| letter from the president... |
 The Season for Giving Thanks
Today, I give thanks and ask each of you to consider what makes you grateful. I am thankful for my family. They are my foundation and they ground me in a sense of purpose and responsibility. I am grateful for my amazing and talented children and a spouse who loves me despite my quirks and idiosyncrasies. I am thankful to make my living working in the arts and to be able to make a real difference in the lives of people through the arts. I am grateful to all the performing and visual artists whose work I have had the opportunity to experience. They have enriched my life in so many ways, that words don't seem adequate to convey my profound sense of gratitude. Their work has inspired and moved me. I am grateful to have a group of dedicated and passionate individuals to work with here at the Arts Council. They share a vision with me and are committed to turning that vision into reality. Today, I give thanks to working with others in our community that also understand the importance of the arts in our lives, not only as a means to an end, but as a way to find meaning in a world that sometimes defies understanding. And I am thankful that I am surrounded by a supportive and generous community of donors and volunteers. Without their generosity, so much of what we do and what we are able to do, would simply not happen. So for all this, I give thanks.
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Authentic Expressions: A Hallmark Point of View
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For over 100 years, Hallmark artists have creatively illustrated our thoughts and sentiments. This holiday season, come hear what inspires artists Denise Chevalier, Geoff Greenleaf, Gary Head and Craig Lueck and learn how Hallmark continues to lead their industry through authentic expressions.
December 8
11:45 - 1:00
Central Exchange
1020 Central, Kansas City, MO 64105
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| Companies Are Signing Up! |
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Every year companies across the metro sign up to run Workplace Giving Campaigns for our Annual ArtsKC Fund Campaign, which takes place each spring. These campaigns are the back bone of the ArtsKC Fund, which annually awards around NINETY grants to local artists, arts organizations and arts programs in the Kansas City region. Learn more about Workplace Giving below and sign your company up today!
What is a Workplace Giving Campaign?
The ArtsKC Fund Workplace Giving Campaign is an annual drive conducted at your workplace that offers employees an opportunity to make a financial contribution to arts organizations, arts programs and individual artists across the five-county Kansas City metropolitan area (Jackson, Clay, Platte, Johnson and Wyandotte).
ArtsKC Fund Workplace Giving Campaigns:
Build morale, promote teamwork and boost creativity.
Better Business
Connect employees to community assets.
Happier People
Show employees you support what they value.
Better Retention
Are an efficient mechanism of support.
Best Use of Community Resources
Garner positive public visibility.
Being a Good Neighbor
It doesn't matter how many employees you have, where they live, the physical layout of your offices, or your brand of corporate culture. ArtsKC Fund staff will provide the resources and help you to tailor the campaign to fit your organization, making it a fun learning opportunity for all of your employees.
The 2012 Campaign takes place between January 27th and June 15th - participating workplaces may schedule their individual campaigns anytime. For more information, please visit http://www.artskc.org/WhatisArtsKCFund.aspx or to sign up today, click here.
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Advocate for the ARTS in KC!
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The Arts Council of Metropolitan Kansas City, in partnership with Missouri Citizens for the Arts, the Missouri Alliance of Arts Educators and the Missouri Association of Community Arts Agencies, recently invested in Capwiz; an online grassroots advocacy tool that allows users to have an active and timely role in the Missouri political process through a variety of ways.
* Take Action on Important Issues! We will post arts action alerts on our site that encourage you to send personalized messages to elected officials. Let them know what you think about important issues that affect the arts in Missouri.
* Find Your Elected Officials. Enter in your zip code to learn who your elected officials are. From there you can see each legislator's bio page. Each bio page includes direct links to contact information, key votes and bills, and staff information.
* View Key Legislation. Capwiz allows you to stay informed on the important votes and bills that affect the arts in Missouri.
* Send Letters to the Editor. The Capwiz Media Guide allows you to send letters to the editors of local Missouri newspapers and magazines.
Capwiz enables us to deliver critical messages to lawmakers and ensures that our legislative agenda is received and heard at the Capitol.
Take action today!
**Current Action Alert**
And, join us for Arts Advocacy in December!
Arts Advocacy Hour Friday, December 16 5:30PM-6:30PM Johnson County Community College, Regnier Center #270 12345 College Blvd, Overland Park, KS 66210
The Arts Council is working to build a coalition of arts advocates and supporters and we need your help! It is only when our voices combine that we have real power to influence and make change happen!
Meetings are free and open to the public, so please be sure to invite your friends, family, and co-workers. Enjoy complimentary appetizers and wine, network with fellow arts advocates, and stay up-to-date on the latest arts news in the Kansas City metropolitan region.
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staff picks
Kelly Ellison
Development Director
I was one of the fortunate ones to have attended the Grand Opening of the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts this past September. Even though it was a couple of months ago, I still recall fondly what a wonderful evening it was for my husband and me.
I remember coming up from the parking garage that evening and when we entered the building, hearing a rush of sound that I didn't recognize. As we climbed up the stairs to the second level of the building there was an explosion of voices and music that came together and I realized the sound I was hearing was of the hundreds of people mingling about in this enormous, beautiful space. It was breathtaking to see so many people and look out over the city that night. As we stepped into Helzberg Hall we were again amazed at the beauty of the room and even more in awe listening to the music of Kansas City Symphony, the Kansas City Chorale, and of course Itzhak Perlman. What a privilege to be a part of this momentous event!
During the intermission, we noticed a young child, about my daughter's age, all dressed up in her best dress. We realized that it was a young girl from our daughter's school and we were amazed that they would bring a 5-year old girl to such an event. However, it inspired me and I made a promise that we would bring our daughter at the earliest opportunity. Just a few days ago that opportunity presented itself when tickets went on sale for the Nutcracker. I immediately purchased tickets for our whole family and we are so excited to experience the space again at the Kansas City Ballet. As a family we are committed to enjoying this "world renowned" hall that puts Kansas City in an international arena for performing arts. I am committed to bringing my daughter there as many times as I can to expose her to Kansas City's incredible arts and cultural community - imagine getting to grow up around all this!
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Discover the Arts for YOU!
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arts council events
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ArtsKC 360°
This event takes place once a month and more dates will be available in our next newsletter.
Arts Council Office
906 Grand Blvd., Suite 10B
KC, MO 64106
Join us for a one-hour tour
and be inspired by the stories of how the Arts Council of Metropolitan Kansas City is connecting, supporting and transforming our community through the arts! Visit the Charlotte Street Foundation artists' studios and Mattie Rhodes Hand in Hand Folk Art Collection, all while learning more about the Arts Council of Metropolitan Kansas City.
Valet parking is available in the 928/UMB Parking Garage.Click on the date above to register now. For additional information contact Kristy Ladd, 816.994.9240 or ladd@artskc.org.
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