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Welcome to ArtMail for March 11, 2009! Our Listening tour concludes this Friday with a recently added stop in White River Junction. We’ve heard from dozens of people who attended the first five community meetings, plus another 78 who sent comments via the online form. We appreciate the thoughtful and heartfelt input from so many artists, arts organizations, community groups and friends of the arts!
The Council staff and board have been listening closely to what you’ve had to say. As we reflect on what we’ve learned, we’ll be sure to let you know the priorities that emerge, our plan of action, and timeline. Even though the ‘tour’ is over, the Council encourages your input at any time.
Arts Achievement Day is an opportunity to share your ideas and experiences with legislators and peers. Please join us at the State House on Wednesday, March 25 for an action-packed day showcasing the achievements of Vermont’s arts community. Bring a friend and come celebrate with arts advocates from across the state!
Quotable: "A great artist is always before his time or behind it." (George Edward Moore, English philosopher, b. 1873)
STIMULUS ROUND 2 - The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) is now law, and not surprisingly, the Arts Sector is "first out of the gate." Because of conservative reactions to having the Arts included at all in the Stimulus Bill, the National Endowment for the Arts is not only acting incredibly efficiently, but they have developed clear and consistent language for us to use in describing how we all are to use whatever we receive from their (63/10,000ths of 1%) share of the total $789 billion stimulus package.
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LISTENING TOUR: LAST STOP, WHITE RIVER JUNCTION - The Arts Council is soliciting Vermonters' ideas for ways to sustain and grow the arts during these challenging political and economic times. We have added ONE MORE OPPORTUNITY for you to join us on Friday, March 13th from 4 to 6pm at the Center for Cartoon Studies in White River Junction. We are looking for your input on these questions:
- Given the current funding climate, how can the Vermont Arts Council continue to “inspire a creative state?”
- With the potential of a dramatic reduction in our resources, what should the Council’s priorities be?
Click here to find out more about the listening tour, or to leave us feedback about these questions.
ARTS ACHIEVEMENT DAY 2009: THE ARTS ARE PART OF THE SOLUTION - Make plans to join us on March 25th for Arts Achievement Day at the State House. The day-long event is your chance to meet with legislators and other arts advocates as we celebrate our accomplishments and lobby for continued state funding for the arts. Add to your Outlook Calendar today!
AMERICAN RECOVERY AND REINVESTMENT ACT: ARTS OPPORTUNITIES IN THE ECONOMIC STIMULUS PACKAGE - The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, signed into law by President Obama on February 17, 2009, includes a number of expanded funding opportunities, outlined below, that could be available to assist artists and arts organizations. By late March, most federal agencies should have completed the development of their procedures for allocating the economic stimulus funding. Many of the decisions regarding distribution of the funds will be made at the state and local government levels. Read more.
FREE SPEECH SUPPORTERS AND PEOPLE CONCERNED ABOUT ACCESS TO LOCAL MEDIA AND COMMUNICATIONS - The Future of Local Communications is having a public meeting on Thursday March 12th at 6 p.m. (until 8:30 p.m.) at the Channel 17 Studios (294 North Winooski Avenue in Burlington). Register Here or call in to the LIVE public meeting on Channel 17 6.30 p.m. (Call in at 802.862.3966). This meeting will address the following questions:
Does the decline of local media outlets concern you? Are you frustrated by your monthly telephone and cable bills? Does it worry you that only two companies provide cell phone service in the whole United States? Do your children have access to meaningful tv and internet programs? How can local and community media better serve activists, nonprofits, educators and local government? What are your views on local and public ownership of our local communications system and media network? What else would you like policy makers and decision makers to know?
Help keep the flow of information free, local and open to the public. Register here to attend the Future of Local Communications Public Meeting on Thursday March 12th, starting at 6 p.m.
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GRANT-SEEKER WORKSHOPS FOR ARTISTS, ORGANIZATIONS & EDUCATORS - Grant-seeker workshops are free, and will include information about our online granting system, as well as tips on how to best prepare your application. Each workshop will include two sessions: one for individual artists from 1:30 to 3:00pm, and one for organizations and schools from 3:30 to 5:00pm. Dates for these workshops are as follows:
- Tuesday, March 31 at River Arts: 74 Pleasant Street, Morrisville
- Thursday, April 2 at Paramount Theatre: 30 Center Street, Rutland
- Wednesday, April 8 at Brooks Memorial Library: 224 Main Street, Brattleboro
FY10 SPRING GRANT DEADLINES ANNOUNCED:
- FY10 Creation Grants (Artists)
Application Deadline: May 1, 2009
Notification Date: August 1, 2009
- FY10 Arts Learning Grants (Schools/Orgs)
Application Deadline: May 1, 2009
Notification Date: August 1, 2009
- FY 10 Community Arts Grants (Orgs)
Application Deadline: June 1, 2009
Notification Date: August 1, 2009
- FY10 Cultural Facilities Grants
Application Deadline: October 1, 2009
Notification Date: December 16, 2009
Reminder: All grants MUST be completed online.
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POETRY OUT LOUD 2009 - Audrey Kiely is the 2009 Champion for the Vermont State Poetry Out Loud finals competition held on Saturday, March 7, 2009. As the winner of the competition, Kiely will advance to the National Finals in Washington, DC, on April 28, where $50,000 dollars in scholarships and school prizes will be awarded. She will receive $200 in addition to the all expenses paid trip to Washington. Her school will receive a $500 stipend for the purchase of poetry books. Congratulations, Audrey!
TEACHING AMBASSADOR FELLOWSHIP - The U.S. Department of Education is accepting applications for the 2009-2010 Teaching Ambassador Fellowship program, which offers highly motivated, innovative public school teachers the opportunity to contribute their knowledge and experience to the national dialogue on public education. Washington Fellows become full-time federal employees at the U.S. Department of Education in Washington, D.C., participating in policy discussions and working alongside staff on education programs and strategies aimed at educational improvement. Classroom Fellows remain in their local schools under their regular teaching contracts and provide their experience and perspectives to the Department through various assignments and part-time projects. Maximum award: fellowship compensated at the federal GS-12 level. Eligibility: state certified pre-K-12 public school teachers of all subjects who have spent at least three years in the classroom. Deadline: March 16, 2009.
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CLASSES:
CONFERENCES:
VIEW MARCH CONFERENCES/WORKSHOPS/LECTURES IN THE VT ARTS CALENDAR: Clicking the links below will direct your browser to display listings as they appear in the Vermont Travel Planner (which is connected directly to the Vermont Arts Calendar):
Conferences & Workshops
Lectures & Readings
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If you would like a shot at being featured in the column of events listings on our web site and in ArtMail, you must start by listing your event in The Vermont Arts Calendar. Both areas are reserved for events that are listed in the Calendar, and you'll have a better chance of getting featured if you have a photo of your event on your web site
AFTER YOU HAVE ENTERED YOUR EVENT in the Calendar, if you would like us to consider it for inclusion in the right hand column, feel free to email us to ask us to consider it; you may also attach a photo for publication.
Events listed in the Arts Calendar also post in the following locations:
- the Events calendar at vermontvacation.com,
- electronic kiosks in the State's Welcome Centers
- system administrators also email event listings to over 40 media outlets in Vermont
- selected "featured events" will also post in a sidebar on the Council's web site
We encourage all artists and presenters to use this free tool to help you spread the word about your arts events.
OK, I HAVE AN EVENT TO PUBLICIZE. HOW DO I GET STARTED? Click here and we'll walk you through it.
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Jobs | Calls to Artists | Funding Opportunities
JOBS:
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR - The Willowell Foundation, based in Addison County, is a 501(c)3 organization whose mission it is to cultivate and promote connections between the arts, education and the environment, and model a sustainable future through the synergy of human and natural communities. Our nationally recognized educational and community activities bring people together to foster a deeper understanding of self, community, and the greater ecological whole. We are looking for a skilled leader who is passionate about the natural world, education and the arts, and who sees how their integration is central to a sustainable and vibrant future for our communities and the planet. Qualified candidates will have organizational leadership experience, including a great track record of fundraising, and will be able to take our organization to the next level. For a full job description and application information click here. Search will remain open until filled, though submissions are requested by March 1st . Position will begin in April. Click here to learn more about the Willowell Foundation and our programs. The Willowell Foundation is an equal opportunity employer.
ARTS JOB LISTINGS - For a list of current job openings in the arts, visit the Jobs page of the Cultural Commons. For arts management positions, see Americans for the Arts' job bank. Other links to arts jobs listings include www.backstagejobs.com, www.playbill.com/jobs/find, New England Theater 411's Call for Production Team, and TCG's ArtSEARCH.
CALLS TO ARTISTS:
OPEN STUDIO WEEKEND - Seeking fine art and craft artisans for a group show during Open Studio weekend in Vermont, Friday and Saturday, May 23rd-24th. River Arts in Morrisville will provide a wonderful space for a group show and publicity for the artists. Don’t have a studio? Not comfortable with the public in you home? Not available the whole weekend? Come join us for this first annual event at River Arts - the River Arts Center is a registered group site, and on the widely distributed Open Studio Map. To cover cost there will be a $50 entry fee. We have a limited number of spaces available. Participants will be required to be on site for some duration during the weekend. Please contact River Arts by March 31, register here or call 888-1261 with questions.
HELP THE BLACK RIVER ACTION TEAM "MAKE CONNECTIONS" - Do you live, work or play, paddle, fish, or hike in Windsor County? How do you connect to the Black River? Show it by decorating a 15” x 15” puzzle piece with your personal river theme! The Black River Action Team is helping people make connections with the Black River as part of Art Fits Vermont, a statewide community arts project presented by the Vermont Arts Council. The BRAT will provide a wooden puzzle piece to anyone interested in sharing their connection to the river. Any medium is allowed, and no artistic talent is required to participate. By the end of September, puzzlers will return their completed pieces to BRAT Director Kelly Stettner either by arrangement, through the mail, or at one of the various events held by or attended by the BRAT. Pieces will then go “on tour” as a display, being hosted by various businesses, libraries, and other venues in the area. Pick up a puzzle piece or find out more about the BRAT and the Art Fits Vermont project by visiting the BRAT booth at the Herrick’s Cove Wildlife Festival on May 3rd, the Windsor County Ag Fair on July 11th & 12th, the Ludlow Zucchini Festival on July 18th & 19th, or at the 10th Annual RiverSweep cleanup event on August 29th. For more information on these events, please contact Kelly Stettner at (802) 885-1533 or by email.
NYFA CLASSIFIEDS – The New York Foundation for the Arts web site lists opportunities and services for artists in its classified section, one of the best free national online sources for artist opportunities and services. These include calls for entry, services such as photography of art work and accounting, space for rent, and many others.
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES:
RECOVERY & REINVESTMENT ACT FUNDING THROUGH THE NEA - The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 recognizes that the nonprofit arts industry is an important sector of the economy. In accordance with this Act, the National Endowment for the Arts has received funds to help preserve jobs in the nonprofit arts sector that are threatened by declines in philanthropic and other support during the current economic downturn.This program will be carried out through one-time grants to eligible nonprofit organizations including arts organizations, local arts agencies, statewide assemblies of local arts agencies, arts service organizations, units of state or local government, and a wide range of other organizations that can help advance the goals of the Arts Endowment and this program. Grants will be made to organizations for their own job preservation projects and to designated local arts agencies, eligible to subgrant, for subgranting programs to eligible nonprofit organizations. All applicants must be previous NEA award recipients from the past four years (see "Applicant Eligibility" for more information). Deadline: April 2, 2009. Click here for the guidelines.
ACCESS TO ARTISTIC EXCELLENCE - To encourage and support artistic excellence, preserve our cultural heritage, and provide access to the arts for all Americans. This category supports projects that provide short-term arts exposure or arts appreciation for children and youth as well as intergenerational education projects. NOTE: If you have questions about whether you should apply under Learning in the Arts or Access to Artistic Excellence, read "Choosing the Right Category for Children and Youth Projects." Notice: Application deadline has been extended to March 19, 2009.
FUNDING FOR VERMONT TEACHERS - Each year the Society of Vermont Artists and Craftsmen, Inc. which operates the Fletcher Farm School for the Arts and Crafts in Ludlow, VT awards 2 scholarships annually to Vermont Teachers, from the Anna E.H. Meyer Scholarship fund. The Society has owned and operated the Fletcher Farm School for the Arts and Crafts since 1947. To qualify, applicants must be a legal Vermont resident actively engaged in teaching arts or crafts (or a student enrolled in an accred¬ited program with the intention of teaching in the field of arts crafts or industrial arts). The scholarship award will be for full tuition and the registration fee for a class of your choice (up to 5 days) at Fletcher Farm School, materials fees will be paid by the recipient directly to the instructor in class.To apply for a scholarship, send us a letter with the following information by March and include:
- Your name, address, phone number and e-mail address
- Legal residency documentation which is easily obtainable from your town clerk’s office
- The course you have selected for the scholarship from the 2008 Summer Catalog or website
- Indicate the school where you are actively engaged in teaching (or are a student enrolled in an accredited program with the intention of teaching in the field of arts and crafts).
The deadline for scholarship application is March 31st. Recipients will be notified by April 3, 2009. Click here for more information.
VSA ARTS & VOLKSWAGEN - VSA Arts, an international nonprofit organization working to help create a society where people with disabilities learn through, participate in, and enjoy the arts, and Volkswagen Group of America are now accepting entries for Accelerate, a juried exhibition of young emerging artists with disabilities. The program is open to artists between the ages of 16 and 25 who are living in the United States and who have a physical, cognitive, mental, or sensory disability. Submissions must be original work completed within the last three years and after the onset of disability. Eligible media include, but are not limited to, paintings and drawings (oil, watercolor, acrylic, pencil, or charcoal), fine art prints, photography, computer-generated prints, digital art, and time-based media (video, film). Work must have a visual component. Both representational and abstract work are welcomed. The competition will present one grand prize of $20,000, a first award of $10,000, a second award of $6,000, and twelve awards of excellence of $2,000 each. Deadline: June 19, 2009. Complete entry guidelines are available at the VSA arts web site.
FOUNDATION CENTER RFPS - Philanthropy News Digest, a service of the Foundation Center, hosts a web site listing funding opportunities, requests for proposals, and other listings of interest to artists and arts organizations.
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VERMONT ART ZINE - Vermont Art Zine is an online publication devoted to reviews, essays, and interviews concerning the visual arts in Vermont. The web zine, now in its was created by artist and freelance arts writer Marc Awodey and Janet Van Fleet, co-founder of Studio Place Arts (SPA) in Barre and a familiar regional artist. The entire enterprise is being done on a volunteer basis. Editors say their motto is "No money, but no deadlines either". Visit Vermont Art Zine today!
DIRECTORY OF NONPROFIT CONSULTANTS NOW AVAILABLE - The Vermont Community Foundation has an exciting announcement, which reflects the Foundation's commitment to building the capacity of nonprofits in Vermont: The Vermont Directory of Nonprofit Consultants is live! This free online directory offers guidelines on hiring a consultant and a searchable database of consultants. It was created in response to ongoing requests for this type of resource. Visit www.vtnonprofitconsultants.org to begin your search today.
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NEW: TECH TIPS!
TIPS FOR ENTERING YOUR NONPROFIT INTO THE SOCIAL MEDIA ENVIRONMENT - "Social media" doesn't have to be scary. Do you Tweet? What's your Facebook page got? Ever think of how to promote your nonprofit on YouTube? Follow any bloggers? What's an "influencer," and should you be, well, influenced? More important, are your target audiences socializing in cyberspace, not just for fun but for the purpose of deciding how and where to invest their time or financial resources? Read more
WEBWATCH: MUSEUM OF GLASS - The Museum of Glass web site features streaming video of its Hot Shop glassmakings workshop, a link to the museum's YouTube video library, the GlassCast podcast series, and the MOG, visiting artists, and docent blogs. The site also offers several features aimed at children, including images of child-designed glass artworks, an animated short on the history of glassmaking, and tools that enable visitors to virtually design and blow glass. Visitors to the site can purchase glass items at the museum's online store. Visit the Museum of Glass today!
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ARTMAIL SUBMISSIONS: If your event involves the performing or visual arts you must first enter it in the Vermont Arts Calendar in order to be considered for inclusion in ArtMail. Please take a close look at our submission guidelines, as they have been recently updated.
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We put a lot of work into ArtMail and we value your feedback, so feel free to email us with your comments or questions.
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THE FINE PRINT: If you have something for us to consider publishing in ArtMail, please read our submission guidelines. The Vermont Arts Council makes every reasonable effort to ensure that the information provided herein is accurate. We cannot assume responsibility for any consequences (good or bad, although we love to hear about the good) experienced by readers as a result of the information they obtain from this newsletter. Readers are advised to confirm time sensitive information such as performance dates, deadlines, and requirements with the sponsoring organization.
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