Mear Girls Filling in
Mears Middle School students work on a project during the Artists in School residency with Teaching Artist Jen Joliff

May 2011 ASCA Communique

In This Issue
ASCA Buys New Art
Meeting of ASCA Native Arts Advisory Panel
Poems in Place
Artist Highlight
Annie Calkins honored by UAS
Theresa John appointed to National Education Panel
Arts Education Free Online Tools
Four Things Boards Should Know
The NEA's New Look!
Opportunities for Artists and Arts Organizations
Alaska Summer Festival Dates
ASCA Important Dates
Contact Us
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Grant Deadlines

June 1, Sept. 1:

FY12 Grant Deadlines: Career Opportunity, Workshop, Community Arts Development, Master Artist and Apprentice, Walker ArtsTouring Grants, Cultural Collaboration Project Grants. Call ASCA staff before applying.

 

November 1: 

FY12 Artist in Schools Grants. Call ASCA staff before applying.  

 

To apply go to http://alaska.cgweb.org/

Calls for Art on CaFE
Now the online application site for all ASCA Calls for Art:www.callforentry.org (CaFE) From our main page click on Artist Opportunities for more information.
Looking for Work in the Arts?
 Look no further - here is a great listing of available positions in all areas - museums, performing arts and galleries.  
Opportunities for Arts Organizations and Artist Opportunities.
The National Endowment for the Arts has various deadlines for grants. Check the website out regularly!  
Quick Links

A Note from Char

THE ARTISTS HAVE LEFT THE BUILDING.  The postcard says it all. It's an announcement of the closing event of the MTS Gallery in Mountain View. The event is May 21, 4 pm in case you haven't heard. The building will soon be razed to make way for new construction.

Maybe it's because the gallery is in ASCA's  neighborhood (our offices are off Mt. View Drive); maybe it's because for years there was a real belief among many citizens that Anchorage could support an arts and culture district in Mt. View.  While I may be a doomsayer, from where I am right now I'd say that's not going to happen, not anytime soon.

There have been bright spots over the last 10 years of trying.  The public art installation at the corner of Mt. View and Commercial streets by Stephanie Kese and Erin Pollock and the Garden Art Park are two beacons.   There have been community improvements over the years due to the generous investment of the Rasmuson Foundation, CIRI,  Anchorage Community Land Trust and the Municipality.  The rebuild of Clark Junior High, the new Mt. View Library (certainly a bright light in any neighborhood), the opening of the artfully designed Credit Union One branch, which provides financial services to the residents of Mountain View, are among the most evident. For awhile, Noble's Diner helped push this transformation along.

What happened to the arts and culture district? My personal opinion is that it failed for lack of community buy in, public/private investment and consistent, visionary leadership.  Actually, those are the ingredients required for any successful major public/private endeavor.  I still have the initial Mountain View in Motion Neighborhood Revitalization through Arts & Culture brochure in my office from 2003 with a timeline that breaks my heart. We were so hopeful and there were many citizens who believed this could happen. The brochure lists 60 major stakeholders in the project.  The neighborhood originally envisioned in 1998 by the City of Anchorage and the Legislature is not the neighborhood where the Arts Council offices are now.

But this still a neighborhood, and ASCA is glad to be a part of it.  It's one of the few original neighborhoods in Anchorage with a rich heritage and fascinating cultural mix. Maybe one day another group of visionaries will come along to work with the residents and complete this transformation. But it will be done without the MTS Gallery, (which was really a project of Trailer Arts Center) and the leadership of Bruce Farnsworth.  He has been the one consistent thread through all these years, who believed that the community would invest in the arts, and that there's a place in Anchorage for a multidisciplinary arts center, for and about artists. Bruce was at the formative culture district meetings in 2002, and he'll be the last one out, turning off the lights at MTS Gallery on May 21. That guy deserves a medal.

And when it's gone, I hope MTS Gallery, a multidisciplinary arts center and the larger vision of the Mt. View Arts and Culture District is not forgotten.  For it's a sad day in any community when a cultural organization dies, particularly when it is still providing services, still has vibrancy.  The artists may have left the building, but we can't let them leave town.

- Char

Alaska Contemporary Art Bank Announces New Art Purchases

Freeman Low Tide
Low Tide, Asia Freeman, 2011 Art Bank Acquisition

The Alaska State Council on the Arts Contemporary Art Bank has selected 15 new artworks by Alaskan artists for its rotating collection of artwork to be displayed in public buildings.  The pieces were selected through a jury process by the Visual Arts Advisory committee, a panel of 11 artists and arts administrators from around the state.  Over 400 pieces were submitted. 

 

The artists selected are:

Carmel Anderson, Ketchikan; Christina Barber, Anchorage; Bill Brody, Fairbanks; Don Cornelius, Petersburg; Mike Criss, Wasilla; Jim Fowler, Juneau; Asia Freeman, Homer; Hal Gage, Anchorage; Brandon Hauser, Juneau; Sonya Kelliher-Combs, Anchorage; Kimberly Marcucci, Anchorage; James Robson, Anchorage; Ryan Romer, Anchorage; Duke Russell, Anchorage; Ruth Sorensen, Anchorage.

The new acquisitions will be on display at the ASCA offices at an Open House lunch, May 17, until they are selected for loan.  Please rsvp to the lunch by May 13 at christa.rayl@alaska.gov.

The Alaska Contemporary Art Bank loans art to state offices including legislators, court rooms, the Governor's Office and the Alaska Congressional Delegation.  Part of the
ASCA's Art in Public Places Program, this unique service gives Alaskan artists and the public increased opportunities to share and enjoy contemporary art.

 

Hal Gage
Glacial Silt, Hal Gage, 2011 Art Bank Acquisition
Alaska Native Arts Advisory Panel Meeting
ANAP 2011
2011 Alaska Native Arts Advisory Panel

The Alaska Native Arts Advisory Panel met April 4-5, 2011 in Anchorage. Members include: Sven Haakanson, Da-ka-xeen Mehner, Annie Calkins, Ana Hoffman, Charlotte Fox, Dixie Alexander, Teri Rofkar, Jon Ross, Roy Agloinga, Theresa John (not pictured).

 

 

Poems in Place

 

Poetry on Place

 

Alaska State Council on the Arts invites you to attend the unveiling of the first Poems in Place May 25, 2011 at Beluga Point from 2-3PM. The event takes place in Chugach State Park and is the result of a grassroots effort by the Alaska State Council on the Arts and friends to  honor the poetry of the late Alaskan  poet Kim Cornwall  as well as to celebrate what is hoped will be  the first of many Poems in Place in Alaska.  There will be a reading of the poem,  a small dedication and celebration. Co-sponsored by Chugach State Park, Alaska State Council on the Arts, and Friends of Kim Cornwall.

 

Artist Highlight - Don Rearden

 

Don Reardon
Don Rearden- Bethel and Anchorage

New Writer - First Novel

 

Don was awarded a Career Opportunity Grant to meet with his editor in Toronto and attend a book signing for his new novel, The Raven's Gift published by Penguin Canada.  

Don gave a reading at the prestigious Authors at the Harborfront Center Reading Series also in Toronto.  This is a major literary venue that allowed Don to meet with other publishers and participate in several interviews. 

In his final report to ASCA Don wrote, "Just the fact that I had the opportunity to actually sit down and talk about my work with my editor in person for the first time, was powerful enough, let alone to read in front of an audience who came to listen to me, and then walk into book stores and see stacks of my books beside some of the greatest American and Canadian authors ---well that was icing on the cake for this kid from the tundra." 

www.donrearden.com

Raven's Gift Cover

Annie Calkins honored by UAS
Annie Calkins, currently working with ASCA on a major arts education initiative, was honored on Sunday at the University of Alaska Southeast graduation with an honorary doctorate of education. Annie is one of the founders of Alaska Arts Education Consortium and has been instrumental in bring the arts (and literacy and early childhood education) to students all across Alaska for over 40 years. She also gave the inspirational commencement address with heartfelt stories about life in education and wise words to the graduates. Annie referenced elders advice: for teachers, respect yourself and others, and hold each other up; business leaders should listen well and with respect so that you speak with care to all you interact with; mathematicians should have humor; those in natural sciences should act knowing that we are the stewards of the land, air and water; health care graduates should do their best to help others be strong in mind, body and spirit; artists should have patience for good work and patronage take time; and for us all - remember to sing and dance often. 
ASCA Council Member Theresa A John appointed to National Education Panel
Obama appoints Theresa John to education panel - The Tundra DRUMS

The White House announced President Barack Obama has appointed Theresa Arevgaq John, who is Yup'ik from Toksook Bay, to the National Advisory Council on Indian Education.

 

Dr. Theresa Arevgaq John is an associate professor in the Department of Alaska Native and Rural Development at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. She has also been assistant professor and director of the Rural Alaska Native Adult Program at Alaska Pacific University.

 

John has authored numerous academic articles and a book on Native Alaskans and has presented her work at dozens of local, national, and international professional conferences. John currently serves on the Alaska State Council on the Arts and is the former chair of the Traditional Native Arts Panel. She is also the recipient of the Governor's Distinguished Humanities Educator Award. John received her bachelor's, master's and doctorate from the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

http://www.thetundradrums.com/article/1116obama_appoints_theresa_john_to_education

Theresa John

Arts Education Free Tools

Free Online Art Resources for Teachers

Web Site Guides Teachers to Federal Resources Children's literature, rocketry, engineering, artists, government, boomtowns, consumers, and conservation are the focus of new resources at FREE, the web site that makes it easier to find teaching and learning resources from the federal government:  http://www.free.ed.gov/ ART related items include:

ArtBabble.org is an online community that features videos about art and artists. It includes a range of videos from the National Gallery of Art - interviews with artists, explorations of works (six videos on Vermeer's "Woman Holding a Balance"), and quirky, fun pieces.  http://www.free.ed.gov/resource.cfm?resource_id=2182

International Children's Digital Library aims to make the best in children's literature from around the world available free on the web. It includes nearly 5,000 books in over 50 languages in a child-friendly format for reading online. Search books by language, award winning titles, and more.  http://www.free.ed.gov/resource.cfm?resource_id=2187

Engineering Design for Human Exploration: Energy and Power helps students learn a 12-step engineering design process as they solve problems associated with traveling to and living on the moon.  http://www.free.ed.gov/resource.cfm?resource_id=2185

4 Things Boards should know about Operating Reserves:

Does Your Organization have Any?

Many Alaska nonprofit arts organizations are operating on the edge of financial disaster.  This becomes evident each year when ASCA grant panels are convened to review operating support grant applications.

 

The Chronicle of Philanthropy has a terrific blog that is focusing on financial stability, and this particular blog is on reserves. Organizations should have no less than three months of operating reserves tucked away in a safe place.  Does your organization have this?  If not, now is the time to think about how to start building reserves.  Reserves are much more flexible than Endowments, and are usually nonrestricted. The primary purpose for reserves is to plug a financial leak in case of emergency.

 

Many individuals personally save a set amount each month, yet as board members, they never think of setting aside a rainy day fund. This blog may help.  Read it! Subscribe to it!

 

http://philanthropy.com/blogs/against-the-grain/four-things-boards-should-understand-about-operating-reserves/27728

  
The NEA has a new look!
The National Endowment for the Arts has changed its look! The new logo should be phased in for crediting all activities of your organization funded through the Alaska State Council on the Arts and /or the National Endowment for the Arts. For the logo and more information, look here: http://www.nea.gov/mnageaward/logos/index.html
Opportunities for Artists and Arts Organizations
Percent for Art Calls:

(1.) Enter Your Artwork for a Juried Art Show & Auction

The 1st Annual Eric Deeter Memorial Juried Art Show and Auction will be held June 10, 2011 to help benefit the Alaska Veterans & Pioneers Home in Palmer Alaska. 

All Alaskan artists are invited to submit their artwork with a chance to win awards and gain profits. Applications must be postmarked by May 15, 2011. 

Artists interested in entering their work for the auction or need more information, please contact artshow1@me.com or visit www.avphartshow.com.   


(2.) The Princess Grace Foundation-USA announces the availability of applications for the 2011 Princess Grace Awards in Theater, Playwriting, Dance Performance, Choreography, and Film. Full guidelines and applications are available at www.pgfusa.org.

 

Deadlines are as follows:

Film Application Postmark Deadline: June 1, 2011

 

(3.) Artists Alaska website is a free list and link for Artists & Artisans - Their Specialties and where to see their work. www.artistsalaska.com

 

(4.) NEA FY12 Grants -  An organization may submit only one application through one of the following FY 2012 Grants for Arts Projects categories.  For most organizations, these categories represent the full range of funding options for the entire year. Applicants should examine the goal and purposes of their project as well as the review criteria of these categories, and apply to the one category that is most relevant. The Arts Endowment will not transfer applications between categories.

         Art Works: To support the creation of art that meets the highest standards of excellence, public engagement with diverse and excellent art, lifelong learning in the arts, and the strengthening of communities through the arts. Within these areas, innovative projects are strongly encouraged. An organization may request a grant amount from $10,000 to $100,000. (Deadline:  August 11, 2011)
          Challenge America Fast-Track: To support projects that extend the reach of the arts to underserved populations. Grants are for $10,000. (Deadline: May 26, 2011)
For more information visit http://www.nea.gov/
         Arts In Media (Replaces Arts on Radio and Television) New guidelines are posted incorporating all forms of media including Internet, interactive and mobile technologies, digital games, arts content delivered via satellite, as well as on radio and television.  Here is an introduction to the new Arts in Media guidelines delivered by Alyce Myatt, NEA's Director of Media Arts: http://www.nea.gov/grants/apply/AIM-presentation.html (Deadline: September 1, 2011)

Alaska Summer Festivals

May 6-21 Juneau Jazz and Classics http://jazzandclassics.org/ 

 

June 3-24 Sitka Summer Music Festival  http://www.sitkamusicfestival.org/

  

June 10-14 Kachemak Bay Writers Conference http://writersconference.homer.alaska.edu/


June 12-18 Last Frontier Theater Conference  http://www.pwscc.edu/conference/

 

June 16-19 Seldovia Solstice Music Festival http://seldoviamusicfestival.wordpress.com/

 

June 17-19 Nome Midnight Sun Folk Festival http://www.facebook.com/nomefolkfest

 

July 17-31 Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival  http://www.fsaf.org/ 

 

July 24-30 Wrangell Mountains Writing Workshop http://www.wrangells.org/ww.html 

 

August 5-7 Blueberry Festival, Ketchikan Area Arts and Humanities Council  http://ketchikanarts.org/2010/09/36th-annual-blueberry-arts-festival August 5-7, 2011 

 

August 12-18 Wrangell Mountains Writing Workshop http://www.wrangells.org/ww.html

 

 

ASCA's Important Dates

May 17 Alaska Contemporary Art Bank Open House, Noon - 2pm, at Alaska State Council on the Arts Office.  

 

May 20 Artist In Schools Grant Panel, Anchorage.  
 

May 23 Strategic Planning Task Force, Anchorage.

 

May 25, 2:00pm - unveiling of "What Whales & Infants Know" by Kim Cornwall, Poerty In Place at Beluga Point.  

 

June 1 FY12 Quarterly Grant Deadline for Career Opportunity, Workshop, Community Arts Development, Walker Arts, Cultural Collaborations Project and Master Artist and Apprentice Grants. Call ASCA Staff before applying. To apply go to http://alaska.cgweb.org/

 

June 10-11 Annual Council Meeting, Juneau

Contact Us
COUNCIL CONTACT INFORMATION:

Roy Agloinga (Nome) royagloinga@gmail.com
Adelheid "Micky" Becker (Anchorage) becker@gci.net
Benjamin Brown CHAIR (Juneau) benjamino1789@hotmail.com  
Diane Borgman (Homer) borgwoman@hotmail.com  
Peggy MacDonald Ferguson (Fairbanks) pegferguson@gci.net  
Nancy Harbour (Anchorage) nharbour@alaskapac.org
Robyn Holloway (Juneau) robyn.holloway@noaa.gov
Theresa John (Fairbanks) tjohn@alaska.edu 
Gail Niebrugge VICE CHAIR (Palmer) niebrugg@matonline.net  
Aryne Randall (Wasilla) aryne.k.randall@wellsfargo.com
Patricia "Jinx" Whitaker (Fairbanks) jinxwhitaker@earthlink.net   

STAFF CONTACT INFORMATION:

Charlotte Fox, Executive Director
(907) 269-6607 charlotte.fox@alaska.gov  

Saunders McNeill, Native & Community Arts Program Director
(907) 269-6603 saunders.mcneill@alaska.gov  

Andrea Noble-Pelant, Visual and Literary Arts Program Director
(907) 269-6605 andrea.noble@alaska.gov  

Gina Signe Brown, Administrative Manager
(907) 269-6608 gina.brown@alaska.gov  

Christa Rayl, Office Assistant
(907) 269-6610 christa.rayl@alaska.gov  

Ruth Glenn, Arts in Education Program Director
(907) 269-6682 ruth.glenn@alaska.gov  

Janelle Matz, Alaska Contemporary Art Bank Manager
(907) 269-6604 janelle.matz@alaska.gov

 
If you would like a printer friendly version of this newsletter, please go to our website 
www.eed.state.ak.us/aksca at to Publications under Of Interest titled March 2011.

For additional contact information, please visit our web site: www.eed.state.ak.us/aksca  

 

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Copyright � 2011, Alaska State Council on the Arts, all rights reserved.

Please contact Christa Rayl