Governor's Arts Awards April 12 at Herberger Theatre  

The Governor's Arts Awards will celebrate its milestone 30^th annual celebration on April 12, 2011 at the newly renovated Herberger Theater Center.   Mark it down and circle the date.

In addition to recognizing the substantial and outstanding contributions to arts and culture in Arizona in six categories, the event also will pay tribute to all of the living artists, individuals, arts and cultural organizations, arts educators and businesses that have received awards over the past three decades.  Since 1981, 138 awards have been presented.

Longtime Valley arts advocate and supporter Oonagh Boppart has agreed to serve as event chair.

Nominations are open, and a new category has been added this year to recognize an individual in Arts in Education.  Other categories are Artist, Individual, Community, Arts in Education Organization and Business.  The sixth annual Shelley Award also will be handed out that night.

Nominations must be completed online by 5 p.m., Dec. 3.   For information and nomination forms, visit www.governorsartsawards.org.

A special performance of Hairspray and a preshow  reception to benefit Arizona Citizens for the Arts is planned Tuesday, Dec. 7 at 5:30 p.m. at Phoenix Theatre, 100 E. McDowell Road.

Tickets are $30 per person and include a pre-show reception and sweet treats during intermission. Tickets can be purchased online by clicking HERE. 

Ticket sales for this day only will benefit Arizona Citizens for the Arts with gratitude to our friends at Phoenix Theatre.

The upcoming Arizona Legislative session promises to be challenging as we continue to advocate on behalf of the Arizona Commission on the Arts and arts and cultural organizations across the state.

We're looking for volunteers willing to serve as Legislative Liaisons beginning with important responsibilities at Arts Congress at the State Capitol on Monday, Feb. 7.   But the job won't end there since we will be reaching out to legislators throughout the session with important information and messages about economic value, cultural importance and quality of life contributions of Arizona's arts and culture organizations.

You don't need to have a relationship with a Legislator to be a liaison, although that is certainly helpful.  If you're willing to step up and jump into the effort and build a relationship, that's equally important.  We will provide advocacy training and support.

Arizona Arts Congress:    

The Arizona Arts Congress is one of the few times during the year that arts advocates, professionals, educators and supporters from all over the state the bring their collective voice to the Arizona Legislature for personal meetings with elected officials.

The 2011 event scheduled Monday, Feb. 7, includes face-to-face meetings with elected officials in both the House and Senate. The event will also include advocacy training sessions. In the past, as many as 400 arts supporters have gathered for this vital event.

Registration begins at 7:30a.m. and the event runs from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.  Register today for just $15, box lunch included.  Click HERE to register online.

Arizona Citizens for the Arts will work with Legislative Liaisons to make appointments with Legislators and coordinate teams of constituents who will meet in small groups with legislators.

And speaking of the Arizona Legislature, building the base of arts advocates through Arizona Citizens/Action for the Arts is more critical today than ever before.

The voices of arts advocates are loud, clear and heard by members of the Arizona Legislature, but we need many more voices in that chorus. 

The cost to join as an individual member ranges from $10 for full-time students to $50 for individual memberships to $1000 for an Arts Hero membership.   The payoff is exponential in ensuring the future of arts and culture in Arizona. Please join today and tell your friends. Click HERE for our membership page.

Gates Foundation Donates $50 Million

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is giving $50 million to the Smithsonian Institution to fund the new Youth Access Endowment to reach underserved students in the United States.

The Washington Post reported on its ArtsBlog that the endowment is targeting K-12 students through a series of interactive websites and online conferences.  $10 million of the money will support the Smithsonian's strategic plan through research and public programs and an additional $10 million is allocated to the National Museum of African American History and Culture for its design and construction phase, the newspaper reported.

The Portland, Ore. Regional Arts & Culture Council has launched a pilot program to engage artists to use vacant storefronts for temporary art installations. 

The program, in partnership with Travel Portland's Downtown Marketing Initiative, The Portland Business Alliance and the Portland Development Commission, started with four installations that will remain on view for next three months.

During the past 16 years, the Sedona International Film Festival has moved into the ranks of the nation's most sought-after independent film festivals.   Named the "Fest to Impress" by MovieMaker Magazine, the Festival includes 145 full-length features, shorts, documentaries, animated films, foreign films and student films and diverse workshop presentations.

The Festival attracts not only the top independent films, but the producers, directors, writers and actors who bring them to the screen.   Turner Classic Movies' host Robert Osborne has become a regular at the Festival and usually screens several classic films during the weeklong Festival.

For nearly four decades the Arts in Education Council for Scottsdale Schools has been advocating for the arts budget and program needs in the Scottsdale Schools. This organization of parents and educators has been behind efforts to expand music and visual arts programs, artists-in-residence opportunities and arts-related field trips, and has awarded more than 150 scholarships to district students for instrumental and fine arts summer camps.

The council and its programs are partially underwritten by individual Scottsdale schools, grants, support from community organizations and individual donations.

 Among the Council's goals are advocating for the arts in Scottsdale schools, expanding arts opportunities for teachers and students and working to insure that arts education in the Scottsdale Unified School District  meets Arizona Arts Standards.

OFFICERS

Steve Martin,

President, Arizona Citizens

Brenda Bernardi,

Vice President, Arizona Citizens

Joel Hiller,

President, Arizona Action

Tom Chapman,

Secretary

Dawn Brown,

Treasurer

Jeff Rich,

Member-At-Large

Jessica L. Andrews,

Past President, Arizona Citizens

MEMBERS

Allan Affeldt,

La Posada Hotel
Jessica Andrews,

Jessica Andrews Consulting

Robert Benson,

Peoria Unified School District

Dick Bowers,

Herberger Theater Center

Eileen Brill Wagner,

Downtown Chandler Partnership

Teniqua Broughton,

Free Arts Arizona

Jennifer Burns,

Community Volunteer

Sam Campana,

Audobon Arizona

Clark Chasten,

Community Volunteer

Jae Chin,

Asian Bank

Mary Dryden,

Tucson Symphony Orchestra League

Karen Falkenstrom

Odaiko Sonora

Representative Steve Farley,

Arizona House of Representatives

Wes Gullett,

First Strategic

Joan Howell,

Phoenix Elementary School District

Phillip C. Jones,

Community Volunteer

Cathy Knapp,

Quarles & Brady LLC

Alika Kumar,

Community Volunteer

Melissa Lopez,

The Apollo Group

Kate Marquez,

Southern Arizona Arts & Culture Alliance

Rob Nichols,

Salt River Project

Joseph Perez,

City of Phoenix

Senator Michele Reagan,

Arizona State Senate

Julie Richard,

West Valley Arts Council

Andrea Soto,

FAME Events

John Tannous,

Flagstaff Cultural Partners

Jackie Thrasher,

Washington Elementary School District

Lynn Tuttle,

Arizona Department of Education

Roberta Ukura,

City of Yuma Park & Recreation

Cathy Weiss,

Del E. Webb Center for the Performing Arts

Nancy Welch,

Flinn Foundation