Cultural Arts Division Newsletter
October 6, 2015
Cultural Arts Division News
Austin Creates! National Arts and Humanities Month
City Proclaims October Austin Creates! Month 
The City of Austin's Economic Development (EDD) and Parks and Recreation (PARD) Departments have joined forces to recognize Austin's thriving creative community by celebrating Austin Creates! throughout October in conjunction with the national celebration of Arts and Humanities Month.
 
National Arts and Humanities Month, the largest annual celebration for the arts and humanities in the nation, is designed to recognize the importance of culture in America and encourage all citizens to actively participate in the arts. Locally, the month of October will be host to numerous activities presented by, or in partnership with, the EDD's Cultural Arts Division and PARD's Museums and Cultural Programs Division.
 
Planned activities during October include:
  • Partners in the Arts community awards reception (Oct. 14)
  • Smithsonian Traveling Exhibit "I Want the Wide American Earth: An Asian Pacific American Story" at the Asian American Resource Center (now on view)
  • "Building Austin's Creative Capacity" Public Presentation of Needs Assessment Results (Oct. 21)
  • Dia de Los Muertos Celebration at Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center (Oct. 24)
  • Polkapocalypse Festival at Elisabet Ney Museum (Oct. 31)
  • Art After Six at the People's Gallery (Oct. 29)
  • Children's author Don Tate's "Freedom Tour" at the George Washington Carver Museum (Oct. 10)
  • Temporary Art Installations around the city from the TEMPO Program
Visit austintexas.gov/page/austin-creates-month for a complete listing of events.
 
 
Request for Qualifications: University Hills Branch Library 
Austin Art in Public Places logo
Deadline: October 15, 5:00 p.m.
The City of Austin seeks to commission a professional visual artist, or artist team, to design, fabricate, and install artwork for the University Hills Branch Library located at 4721 Loyola Lane. Professional visual artists who live in the Austin metropolitan area (Travis, Williamson, Bastrop, Caldwell, and Hays counties) are eligible to apply. Budget: $55,000. More Information
  
 
Apply Now for the People's Gallery 2016 Exhibition 
Deadline: October 16, midnight
The City of Austin seeks 2- and 3- dimensional artworks in any medium from Austin-area visual artists, galleries, or visual arts organizations for the People's Gallery 2016 exhibition at Austin City Hall, on view February 2016-January 2017.
Professional Artists over the age of 18, who live or work in the Austin area, or visual arts organizations, are eligible to apply.
 
 
Cultural Contracts Assistance in October
As the FY15 funding cycle ends and FY16 begins, our cultural funding programs staff are here to assist contractors. Open Office Hours will take place every Tuesday in October, 9 am - noon, at the CAD offices, 201 E. 2nd Street.
 
In addition, we are offering one more Final Report workshop on October 20, 6-7 p.m. at Southeast Branch Library. RSVP 
 
Mandatory Pre-Contract Workshops for FY16 Core Programs contractors will take place throughout the month at various locations:

Images of artists in workshops
Save the Date: Building Austin's Creative Capacity Results
Earlier this year we conducted a survey to identify the service needs of individual creatives and cultural organizations, investigate available resources, identify gaps, and then make recommendations for the growth and development of Austin's amazing creative capacity.
The Final Report will be released this month coinciding with a public presentation on October 21, 6 pm, at the Carver Museum and Cultural Center.
The presentation will include survey findings, gap analysis of the offerings provided by nonprofit service providers, and a set of recommendations for strengthening Austin's creative capacity.


Art After Six: TEMPO Art After Six
When: October 29, 6 -8 p.m.
Where: Austin City Hall, 301 W. 2nd Street
Stop by City Hall for extended People's Gallery exhibition hours and talks by artists from the 2015 TEMPO program!
Featured artists: Yareth Fernandez, Yuliya Lanina, and Melissa Borrell and Hanna Lupico with Rodolfo Magnus.
http://austintexas.gov/event/art-after-six-tempo

Cultural Arts Division logo Economic Development Department

 

Join our Mailing List! 

 

 

 

Find us on Facebook 

 

Find us on Pinterest  

 

View on Instagram 

Training Opportunities

Community Spotlight

 
 
Austin Arts Commission
 
The Arts Commission met September 21. Special presentations were given by Waller Creek Conservancy and Capacity Building Funding Recipient Proyecto Teatro. The Commission approved the final design by Urban Matter Inc. for the Seaholm Parking Garage Art in Public Places Project and approved the FY2016 Cultural Heritage Festivals funding allocations. They created a working group to look at arts messaging and outreach strategy.
 
The next Arts Commission meeting will be held Monday, October 19 at 5:30 p.m. at Austin City Hall, Executive Session Room (301 W. 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

 

India Fine Arts was started and incorporated in the State of Texas in 1995 by a group of artistically and culturally minded Indians in Austin. The main objective was to promote greater understanding and appreciation for the performing arts of the subcontinent in Texas. With the burgeoning population of South East Asians in the city, there was also a need to provide a cultural understanding to the second generation Indian children and to provide a forum of entertainment for the locals.

 

India Fine Art welcomes Bombay Jayashri, who was nominated for the original music score for

The Life of Pi at the 85th Academy Awards. She is the one and only Carnatic musician to be nominated for the Oscars. Jayashri is today among the most sought after Carnatic musicians and has the rare privilege of being the first Carnatic classical performer in the Opera House in Durban and the Russian Opera House in Helsinki, Finland. Another dimension to music which Jayashri is focused on is in exploring the therapeutic and healing value that music can generate. She has been working closely with institutions caring for autistic children to help open up their senses through the medium of music. Bombay Jayashri and her team will perform on Saturday, October 10th at 5 p.m. at the AISD Performing Arts Center, 1500 Barbara Jordan Boulevard, Austin. TX. More details can be found at www.austiifa.org 

 

Opportunities for Artists & Organizations
 
WORKSHOPS & TRAINING

Creative Conversation: Emerging Leader to Experienced Leader
When: October 13, 7-8:30 p.m.
Where: Meals on Wheels and More, (3227 E 5th St.)
Austin Emerging Arts Leaders will host a Creative Conversation about the transition from emerging leader to experienced leader. Is it a matter of skills, confidence, or a bit of both? Our panel of arts professionals will give insight into the moment that they decided to take their careers to the next level. Whether you're thinking about a career change, anxious to advance, or just unsure of your path, this session will give you plenty of food for thought.
http://www.ealaustin.org/creativeconvo2015

Panel Discussion: Health Insurance for Artists
When: October 15, 6:30 pm
Where: Dougherty Arts Center, 1110 Barton Springs Rd.
Austin Creative Alliance and the Dougherty Arts Center are bringing two experts to the next creative mix-up to discuss health insurance for artists and arts nonprofits.
After the panel you can mix, mingle, and check out a new art exhibit in the Julia C. Butridge Gallery. The gallery will also have the work of 3 Wimberley Abstractionists, a sponsored project of ACA, on display.
http://austincreativealliance.roundtablelive.org/event-2060633  
 
Grantmakers in the Arts 2015 Conference
Registration for the GIA 2015 Conference is now open. The conference will take place October 18 through October 21 at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles. Conference attendance is open to GIA members, and staff and trustees of organizations that are eligible for GIA membership. These include private, community, corporate, and family foundations; public-sector grantmakers; regranting organizations whose primary purpose is arts grantmaking; and individual donors who give through eligible organizations.
http://conference.giarts.org

Arts Advocacy Training Sponsored by Austin Museum Partnership and Texas Association of Museums
When: October 21, 2:30 -4 p.m.
Where: LBJ Presidential Library classrooms, 2313 Red River Street
Join Texans for the Arts (TFA), the statewide arts advocacy organization, for an introductory look at advocacy and the critical role it plays in influencing public policy and securing public resources for your cause. We will explore advocacy basics: advocacy vs. lobbying; what a 501c3 can do vs. a 501c4; the three levels of governmental advocacy - federal, state, local; setting goals and establishing metrics for evaluating success; building coalitions to increase your impact, the state of public funding in 2015; and a discussion of the Hotel Occupancy Tax and its role in funding for the arts (and other tourism based activities) with a particular focus on Austin.
Presenters: Ann S. Graham, Executive Director of Texans for the Arts; and Boyce Cabaniss, Esq., Graves Dougherty Hearon & Moody, Member of TFA Board, and President of the Board of Austin Shakespeare.
Please register here: http://goo.gl/forms/yq6O25wgVI  
 
National Arts Marketing Conference, November 6-9
Arts marketers, are you looking for innovative ways to break through the clutter and advance your organization to the next level? Elevate your marketing skills up and beyond, like the soaring mountain peaks of host city, Salt Lake City!
This November 6-9, dive into topics ranging from digital strategy and branding to technology and engaging new audiences at the largest arts marketing conference in the United States. Register Now  
 
So You Want to be Fiscally Sponsored?
When: November 18, 7-8:30 p.m.
Where: Dougherty Arts Center, 1110 Barton Springs Rd.
This is the mandatory workshop that all Austin Creative Alliance Fiscal Sponsorship applicants must attend before submitting their applications to ACA's Fiscal Sponsorship Program. The workshop will cover: differences between being a non-profit and fiscally sponsored; Responsibilities of ACA to Sponsored Groups; Responsibilities of Sponsored Groups to ACA; how to apply.Attend to find out if the fiscal sponsorship program is for you!
http://austincreativealliance.roundtablelive.org/event-1810366
 
 
GRANTS

2016 Artist as Activist Two-Year Fellowship
Deadline: 12/7/15
The Robert Rauschenberg Foundation's online application to the Artist as Activist Two Year Fellowship program is now open. Up to $100,000 over a two-year period. This year's Artist as Activist Fellowship provides the opportunity for creative professionals who are committed to moving the dial on mass incarceration, and by extension racial justice, to seek a robust set of resources to advance their work. This is a departure from last year's grant cycle, which invited artists pursuing projects on any topic to apply for support. Moving forward, the Artist as Activist Fellowship will be guided by an alternating theme. For the 2016 and 2017 cycles of the fellowship, the thematic frame is racial justice through the lens of mass incarceration. www.rauschenbergfoundation.org/

 
CALLS FOR ENTRIES

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
 
Eyes Got It
Deadline: 10/25/15 
Open call for Austin and San Antonio artists September 25 -October 25. All artists over 18 years of age, living within 80 miles from the capitol or 80 miles from center of San Antonio are eligible. $15 fee for 5 images. All media welcome.
ROUND 1: Yes/Maybe/No voting. Each judge gets a vote.
ROUND 2: Judges will critique Top 10 semi-finalists and eliminate 6.
ROUND 3: Judges Q&A the final 4 artists in a "studio visit". Judges deliberate and choose one winner.
(Finalists must be present for Round 3) Grand Prize Winner will be introduced to Gallerist, Jill Schroeder of grayDUCK Gallery to plan their own solo exhibition in 2016! https://eyesgotit.wordpress.com/eyesgotit2015/

Dia de los Muertos
Deadline 10/26/15
Round Rock Arts (RRA) whose purpose is to encourage, support and enhance current and new Arts & Cultural activities in the Round Rock and Greater Austin and Williamson County areas, is now accepting artwork submissions from artists for its exhibition in ArtSpace: Dia de los Muertos. We invite artists to submit remembrances of and tributes to all heritages.
We will accept all media, whether photography, painting, sculpture, as well as artistic remembrance altars or ofrenda, punched paper banners or papel de picado, jewelry and any other media or format. Entries must be original works of art, entirely the work of the entrant. Complete guidelines and online submission form: http://tinyurl.com/nccu2nr

Paint the Town: Austin -- Google Self-Driving Car Project
Google is launching their self driving cars on our streets and they want Austinites to make these cars their own. Artists in Austin are invited to join "Paint the Town" to submit artwork to be featured on the cars. Google will select up to five pieces of art, and all selected artists will also get a ride in one of the self-driving vehicles. To enter and for more details, Austin artists can visit www.google.com/selfdrivingcar/paint.

Bosch Foundation Fellowship (Germany)
Deadline: 11/1/15
The Robert Bosch Foundation and Cultural Vistas invite US professionals to apply for the 2016-2017 Robert Bosch Foundation Fellowship Program in Germany.  Bosch Fellows work as consultants in their field of expertise and participate in professional seminars, where they travel to meet and exchange ideas with key figures across Germany and Europe.  Fellows are from the fields of business administration, cultural management, journalism, law, non-profit, public policy, and urban planning.  For information and eligibility requirements, go to www.culturalvistas.org/bosch  
 
Stephen F. Austin State University Refined Metals Competition and Exhibit
Deadline: 11/22/15
REFINED is a biennial exhibition of jewelry and metalwork hosted by the Art Metals program in the School of Art at Stephen F. Austin State University (SFASU) since 1998. This year's juror is Andy Cooperman. The exhibition is held in the 1332 square-foot Reavley Gallery of the Cole Art Center @ The Old Opera House, located at 329 E. Main Street in historic downtown Nacogdoches, Texas. 
http://www.art.sfasu.edu/cole 

The 2016 Hunting Art Prize
Deadline: 11/30/15
The call for entries for the 36th annual Hunting Art Prize, in which participants vie for a $50,000 award, has now been issued to artists throughout Texas. The competition, which is sponsored by the international oil services company Hunting PLC, is the largest annual award in the category of painting and drawing in North America. The competition is open to artists who are legal Texas residents and at least 18 years of age or older by August 1, 2015. Artwork submitted for consideration must be a single two-dimensional painting or drawing not exceeding 72 inches on any side (including frame, if any). www.huntingartprize.com  
 
Austin Dance Festival 2016
Deadline: 12/1/15
AUSTIN DANCE FESTIVAL is seeking modern dance works for performances at AustinVentures Studio Theater, March 5, 2016 in Austin, TX. As the festival represents a wide range of creative methods and aesthetic visions, all artists working in the fields of modern dance, postmodern dance, contemporary dance and experimental dance are invited to apply.
www.kdhdance.com/austin-dance-festival

Request for Qualifications: Blackshear Elementary Mural
Deadline: 12/1/15
Art Alliance Austin seeks to commission a professional visual artist, or artist team, to design and install a mural for Blackshear Elementary in East Austin. This is a juried opportunity for permanent installation. Help Blackshear elementary visually exemplify their commitment to the arts through an outdoor mural on their campus!
http://www.artallianceaustin.org/projects/mural-competition-at-blackshear-elementary-school

Austin Artist Submissions for 2017 Fusebox Festival
Deadline: 5/3/16
The lead artist on the project must live in the Austin area and all disciplines of work are considered (performance, visual art, film, literature, etc.). For the 2017 festival we're looking for local projects that are fully realized and ready to premiere. Projects of all sizes seeking all ranges of support are considered. Fusebox support for projects includes financial and/or in-kind (i.e. marketing, production, venue, etc) but please keep in mind that Fusebox is rarely the only financial sponsor of a project. If you have questions about the scope of financial support available, we encourage you to contact Fusebox before applying. Applications will be considered from the time they are submitted. Early submissions enable us to see examples of you work or developments if there are opportunities prior to May 30.
For questions email [email protected]
Apply at fuseboxfestival.com/submissions

 
RESIDENCIES
 
Santa Fe Arts Institute Water Rights Residency
Deadline: 12/18/15
The Santa Fe Art Institute (SFAI) is pleased to announce Water Rights as its next residency and programmatic theme. Because water is seen, now more than ever, as a contested resource, SFAI is committed to bringing together local, national, and global thinkers and creators to collectively expand and revise our knowledge of what we think we know about water rights. New Mexico is rich in its relationship to water- a position created over a long history of corporate, environmental, political, and multicultural claims to this essential resource. Apply at SFAI.org

 
  
OTHER OPPORTUNITIES
 
Call for Volunteers: Austin Film Festival
AFF is putting the call out for volunteers for this year's festival. Specifically, they need experienced Theater Managers and Projectionists, but there are plenty of other opportunities to get involved. If you or someone you know fits the bill, then  head over the their website to find out more and apply online.

Call for Ideas and Speakers for 2016 Americans for the Arts Annual Convention
Deadline: 10/20/15
In 2016, arts and culture in America is at a crossroads, just like the rest of this country. We must celebrate what has come before, and prepare ourselves to be a part of-to lead-the great changes to come. Let's come together to reflect on where we came from and map out where we're going as we march towards healthier, more vibrant, more equitable communities through the arts. 
How would you suggest we do that?  What are the ideas and speakers that you think will help our whole field power forward, lead the way, and create beautiful, vibrant, healthy, and equitable communities throughout the country?
The ideas and speakers submission form is now open. This is your chance to influence the programming at the biggest arts conference of the year! Tell us what you want to learn and discuss-point us toward the people who inspire you. Submit your ideas and speakers at http://convention.artsusa.org/ideas .  
 
Apprenticeship Program with Texas Folklife
Deadline: 11/20/15
 
Texas Folklife's Apprenticeship in the Folk Arts program encourages the continuation of traditional arts in Texas by providing grants to master artists to train apprentices. This grant will compensate the master artist for his or her time and training; a specified amount may also be used to help offset the costs of travel and supplies.  Successful applicants will participate in one public presentation of their traditional art form in consultation with Texas Folklife. Texas Folklife welcomes applications from all traditions in the Lone Star State. In the past Texas Folklife has awarded apprenticeships to a diverse selection of practices, including everything from lute-making and horse saddlery to South Indian vocal music and West African dance.  The organization does, however, specialize in the accordion-based musical traditions found in the state of Texas. For that reason, special consideration will be given to Polka and Zydeco applicants. Application and Guidelines:
  
Studio Visit Series at the Contemporary Austin
Deadline: Ongoing
Three times a year, The Contemporary Austin works with visiting curators and contemporary art specialists who participate in our Visiting Lecture Series to coordinate curatorial studio visits and explore Austin's creative community. The series provides important opportunities for area artists to have their work reviewed by a variety of distinguished arts professionals and helps raise the visibility of Austin's thriving scene.
To apply to be selected for a studio visit, please send five images, an image list, an artist statement, and a CV via WeTransfer to a [email protected] with "Visiting Lecture" in the subject line. This opportunity is open to artists working in all media, living in Austin and the immediate surrounding areas. Current BFA students are ineligible.
 
Local and State News
Austin Re Manufacturing Hub 

[Re]Manufacturing Hub wants to hear from you!
 
Accepting Letters of Interest from potential tenants and subtenants until October 19, 2015.   
The Austin [re]Manufacturing Hub, a 105 acre eco-industrial park, is located in Austin's southeast quadrant. The former city landfill will offer tenants affordable real estate in a community that combines the United States' best performing economy with a commitment to reach zero waste by 2040.

Redeveloping this land to house recycling and reuse firms will provide local recycling markets, reduce transportation costs and keep jobs and investment in Austin. The project will leverage private sector investment, create living wage job opportunities and help Austin meets its waste diversion goal in a sustainable and efficient manner.

Businesses interested in leasing land at the Hub are encouraged to submit Letters of Interest using this form now through Oct. 19, 2015. Email questions to: [email protected].
 

EAST 2015 Participants Announced
The official list of 2015 East Austin Studio Tour participants is now online! Visit east.bigmedium.org
to explore the nearly 500 artists and spaces that will be a part of this year's tour, coming up on November 14-15 & 21-22.


2nd Annual U.S.-Africa Cultural Expo and Business Matchmaking Event 

The 2nd 2015 U.S.-Africa Cultural Expo and Business Matchmaking event will provide a high level platform to engage with business leaders from African and From the U.S. The 3-day event will showcase cultural exhibits, business matchmaking sessions, and series of panel discussions on various business topics that touch upon strategies for growth, competitive advantage, and incentives for foreign investment. Interested companies and individuals may now register and receive regular information through the event website: www.usafricabusinessmatchmaking.org 

 

2014 All Star logo     

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