Cultural Arts Division Newsletter
June 2, 2015

Cultural Arts Division News

 

TONIGHT: Community Initiatives Program Applicant Workshop

When: June 2, 6:00 p.m.

Where: Spicewood Springs Branch Library (8637 Spicewood Springs Rd.)

The Community Initiatives program is open to those applicants that are an incorporated, tax exempt, 501c arts organization residing in Austin or its Extra Territorial Jurisdiction. Individual artists and other arts organizations may apply under the umbrella of a 501c organization. Project activities must involve the marketing, production, presentation, and funding of a public performance or exhibition open to both residents and tourists. Attend our applicant workshop to learn more about this program and ask any questions about the application process. More Information 

 

 

Art After Six graphic June 2015 

Art After Six @ the People's Gallery, June 26

Stop by the People's Gallery at City Hall (301 W. 2nd Street) for extended hours and talks by artists featured in the 2015 exhibition. Gallery is open 6-8 pm, artist talks will begin at 6:15 pm in the Boards & Commissions Room.

Featured artists: Barbara Irwin, Amy Scofield, LIana Tomchess

More information  

 

 

Apply Now for the Artist INC Live 2015 SeminarLogo - Artist Inc 

Application Deadline: July 6

The Artist INC Live seminar addresses the specific business needs and challenges artists of all disciplines face every day. Artists gather for one night a week for eight weeks to learn business skills specific to their art practice and work to hone and apply those skills cooperatively with their peers. Using an innovative class design, artists learn and grow together through artist facilitator mentoring, small group activities, as well as large group discussion and multimedia lecture. Applications are now open for our fall 2015 session!
Learn more and apply at austintexas.gov/artistincatx 

 

 

We are a Blue Star Museum 

 

We are a Blue Star Museum!

The People's Gallery at City Hall is proud to be part of Blue Star Museums, a national appreciation program to thank our military families for their service and share with them America's cultural treasures. From Memorial Day through Labor Day over 2000 participating museums around the country are offering free admission to active duty military and their families.

Our gallery is always free, but we are a Blue Star Museum as a way to say "thank you" to our military families. To find participating museums and plan your trip, visit arts.gov/bluestarmuseums.

 

 

Congratulations to Calder Kamin!

CAD's Administrative & Marketing Assistant Calder Kamin recently celebrated her first permanent public art commission with Compassionate Austin, the Ashoka Innovation Grant, and Cunningham Elementary School at their first "45 Fest" on May 16. Her project Synanthrope Station, now re-titled the Compassionate Tree, symbolizes the Compassion Project's mission to encourage caring for the self, others, and Earth through creativity. At the 45 Fest, Calder guided students through bird friendly activities, and the 'torch" for the next Compassionate Project was passed to another elementary school.

 

Calder and student at 45 Fest

 Calder and a student near the Compassionate Tree at 45 Fest 

Cultural Arts Division logo Economic Development Department

 

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Training Opportunities

Community Spotlight

 
 

Austin Arts Commission 

 

The Arts Commission met May 18. The Commission established a working group to evaluate the aesthetics of the Austin Bergstrom International Airport. Ilse Frank and Emily Little were reappointed to the Art In Public Places panel.  

 

The next regular Arts Commission meeting will be held Monday, June 15 at 5:30 p.m. at the Cultural Arts Division offices (201 E. 2nd Street).  

 

The Austin Arts Commission meets the third Monday of each month at 5:30 p.m., check each month's agenda for the location. The Commission encourages citizens' communications at each meeting; the first 10 people to sign up at the meeting will be allowed to address the Commission. If you would like to schedule a briefing to the Commission, please contact the Cultural Arts Division at [email protected] or by telephone at 512-974-7700.

 

 Arts Commission website

Community Spotlight

Seeking to provide a community based laboratory for creative and adventuresome music in Austin, Aaron Mace founded Church of the Friendly Ghost in 2003, deriving its name from the group's original space. Church of the Friendly Ghost is a volunteer-run non-profit organization for forward thinking musicians to showcase and push boundaries from genres as diverse as free jazz and noise to modern composition and rock.  

 

For the past five years, COTFG has presented its annual New Media Art and Sound Summit. A three-day festival of creative music, performance art, film, and installations, N.M.A.S.S functions as an alternative to the usual music festival model, creating an intimate and participatory experience for attendees from all over the country. One of the highlights of this years festival include the haunting, dreamlike jazz compositions of Mexico's Omar Tamez who will pair up with Angelica Sanchez to form an incendiary duo. In the spirit of COTFG's exploratory ethos, N.M.A.S.S's eclectic lineup provides something for any adventurous listener.

 

New Media Art and Sound Summit will take place June 11-13. Information regarding the lineup and tickets can be found at nmassfest.org

 

Church of the Friendly Ghost receives support from the City of Austin through the Community Initiatives program.

Opportunities for Artists & Organizations

 

WORKSHOPS & TRAINING

  

Registration Open for Americans for the Arts Conference in Chicago

When: June 12-14

Register today for the 2015 Annual Convention, taking place June 12-14, 2015 in Chicago! The conference will take place at the Chicago Sheraton, with more than 40 breakouts, three keynotes, three preconferences, two Workshop Intensives, a dozen ARTventure Tours, and an opening reception at the Museum of Contemporary Art. http://convention.artsusa.org   

 

Quickbooks Made Easy - 2 part workshop

When: July 28, 9 am - 4:30 pm

Gregg S Bossen, CPA of QuickBooks Made Easy is now offering his two part QuickBooks� training seminar for Nonprofits in Austin, TX. Part 1: Essentials gives you everything you need to know on how your QuickBooks� files need to be set up in order to provide the reporting your board, accountant, and you need to operate a nonprofit. For those of you who want to learn more than just the Essentials, there's Part 2: Advanced.

Register at http://sites.austincc.edu/npo/quickbooks 

 

Creating, Engaging and Maintaining EFFECTIVE Boards 

When: August 12, 9 am - 4 pm 

Known for his frank and often contrarian views of nonprofit practice, Barry Silverberg combines his 40 years of practical experience with a review of the literature on the legal and pragmatic realities of Boards to present and lead a discussion on how to create, engage and maintain effective Boards: the roles, responsibilities, authority and expectations of Board members and staff.   

http://sites.austincc.edu/npo/event/creating-engaging-and-maintaining-effective-boards/   

 

Social Media for Nonprofits

When: August 18, 9:30 am - 4:30 pm

Join nonprofit decision-makers and supporters in the Austin area to share practical tips and tools for fundraising, marketing, and advocacy. Speakers will address a variety of topics in a series of short, TED-meets-Twitter style talks and interactive workshops. Workshops and breakouts allow participants to get hands-on experience with measurement and designing compelling email newsletters. 

http://socialmedia4nonprofits.org/austin/   

 

GRANTS

 

Austin Film Society Grants

Deadline: 6/2/15

AFS awards grants to emerging film and video artists in the state of Texas through the AFS Grant (formerly known as the Texas Filmmakers' Production Fund, or TFPF). Grants may be used for production, post-production and distribution. Awards are provided to artists whose work shows promise, skill, and creativity.

Please email [email protected] if you have any questions regarding the grant.

www.austinfilm.org/afsgrant

Vilcek Foundation: Vilcek Prize For Creative Promise In Theatre

Deadline: 6/15/15

The Vilcek Prizes for Creative Promise were established in 2009 to encourage and support young immigrants who have already demonstrated exceptional achievements, and who often face significant challenges early in their careers. The Vilcek Foundation will award three prizes of $50,000 each to young theatre professionals who demonstrate outstanding early achievement. Applications will be evaluated on its quality, level of creativity, clarity of vision, and impact.

http://www.vilcek.org/prizes/creative-promise/index.html

 

The Anne Emery Kyllo Professional Scholarship Of The American Music Therapy Association

Deadline: 6/26/15

The Anne Emery Kyllo Professional Scholarship of the American Music Therapy Association supports professional music therapists in their efforts to expand their training and professional interactions through participation in continuing education opportunities. Three cash scholarships of $500 each will be awarded for use toward continuing music therapy education credits. The award may be used for national and/or regional conferences, CMTE (continuing music therapy education) courses, and/or other continuing education courses that meet the Educational Activity guidelines as established by the Certification Board for Music Therapists (CBMT).

http://www.musictherapy.org/careers/scholars/#Anne_Emery_Kyllo_Professional_Scholarship 

 

 

CALLS FOR ENTRIES

 

New Texas Talent XXII

Deadline: 6/5/15

New Texas Talent is designed to introduce and promote emerging visual artists in the commercial market. Each year hundreds of images are submitted for review. The juror then selects artists to participate in the New Texas Talent exhibition. Through their participation in the show, some artists have been offered representation by galleries and/or have been extended invitations for inclusion in future exhibitions. The exhibition and its participants have also received media exposure in such publications as D Magazine, The Dallas Morning News, The Observer and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, A+C Magazine and many others.

http://www.craigheadgreen.com/newtalent_2015_live.htm 

 

Affect 2015 Summer Program (Berlin)

AFFECT, Agora's program for collaborative artistic practices in Berlin launches the 2015 Summer Program - offering international and national visitors the opportunity to join an immersive summer school where to explore four site specific aspects of art's relation to Berlin, via artistic research and collaboration. The four consecutive modules are leaded by one international artist, , who invites participants to collectively explore a topic and develop a set of practices and research methodologies over the period of one month in the city of Berlin. Each module takes the form of a participatory workshop revolving around a central research question supported by a series of activities proposed by the facilitators.
MODULE #3/ 'Europe city in Berlin' (JULY) APPLY before June 10
MODULE #4/ 'The artistic mission' (AUGUST) APPLY before July 10

www.agoracollective.org/affect 

 

Call for Public Art Aurora, Colorado
Deadline: 6/5/15
The Regional Transportation District (RTD) of Denver, Colorado is the transportation agency for an eight-county area in Colorado serving a population of 2.8 million people.  RTD is committed to increasing the number of original commissioned pieces of art throughout its district and is pleased to announce a series of commissioned art opportunities on the FasTracks I-225 Rail Line, which is currently under construction. The corridor will open in 2016, with the specific dates yet to be determined. This commission is on the I-225 Rail Line for the 2nd and Abilene light rail station in Aurora, CO. The budget for this artwork is $100,000 inclusive. http://tinyurl.com/koh8csy 

 

AMoA Biennial - 600: Sculpture

Deadline: 6/5/15
The Amarillo Museum of Art (AMoA) has issued a Call for Entries to the Biennial - 600: Sculpture. This is the sixth in an ongoing series of juried biennial exhibitions exploring specific areas of artistic practice, material, and content. JUROR: LEIGH ARNOLD; Assistant Curator, the Nasher Sculpture Center, Dallas, Texas. The exhibition will be on view August 14 - October 9, 2015. texassculpturenetwork.org/?p=600 

 

Call for Visual Art and Literary Work

Deadline: Open Rolling Submission
Pen and Brush provides a platform to showcase the work of excellent female artists to a broader audience. Our galleries can accommodate a variety of group shows, solo and feature exhibitions curated by art world professionals who support our vision.

www.penandbrush.org/explore/visual 

 

Dave Bown Projects 10th Semiannual Competition

Deadline: 6/6/15
$10,000 Prize. Jurors: Claire C. Carter, Curator of Contemporary Art, Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art; Carmen Hermo, Assistant Curator for Collections, Guggenheim Museum, New York; Anna Stothart, Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, San Antonio Museum of Art. Contact: Dave Bown. www.davebownprojects.com

 

Call for Public Art City of Chicago: Greater Grand Crossing Branch Library
Deadline: 6/14/15

The City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE), working with the Chicago Public Library invites professional artists to submit their interest in a public art commission for the new Greater Grand Crossing Branch Library. This commission opportunity is to create a site-specific artwork that responds to the community's clearly stated desire that the public art for their library be reflective of intellectual curiosity, creativity and a thirst for knowledge expressed in a visually sophisticated manner. Uniquely, this library is a partner in Pocket Con, a comic conference held in the neighborhood for Chicago teens and focusing on underrepresented populations in the comic genre. The local youth and parent awareness of Anime and graphic novels is high. All media will be considered but it is essential that it have low maintenance requirements. The panel will select semi-finalists in June 2015 who will be paid honorarium to develop proposals by September with finalist being selected in October. Installation by the commissioned finalist is expected within one year of contracting. http://tinyurl.com/omxpmls 

 

CUE call for proposals
Deadline: 6/30/15

The inaugural Solo Exhibition Open Call provides one emerging or under-recognized artist the necessary time and resources to present an exhibition at CUE in 2016. The selected artist will receive valuable mentor support from one established curator on the selection panel including a studio visit and installation guidance in preparation for the exhibition, in addition to a $5,000 stipend and travel allowance, and an accompanying exhibition catalog with an essay written by a participant in CUE's Young Art Critic Mentoring Program. http://cueartfoundation.org/solo-exhibition-open-call   

 

Call to Artists - EPS Northwest Campus Public Art Project (Edmonton, ONT)

Deadline: 7/7/15 

The Edmonton Arts Council Public Art Program on behalf of the City of Edmonton is seeking an Artist or Artist team to create a site specific public art sculptural installation at the Edmonton Police Services Northwest Campus. This is a significant and highly visible location to the public.

PUBLIC PLAZA - main entrance on the east side of the facility. Art will be situated within the planting beds and on the plaza. Artwork in this location must be of low height and non-climbable. NORTHEAST CORNER - highly visible & located in a grassy area close to the sidewalk leading to the main entrance of the police station. Budget: $450,000.00 CAD (max, all inclusive) Deadline: 4:30 pm (MDST), July 07, 2015
This Public Art Call is open to Edmonton, Canadian & International artists.  
Please visit the website to read the full Call  

 

 

4th Annual Juried International Exhibition of Contemporary Islamic Art
Deadline: 7/15/15 
Islamic Art Revival Series (IARS) in partnership with LuminArt� Gallery presents the 4th Annual Juried International Exhibition of Contemporary Islamic Art. Juror: This year IARS is pleased to announce Salma Tuqan as the esteemed juror for this year's exhibition. Ms Tuqan is the Curator of the art of Contemporary Middle East since 2011, at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, United Kingdom. Exhibition dates: September 26 to October 31, 2015. All accepted art work may be featured on IARS website for a full one year after the end of the exhibition. www.islamicartrevival.com
 LuminArt� Gallery may also feature the art work on their website. www.luminarte.com

 

Call for Public Art (New Mexico)
Deadline: 7/17/15
The Bernalillo County Public Art Program is soliciting preliminary design sketches for for two sculptures that relate to each other in the rural setting outside of the Vista Grande Community Center. The established budget for this project is $120,000.  The locations for the sculptures are at the entrance to the Vista Grande Community Center on Madera Rd., and in the landscaped area in the parking lot outside of the Community Center. It is a multipurpose community center with a fitness center, gymnasium, theater, computer room, day care center and athletic fields.  Built to serve students at nearby East Mountain High School the Fisher-Smith Gym at the community center was completed in 2009.  Located in the picturesque East Mountains, Vista Grande literally means "grand view" and the Community Center lives up to its name.  This project is open to artists residing in New Mexico, Arizona, Texas, Colorado, and Oklahoma.

http://tinyurl.com/mgxz958

Call for Projects Traverse Vid�o

Deadline: 10/15/15

Traverse Vid�o programs experimental films, art video, installations, photography, and performance. Submit your application for the 19th edition, March 2016 in Toulouse, France. www.traverse-video.org

 

RESIDENCIES

 

Vermont Studio Center

Deadline: 6/15/15 

The Studio Center provides 2-12 week studio residencies on an historic 30-building campus along the Gihon River in Johnson, Vermont, a village in the heart of the northern Green Mountains. Residents receive an individual studio, private room, and all meals. In addition, VSC's program includes a roster of Visiting Artists and Writers who offer slide talks/readings and individual studio visits/conferences. http://www.vermontstudiocenter.org   

 

Digital Fabrication Residency
Deadline: 7/20/15
Digital Fabrication Residency is a professional development program engaging artists with digital tools for project visualization and fabrication workflows for 3D printing, CNC routing, laser cutting, digital embroidery, textile printing, animation and other platforms. A core concept of this program is to engage in the digital craft of making as it concerns technology augmenting with traditional fabrication concepts, processes and materials.  Residents learn software workflows and become knowledgeable in current applications of technology in the production of art. http://www.digitalfabricationresidency.com/ 

 

ArtSmith Culture and Travel Writer Residency (Laredo, TX)

Deadline: 7/31/15

Spend three days soaking in the rich, Spanish colonial history and culture of Laredo, Texas. The residency, designed for culture and travel writers, will be an intense, three-day cultural immersion for up to five selected fellows to join travel writer Tiffany Owens, photographer Bob Johnson, and Artsmith director and writer Jill McCabe Johnson as they explore the city and its environs. http://orcasartsmith.org   

 

Call for Caldera's 2015-2016 Artists in Schools
Deadline: 8/1/15
Applications are now being accepted for artists of any discipline experienced in teaching in a middle school setting. If accepted, artists will teach one-week residencies in Caldera's partner schools. Residencies culminate at the end of the week with a presentation, exhibit, or permanent installation at the school. http://calderaarts.org/caldera    

 

Open Call for 2016 Artist-in-Residence Program at Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska

Deadline: 9/30/15
Since 2001, a total of 60 accomplished artists, writers, and composers have participated in the Artist-in-Residence program at Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska. Following a 10-day residency, each volunteers to lead a public outreach activity with visitors and to donate one piece of finished artwork to the program collection. For a two-year trial period beginning with this open call for residencies in 2016, the program will explore a preference for digital and performance-based donations rather than physical pieces for the program collection. Artists are challenged to create artwork and activities for visitors that offer a fresh and innovative perspective of the park drawn from their own experience.
http://tinyurl.com/oar3g9l

Buzzfeed's Emerging Writers Fellowship

Deadline: 10/1/15

Buzzfeed is offering a four-month program, starting January 2016, that will provide mentorship and experience to promising future writers. During this fellowship, writers will be involved in pitching, reporting, and writing while also participating in workshops and panel discussions with various editors in the industry. This fellowship hopes to help writers succeed as future freelancers and staff at media organizations. The work that is produced by the fellows will be published by Buzzfeed. The fellows will also receive a $12,000 stipend and will work with the senior editorial staff out of the New York office.

 

Local & State News

 

CERF logo
 

 

Artists' Emergency Resources from CERF+
Craft Emergency Relief Fund (CERF+) would like all professional artists working in a craft discipline seriously affected by disaster to be aware of emergency relief assistance available from CERF+.

CERF+'s programs include:

- Grants up to $5,000;

- No-interest loans up to $8,500;

- Booth fee waivers at craft shows;

- Discounts on materials and equipment from suppliers and manufacturers;

- Assistance with business development through referrals to consultants and other low or no-cost resources

For eligibility requirements and more detailed information, please visit the Emergency Relief section of their website or contact CERF+ at [email protected].

  

 

Assistance from the City of Austin Small Business Program

The City of Austin Small Business Program is committed to providing disaster preparedness and disaster recovery resources to the small business community. Check out their disaster resource guide "Get Back in Business" at http://www.austinsmallbiz.com/getbackinbusiness/.
Additionally, if you need access to computers, printing, or phones, visit the Small Business Program's Business Solutions Center to continue your daily business responsibilities. The center is located at One Texas Center, 505 Barton Springs Road on the 1st floor, and is open Monday-Friday, 8:30am-4:30pm.

 

 

Texas Music Office website survey

The Texas Music Office is currently working with a group of MBA students from St. Edwards University on a "Capstone" research project, analyzing the TMO's website in order to make it more valuable and useful to you. The student's research and work is a free service to the TMO, guided by their professor as a part of their curriculum. They need your help in assessing what parts of the TMO website are working well, and what parts need improvement.  

Please take a few minutes to fill out the survey. Your opinion is extremely valuable and appreciated!


Take the Art in Sacred Spaces Survey

The Doris Duke Charitable Foundation has provided support for Partners for Sacred Places to perform a three-city study on the space uses and needs of performing artists and organizations. Austin has been selected as one of the three cities, and we are working in collaboration with the Austin Creative Alliance. This survey is the first phase of developing new models for providing effective spaces for artists and organizations through the use of historic sacred places.

Your role in this survey process is very important. The data collected will create an accurate snapshot of the city of Austin in terms of the current state of usable artist spaces as well as what you, as the artists and arts organizations of Austin, need in terms of space. Participation in this brief, 16-question survey will ensure that the needs of the city's arts community are heard. Take the survey

 

2014 All Star logo     

The Cultural Arts Division was awarded a Constant Contact 2014 All Star Award in Recognition of Excellence in Email Marketing.