State Budget, the Arts Access Program, and the Interboard Committee on the 2011 Governor’s Arts Awards. An update will be provided on activities of Tennesseans for the Arts, and a report on the 107th General Assembly to convene in January 2011. Other Commission business will include reports on Inaugural activities of Governor-Elect Bill Haslam, and Policy 22 Sub-Recipient grant monitoring. Commission members will have an opportunity to visit arts organizations near the meeting site. According to Schadt, these include the new Playhouse on the Square, Memphis College of Art in Overton Park, New Ballet Ensemble and School, Center for Southern Folklore, the Orpheum Theatre, Stax Museum of American Soul Music/Stax Music Academy, and the National Ornamental Metal Museum. “The Memphis arts are always at your fingertips with our comprehensive cultural calendar at artsmemphis.org, or our Arts App, downloadable for free on iTunes,” says Schadt. Tennessee Arts Commission 11/22/2010
11/22/2010 "Creative Placemaking" Resource AvailableThe Mayors’ Institute on City Design releases “Creative Placemaking” National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Chairman Rocco Landesman, U.S. Conference of Mayors Executive Director and CEO Tom Cochran, and American Architectural Foundation President and CEO Ron Bogle are pleased to announce the Mayors‟ Institute on City Design‟s (MICD) most recent publication, Creative Placemaking by Dr. Ann Markusen, principal of Markusen Economic Research Services, and Anne Gadwa, principal with Metris Arts Consulting. Creative Placemaking is a resource for mayors, arts organizations, the philanthropic sector, and others interested in understanding strategies for leveraging the arts to help shape and revitalize the physical, social, and economic character of neighborhoods, cities, and towns. In the words of the report, “Creative placemaking animates public and private spaces, rejuvenates structures and streetscapes, improves local business viability and public safety, and brings diverse people together to celebrate, inspire, and be inspired.” NEA Chairman Rocco Landesman said, “Dr. Markusen‟s report lays out the elements, benefits, challenges, and how-tos of using the arts in smart and sustainable community design. Art works across America to help shape communities where residents want to live, work, and play.” Burnsville (MN) Mayor and U.S. Conference of Mayors President Elizabeth Kautz said, “As a mayor who has supported efforts to stimulate my city‟s economy through creative placemaking techniques, I believe this report will be valuable to mayors who want to learn about best practices that have worked in other cities that promote the arts and economic development." Since 1986, the Mayors‟ Institute on City Design has helped transform communities through design by preparing mayors to be the chief urban designers of their cities. MICD organizes sessions where mayors engage leading design experts to find solutions to the most critical urban design challenges facing their cities. Sessions are organized around case-study problems. Each mayor presents a problem from his or her city for the other mayors and designers to discuss. Creative placemaking is one of the tools that mayors can use to tackle their design challenges, whether it is building artist live/work spaces in abandoned warehouses, designing youth employment programs around mentoring relationships with artists, or curating a performing arts series in urban public places. “Urban design is one of the tools mayors have used to create the environment for creative businesses to grow. The National Endowment for the Arts support of the Mayors Institute of City Design program for the past 25 years has been critical in allowing mayors to create opportunities for arts and cultural enterprises to flourish,” said Charleston (SC) Mayor Joe Riley, who founded the Mayors' Institute on City Design. Ron Bogle with the American Architectural Foundation notes, “AAF advocates for the power of the arts and design to transform communities. Dr. Markusen's report gives significant validity to this claim and inspires mayors and other civic leaders to incorporate design as a key driver for community development and an integral component in their leadership portfolios." “Mayors „get it‟ when it comes to creative placemaking. As shown in this report, there are a number of examples where mayors have led the way in using the arts to rejuvenate neighborhoods and spark business development, “ said Tom Cochran, U.S. Conference of Mayors CEO and Executive Director. Creative Placemaking features sections on the
The report concludes with fourteen case studies from different communities across the country. Those case studies are:
This report is available on the NEA‟s website along with other arts and community design resources including:
The Mayors' Institute on City Design 11/17/2010
12/09/2010 Boosters Keep Band Marching"Ferndale High School's recent victory at the marching band state finals is evidence of the district's commitment to music education...What spectators at the event may not have known is that they were not only watching the kids perform an award-winning set, but they also were watching Ferndale Arts Boosters (FAB) dollars at work. Items from sharp uniforms to shiny instruments to the refurbished semitrailer bearing the Golden Eagles emblem were all paid for, in part or in full, by the all-volunteer FAB...The FAB began as an unofficial band and orchestra booster club, registering as a tax-exempt nonprofit organization in 2003. The founding board hit the ground running, launching a nearly $200,000 capital campaign that year." Ferndale Patch 12/07/2010
12/09/2010 Law Brings Music Back to Schools"The hallways at Austin Middle School were quieter just a year ago. The school's fine arts program was understaffed, and few instruments were available...But today, music can be heard in hallways, and gradually, throughout the district. Irving officials are trying to reverse a history of little resources. It has spent about $450,000 in bond funds for 505 new instruments and equipment for its schools...A new law that went into effect this school year requires middle school students to take at least one fine arts course. Irving's targeted areas for improvement are band, choir, and orchestra programs. Districtwide, band participation grew 16 percent to 2,312 students; choir by 18 percent to 1,331 students; and orchestra by 23 percent to 1,050 students, according to school district records." The Dallas Morning News 12/06/2010
12/16/2010 Exploring Scent as an Art Form"The Center of Olfactory Art dedicated to scent as an art form was launched at the Museum of Arts and Design on [December 9]...More a curatorial department within the museum than a separate entity, the museum created the new center because 'scent is a really interesting part of the world of design,' museum director Holly Hotchner told The Associated Press. It fits the institution's DNA as a 'sensuous, sensory-orientated museum' where patrons can touch and feel many of the objects. And of course, smell is as much a part of the senses,' she added. The center will present its first exhibition, The Art of Scent, 1889-2011 next November."
artdaily.org 12/10/2010
12/15/2010 UN Creative Economy Report
The emerging creative economy has become a leading component of economic growth, employment, trade and innovation, and social cohesion in most advanced economies. Unfortunately, however, the large majority of developing countries are not yet able to harness their creative capacity for development. This is a reflection of weaknesses both in domestic policy and in the business environment, and global systemic biases. Nevertheless, the creative economy offers to developing countries a feasible option and new opportunities to leapfrog into emerging high-growth areas of the world economy. This report presents an updated perspective of the United Nations as a whole on this exciting new topic. It provides empirical evidence that the creative industries are among the most dynamic emerging sectors in world trade. It also shows that the interface among creativity, culture, economics and technology, as expressed in the ability to create and circulate intellectual capital, has the potential to generate income, jobs and export earnings while at the same time contributing to social inclusion, cultural diversity and human development. This report addresses the challenge of assessing the creative economy with a view to informed policy-making by outlining the conceptual, institutional and policy frameworks in which this economy can flourish. unctad.org 12/15/2010
| |
|||||||
"Installation of the third annual Triumph Winterfest illuminated ice sculpture exhibit begins this week in Vail, Colorado.
"I wanted to use art, these life-size sculptures, to celebrate positive emotions that people tend to have when they’re at certain physical spaces," said Blettner, chief executive officer of the Blettner Group, which designs and builds business parks in the Upper Midwest.
In an email I received while I was, er, on my way to dinner, Bullard raised the stakes: "I am amused that Renoir is too sweet for Indianapolis. Does this mean that those Indiana corn farmers have simpler tastes? If so why would Max offer us that gaudy Chalice -- just looks like another over-elaborate Victorian tchotchke. Let's get serious. Each museum needs to offer an art work that they would really miss for three months. What would you like Max? A Monet, a Cassatt, a Picasso, a Miro? Sorry but we have no farm scenes or portraits of football players to send you."
"A new temporary public art installation, “4D Sidewalk,” has launched at the bside6 building, 524 E. Burnside. This publicly funded project is a collaboration between Cityscope, an urban workshop, and artist David Neveel, with support from bside6, LLC and in situ PORTLAND a program of the Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC).
AMS Planning & Research reports the sudden passing of friend and colleague Arthur Greenberg, Director of AMS' St. Louis, Missouri office. He died of natural causes on April 1, 2010. Writes AMS: "We will miss Arthur greatly. At AMS, where we just celebrated his twentieth anniversary, Arthur brought energy, creativity, and passion to his work with artists and cultural organizations throughout the US. Communities from Lee's Summit to Squaw Valley; Louisville to Anchorage; and Houston to Des Moines are among the many cities and towns that are better places as a result of his commitment to innovative community and neighborhood-based arts and cultural planning."
A Los Angeles, California, Art Dealer, Tatiana Khan pleads guilty for trying to sell a replica of Picasso's "The Woman in the Blue Hat" for $2 million after having it restored for $1,000.
"The word organic means different things to different people. To the gardener it means compost heaps. To the chemist it means carbon compounds. To the artist Fabian Peña, it means American cockroaches, those chunky nocturnal charmers often seen skittering around drainpipes or on the street. “I have collected cockroaches from many different places,” Mr. Peña said. “From Cuba, Mexico, Miami, Houston, everywhere I travel."
Traffic is one of the last things many of us like to be stuck in. With the outlaw of cell phone usage and text messaging while driving in many major American cities, there isn't much to distract us from the gridlock that causes our ETA to prolong. However, LAXART's vision may calm the road rage with its first public art project, Superclogger.
The Regional Arts & Culture Council today unveiled several new temporary art installations as part of Portland Storefronts – a pilot program in collaboration with Travel Portland’s Downtown Marketing Initiative, The Portland Business Alliance, downtown’s Clean & Safe District and the Portland Development Commission.
A new development paradigm is emerging that links the economy and culture, embracing economic, cultural, technological and social aspects of development at both the macro and micro levels. Central to the new paradigm is the fact that creativity, knowledge and access to information are increasingly recognized as powerful engines driving economic growth and promoting development in a globalizing world.