At the Governor's Awards for the Arts and Humanities in Juneau last week, Alaskans had an opportunity to learn about the leadership of the awardees, as well as see work from artists and humanitarians in action. One of those artists was Anchorage-based dance multi-disciplinary company, Momentum Dance Collective, who presented a piece from a larger work they've been developing since last summer. This seemed like a great opportunity to introduce a new, recurring feature that discusses the impact of ASCA's grant investments on the arts in Alaskan communities.   

With support from an ASCA Community Arts Development grant, Momentum is introducing a new approach that will engage the community of Anchorage to develop a snapshot of the city in its Centennial year. "People were thinking about the history (of Anchorage) and we wanted to look at where we stand now. What are our accomplishments, and what are the challenges?" said Momentum's Artistic Director, Becky Kendall. The company is also interested in the future of what started as a small town."And as we become an urban  

environment, do we still have that feeling and those values, or are we losing that just because of our  

growth?"

Momentum Dance Collective in performance at the Governor's Awards for the Arts & Humanities. Photo by Seanna O'Sullivan

There are many "a-ha" moments that come with this way of crowd-sourcing content for a performance work: "The research and discussion is changing our view as people, so it's naturally changing the content, we're changing ourselves. There's a bit more responsibility to represent these voices accurately, or, most importantly, respectfully," Kendall said. "Portraying the voice of an entire city is obviously complex, and we can't address everything. We can only represent a feel of what we see. Developing the content has been a struggle, because you have to pick and choose. Hopefully the audience can fill in those gaps as they bring their experiences." Momentum will be including interactive elements for audiences at the neighborhood-based performances in the spring, hoping the contributions of those audiences will extend the discussion even further into documentation or exhibition of the project through other mediums and venues.

Here at the Alaska State Council on the Arts, we are seeing a growing emphasis in the arts and culture sector on the ways in which citizens are exploring how their expressive lives impact discussion and action related core issues for our state: in education, in relation to social challenges in our communities, in community and economic development. We'd love to hear about and share this kind of work. To let us know what's going on in your community, send an email to keren.lowell@alaska.gov.

To learn more about the Impact project, check out Momentum's website at http://www.momentumdance.org/impact . The company is also creating space for other performers to present work during the first act of their neighborhood-based performances in the spring. To get involved with the Impact project, you can propose a performance piece, or other partnership through the website at http://www.momentumdance.org/get-involved/. You can also contact the Community Outreach Director, Leticia Wade at leticia@momentumdance.org, or contact Becky Kendall at becky@momentumdance.org for more information.

Arctic Art Contest! Deadline FAST approaching - enter now!

Deadline: February 23, 2015

Alaskan artists age 18-25 are invited to participate in the Alaska preliminary round of the 2015 Arctic Council Youth Art Contest.

The Alaska Humanities Forum, the Alaska State Council on the Arts, and the Alaska Federation of Natives are working together to facilitate a statewide contest to choose three (3) artworks for entry in the international competition. Deadline for submission is February 23.

Canada's areas of focus during their chairmanship have been: responsible Arctic resource development, safe Arctic shipping and sustainable circumpolar communities.

Artwork specifications:

• Two-dimensional original artwork only
• Any medium except photography
• On material that can be framed (e.g. paper or canvas)
• Maximum dimensions of 24" x 24"
• Maximum weight 4.4 pounds

To enter the Alaska state contest, please visit the Alaska Humanities Forum website: http://www.akhf.org/

One entry per person and application must be complete. Questions? Please contact Nancy Hemsath with the Alaska Humanities Forum at (907) 272-5374.

2015 Left Coast Annual Call for Entries

April 10 - May 17, 2015

Deadline: Tues Feb 10, 2015, 11 pm PST 

Open to All California, Oregon, Washington, and Alaska artists | All Fine Arts Visual Media

Awards: Two artists will receive $250 and a 2016 exhibition, two artists will receive $250

Enter Online: Artists may enter online through the CaFE entry system.  CaFE provides artists with an easy-to-use system to create a profile with contact information, upload digital images of your artwork, and apply to a number of open calls for entry at one time.  There is no cost to register your profile, and you can update it at anytime.  Visit our Call for Entries prospectus now and obtain complete entry information by clicking here. Sanchez Art Center, 1220 Linda Mar Blvd., Pacifica, California 94044 ph.650-355-1894

Call for Submission: "Fusion" National Juried Exhibition 2015

Deadline: February 22nd, 2015

Categories: sculpture, painting, drawing, photo, printmaking, ceramics, assemblage, collage, mixed media, fiber art, artist book. Click here for complete prospectus. Go to ARC's website for more information. 

Arc Gallery, 1246 Folsom St, San Francisco 94103   

Arctic Comfort Design Competition

Main Street Gallery Call for Artists and Curators | Ketchikan, AK
Deadline: March 2, 2015

The Main Street Gallery hosts 10 exhibits each year and displays a wide variety of mediums in Solo, Group, Invitational and Open Call shows from local and national artists, as well as traveling exhibits.

The Main Street Gallery is a non-profit, year-round visual art exhibit space committed to:

• Providing exhibit opportunities for both emerging and established artists;
• Exposing the Ketchikan area community to a broad variety of visual art forms;
• Encouraging local participation and appreciation of the arts;
• Nurturing community artist development; and
• Providing an encouraging environment for innovative art forms.

See website for more details.  http://ketchikanarts.org/main-street-gallery/gallery-programs-events

Call for Submissions | 8X10 Festival

Deadline: March 15, 2015

Fairbanks Drama Association and The Looking Glass Group Theatre invite Alaskan residents to send their best 10-minute plays to be considered for the 15th Annual 8X10 Festival of New Alaskan Plays. Eight ten-minute plays will be given rehearsed staged readings at the Festival, which will be held April 24 & 25, 2015, at FDA's Hap Ryder Riverfront Theater in Fairbanks.

Guidelines for entering scripts:

• Alaskan residents only.
• One entry per playwright. One author per play. No musicals or children's plays.
• Submit 5 (five) copies of each script. Staple or paper clip the play. Do not use binders or folders of any kind. Plays cannot be returned.
• Put playwright's name and contact info, including phone and e-mail, on the cover (title) page. This is the only place the author's name should appear.
• "Cast of Characters" page with brief character descriptions and time & place should follow cover page. Number pages beginning with the first page of dialogue.
• Plays should be between 8 & 12 minutes, based on one minute of playing time per page of script, 12 pt. font size, and be written in standard playwriting format.
• Cast size should be no more than eight actors.
• No electronic submissions or Express mail.

Submissions must be postmarked no later than March 15, 2015 or hand-delivered by March 15 to:

            8X10 Festival

            Fairbanks Drama Association/ Looking Glass Group Theatre

            1852 Second Avenue

            Fairbanks, Alaska 99701

For more information, contact: Peggy MacDonald Ferguson, Executive Director, Fairbanks Drama Association 

Phone 907-456-PLAY or email pegferguson@gci.net

By submitting an entry, you are affirming that you are the sole creator of the play, and entitled to confer performance rights. You further affirm that, if your play is chosen, you will grant performance rights, royalty-free, to Fairbanks Drama Association/ Looking Glass Group Theatre for two performances during the 8x10 Festival on April 24 & 25, 2015. The play remains the sole property of the playwright.

Call for Submissions | Whitefish Review  Mythic Beasts and Monsters

Deadline: March 15, 2015

Submissions for Whitefish Review's summer 2015 issue are accepted in art, photography, fiction, non-fiction and poetry. Editors want you to dig into supernatural history. Nessie, Sasquatch, and cousin Yeti-the Brontosaurus still rumbling somewhere deep in the Congo's swamps. Fairies, Trolls, Dragons, Gods 'n' Demons. Montana's own Flathead Lake Monster. What natural models are these beasts based on? What human hopes and fears? Why do we seem to wish that those creatures are really out there? Dig deep. What monsters lurk inside us?

All submissions to Whitefish Review are accepted via an online submission manager at www.WhitefishReview.org. For full guidelines, visit the web site.

Call for Art | Wasilla Public Library

Deadline: March 16, 2015

The City of Wasilla is soliciting Requests for Qualifications from artists for art in the new Wasilla Public Library. Contact Charlotte Fox at cafox@gci.net with questions. More information and the complete RFQ is available at 

http://www.cityofwasilla.com/departments-divisions/library.

Call for Art | In the Spirit

Deadline: March 20, 2015

Help celebrate In the Spirit's 10th year and submit your own artwork. Click here for the application or go online to InTheSpiritArts.org.

To accompany the arts exhibition, the Museum will host an In the Spirit festival on August 8 which will include performances by Native artists and feature booth space for vendors.  In addition to the annual festival, even more programs and events throughout the run of the exhibition will commemorate and celebrate ten years of incredible artwork displayed here at the museum

If you have any questions about the application process or In the Spirit exhibition or festival, please contact Molly Wilmoth, Community Outreach Specialist at molly.wilmoth@wshs.wa.gov or 253-798-5926.

Washington State Historical Society, 1911 Pacific Avenue, Tacoma, WA 98402

Call for Submissions | Cahaba River Literary Journal April 2015

Submission Deadline: March 20, 2015.

Call for submissions from new and seasoned writers: stories, poems, essays, and color and black and white photography on all subjects, in any form. Length of stories: no more than 2500 words; poetry no more than 25 lines (only submit 3 poems at one time); BW photos (no more than 5 photos with a short story (no more than 150 words to accompany it as a caption). Pays in copies. Email Submissions Only. 

For more information about submission guidelines and fees, go to the website Cahaba River Literary Journal. Mail submissions to Cahaba River Literary Journal,  2413 Bethel Rd., Logansport, LA 71049

Phone 318-564-6031 or email cahabariverliteraryjournal@gmail.com

Call for Submissions | Soap Stone Creek Literary Journal May 2015 

Bi-monthly Print Journal for Children of all Ages

Fiction: Short Stories for children, all ages (500-1000 Words)

Essays for children, all ages (500-1000 Words)

Poetry for children, all ages (Up to 20 lines)

We accept stories by children (Parents Signature Form upon request)

Artwork by students: 8 �" x 11" original pictures by students

Photos (no more than 6 per submission)

Manuscript Format: MSWord document, double-spaced as an attachment, with a cover letter in the body of the email. Please include name, contact info and brief bio with all submissions. Pay is in copies.

Send submissions to Soap Stone Creek Literary Journal, 2413 Bethel Rd., Logansport LA 71049 Email: soapstonecreekjournal@gmail.com

Call for Art | Mural Arts Exchange

Deadline: March 31, 2015, 11 pm, EST

Meridian International Center, a non-profit based in Washington, D.C., is now accepting applications for the 2015-2016 Community Engagement through the Arts Exchange Program for American mural artists. Four American artists will be selected to travel to 4 different countries for 3.5-week programs in 2015 and 2016. Projects should be designed to advance U.S. foreign policy goals in that country by addressing a local community issue, as youth or women's empowerment, gender-based violence, social inclusion, regional stability, and the environment.

Meridian is currently accepting applications for projects in Brazil, Cuba, India, and Turkey. Apply online through CaFE or download a full printable application here. 

Call for Art | Rochester Contemporary Art Center 6 x 6

Artwork Entries Due: April 19 (Postmarked April 18)   

Global Online Preview Begins: May 22 at 10am
In-Gallery Preview (no purchasing): June 1-5, 1-9pm
Opening Party & Artwork Sale: June 6, 4-10pm ($10)
Global Online Purchasing Begins: June 9 at 10am
Purchased Artwork Pick-Up: July 12-15, 12-8pm

Each artwork must be 6x6 square inches (15cm) or mounted to a 6x6 board, signed only on the back, and exhibited anonymously. All entries will be accepted and exhibited in the gallery and online. All artworks will also be offered for sale to the public for $20 each to benefit RoCo. Artist names will be revealed to the buyer upon purchase and all artworks will remain on display through July 12, 2015. Sold Out artists' names will be revealed next to their work online on July 3. Artists may enter up to 4 artworks of any medium (2D or 3D) and there is no fee to enter. Thank you for your participation!

Mail or deliver your artwork before April 18, 2015 to:

Rochester Contemporary Art Center, 137 East Avenue, Rochester, NY 14604 USA

Call for entries | The Printmaker's Hand III

Deadline: May 5, 2015

Exhibition Dates:  September 4-27, 2015

The Printmaker's Hand III is a juried show of fine prints sponsored by Corvidae Press and will be held at Northwind Arts Center located at 701 Water St., Port Townsend, WA.

Only hand-pulled prints will be accepted.  Works may combine traditional printmaking techniques with digital or other media.  Entries must be original, entirely the work of the entrant, executed within the last 3 years without the supervision of an instructor.  Entries must not be copies, derivatives or based on other copyrighted or published prints.  No giclee prints will be accepted. Prints must not exceed 36" wide including frame, must be sturdily framed, wired and ready to hand. Artist must be a resident of WA, OR, ID, MT, AK or CA. A nonrefundable entry fee of $45 is required for a maximum of three entries.

Awards:
Best of Show  $400
2^nd Place  $250
3^rd Place   $200
Honorable Mention (2)  $100 Each
Juror's Award  $100          

For the entire prospectus, click here. Contact The Printmaker's Hand III committee members Ann Treacy ptaddress@gmail.com or Debra Brochin dbrochin@msn.com with questions.

Postmark deadline for mailed applications: March 1, 2015.

Deadline for hand-delivered applications: Friday, Feb. 27, 2015, 5 pm

Rasmuson Foundation's annual Individual Artist Awards go directly to artists to support activities that advance

California State Summer School for the Arts in Sacramento, CA

July 11 - August 7, 2015

Application deadline: February 28, 2015

A four-week summer program for talented and motivated high school students in California and beyond. Animation, music, film/video, theater, dance, creative writing, and visual art. Go here for an overview of programs.

Scholarships available. For complete information about CSSSA, click here.

Alaska's Justice for All Art Contest 

The 2015 "Justice for All" Art Contest is under way. This year, the categories are Grades K-4 and Grades 5-8. The prize money is $250, $150, and $100 for 1st through 3rd place in each category. For further information, and to view the works of past contest winners, interested teachers are encouraged to visit http://courts.alaska.gov/outreach.htm#art.

2015 College Board Award for Excellence and Innovation in the Arts

Deadline: April 13, 2015

This annual award recognizes and celebrates the achievements of arts initiatives for students in grades 6-12 that promote learning and creativity in exemplary and innovative ways.

Awards are given in three categories:

-Arts Integration: Awarding an initiative that uses an innovative approach to cross-curricular study, drawing connections between arts-based learning and the themes, content, and ideas of other subjects.

-Equity Through Arts: Awarding a program that uses the arts as a tool for increasing academic engagement among underserved students.

-Civic Engagement/Professional Partnerships: Recognizing a program that uses art experiences as vehicles for engagement with local arts professionals and/or nonprofit organizations.

An award of $5,000 will be given to a winning school in each category. Among the three winning schools, one will be named the national winner and will be awarded an additional $2,500.

Visit the website at https://artsaward.collegeboard.org/award.php for further details and full application instructions, including eligibility criteria. Email acharleroy@collegeboard.org with any questions during the application process.

Ketchikan Teaching Artist Academy

The Ketchikan Area Arts & Humanities Council is offering a Teaching Artist Academy via the OWL Network. Sessions will be held on Saturday, March 7th from 10am to 6pm at OWL sites in Ketchikan, Craig, Thorne Bay, Petersburg, Wrangell, Cordova, Metlakatla and Hollis. This workshop is meant to support the professional development of currently working teaching artists, and professional artists exploring the addition of teaching artist work to their art practices. There is a required minimum of two registrants per site. Participants may also seek UAS credit.

Artists in dance, media and Alaska Native arts, music, theatre, literature, writers, weavers and other visual artists are encouraged to register. The workshop features expert teachers, administrators, and consultants who will demonstrate:

• Current brain-based teaching strategies and how they tap into brain functioning like no other discipline
• How to prepare a lesson plan and integrate it with the school's curriculum and the Alaska Education Standards
• How to engage and manage a classroom full of students during a two or three week residency

Additional pre and post work requires: guided observation in a school classroom, development of a residency project, teaching a component to a group of students and a post-workshop phone conference.

For complete information, and registration, visit the Ketchikan Area Arts and Humanities Council website at http://ketchikanarts.org/events-programs/arts-education. If you have any questions about the Teaching Artist Academy or the Artist in the Schools program, contact Christa Bruce, Education Director at christab@ketchikanarts.org or 907.225.2211.

VSA Webinar Series

"Brave New World, Questions and Answers for Non-Just-Yet-Professional Literary and Visual Artists"

Tue, Feb 10, 2015 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM EST

This webinar offers tools for individuals who are interested in (or have already been) creating professional level works, but are "stuck" on what must actually happen once the work is finished and needs to find placement in the public market. With modern healthcare creating ever more solutions for individuals with disabilities or chronical illness, these individuals are experiencing better qualities of life. However, these advances have also created a new population where individuals are often too ill to work, but too educated or talented to allow those capabilities to go to waste. Our lead presenter is part of that population and actively seeks ways to help fellow artists make the most of their talents and therefore, their lives.

Intended Audience: Visual and literary artists of any age who have already created work that is suitable for public display or sale. Also, aspiring artists in the aforementioned realms who are perhaps seeking a more concrete way of developing their talents.

Level: Beginner/Intermediate

Presenters:

* Melissa Haas is the author and illustrator of The Sickapotamus.

* Christy Batta is a professional graphic artist who currently works at SW Creatives, LLC, a graphic design firm in Silver Spring, MD that focuses exclusively on nonprofit organizations.

Real-time captioning will be available at http://www.streamtext.net/player?event=JFKCENTER during the Webinar presentation. Register for this FREE Webinar at: http://goo.gl/meGuEG

2015 Meg Hunt Residency Program

Application Deadline: March 5, 2015

Artists and writers of all genres and at all stages in their career are encouraged to apply for one of several two-week residencies. Selections will be made through a competitive admissions process. We encourage emerging and mid-level career voices as well as mature professionals. 

Selected artists will receive room and board for their entire stay in exchange for community outreach or the donation of artwork as a result of the residency. During the residency, the artist will be asked to share their experience with the public by demonstration, talk, or other means. 

2015 Dates:

June 3-16

June 24-July 7

July 22-August 4

August 19-September 1

Learn more on our website 

Apply here 

Please contact Kristin Link at kristin@wrangells.org or call 907-554-4446.