March 2015 ASCA News 

In This Issue
A Note from Shannon
Bravo!
Don't Miss!
ASCA Notices
Calls for Art and Requests for Proposals
Grants and Funding
Education and Youth
Professional Development
Residencies
Employment
Articles of Interest
Contact Us
Join Our Mailing List!
Quick Links
Looking for Work in the Arts?
Look no further--these sites include listings of available positions and calls for artists in all areas - museums, performing arts and galleries.
  
 
 
Do you have a notice for the Communique?
A Note from Shannon

As you may recall, ASCA recently partnered with the Chugach National Forest and Alaska Geographic to select and commission ten Alaskan artists to create one-of-a-kind ornaments for the 2015 Capitol Christmas Tree. The designs of these ornaments will be used as inspiration for 4,000 more ornaments made by students and community members across Alaska. The ornaments will decorate the People's Tree that will reside on the U.S. Capitol building lawn and various smaller trees in offices throughout the Capitol and in select locations in Alaska. 

 

Each artist created ornaments that highlight their personal connection to the landscape, wildlife, heritage, or ecosystems of Alaska. Selected designs truly celebrate what it means to give "A Gift from the Great Land." We are happy to announce the artists selected for this project:

 

* Annette Bellamy, Halibut Cove

* Bonnie Dillard, Kodiak

* Annie Duffy, Fairbanks

* Heather Floyd, Kenai

* Jim Heaton, Haines

* Rhonda Horton, Wasilla

* Kristin Link, Glennallen

* Teri Rofkar, Sitka

* Maria Shell, Anchorage

* Sara Tabbert, Fairbanks

 

Selected ornaments will be on display at the Chugach National Forest Supervisor's Office in Anchorage's Historic Ship Creek District on 1st Ave throughout the month of March. More information about how to get involved with the 2015 Capitol Christmas Tree can be found at www.CapitolChristmasTree.com

 

On another note, I wanted to highlight an opportunity offered through The Island Institute in Sitka: The Sitka Fellows Program, which awards six residency fellowships to the most promising national and international applicants under the age of 30. Did you know that an Alaskan has never participated in this terrific program? Applications are strongly encouraged from Alaskans, so if you or someone you know is a visionary thinker under 30, please apply! The deadline is March 29th. 

 

As posted on their web site: The Sitka Fellows Program brings together some of the most exciting, promising talent across all fields and disciplines to spend a summer residency at the Sheldon Jackson Campus in Sitka, Alaska. We look for visionaries of all stripes: frame-busting, independent thinkers who wish to immerse themselves in their work alongside smart, enthusiastic young people from radically different backgrounds. Residents will live for seven weeks on Sitka's 137-year old Sheldon Jackson Campus, a National Historic Landmark. Residents receive studio and research space, food, and a community environment in which they can interact with each other as well as with Sitkans. In sum, residents will be free to dedicate themselves to their work and their ideas. This year's residency will run from July 15-August 30. 


To learn more and apply, go to: http://www.iialaska.org/programs/sitkafellows

 

Bravo!
Congratulations to Maeva Ordaz from West Anchorage High School, who is Alaska's Poetry Out Loud state champion! Congratulations also go to the runner up, Victoria Moloney from Ben Eielson Jr/Sr High School in Fairbanks. 

On Tuesday evening, the ten state finalists competed in the Alaska State Poetry Out Loud recitation competition in Juneau. 

All of this year's state finalists deserve a hearty round of applause--their eloquence and confidence were inspiring!
  • Jillian Elaine Bjornstad from Sand Point School
  • Brianha Gerlach from Gennallen School
  • Madison Gilberto from Thunder Mountain High School in Juneau
  • Jayne Hanna from Nuniwarmiut School in Mekoryuk
  • August Kilcher from Homer High School
  • Victoria Moloney from Ben Eielson Jr/Sr High School in Fairbanks
  • Angela Nashalook from Frank A Degnan High School in Unalakleet
  • Maeva Ordaz from West Anchorage High School 
  • Juliana Smit from Colony High School in Palmer
  • Alexandra Dawn Weber from Skagway School 

This is the tenth year of Poetry Out Loud, a program developed and supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, the Poetry Foundation, and State Arts Agencies, in partnership with schools, school districts, public libraries, local arts agencies across the United States.

 

For many years, the Alaska State Council on the Arts has partnered with the Juneau Arts & Humanities Council (JAHC) to produce the Alaska State Poetry Out Loud finals in Juneau. JAHC coordinates registration and the distribution of materials to Alaskan schools, helps manage the State Finals, and creates opportunities for students to engage with their Capital City while in Juneau.

 

Poetry Out Loud uses a pyramid structure similar to spelling bee competitions; the first level of competition begins at the classroom level, with winners advancing to school-wide competition, then on to regionals and the state finals. The competition concludes with National Finals, which will be held in Washington D.C. on April 28-29, 2015. 

 

The Alaska State Poetry Out Loud Competition will be archived by 360 North at http://www.360north.org/poetry-out-loud-2015/.  

 

Don't miss opportunities in Arts Education from ASCA and our partners!

Youth Cultural Heritage Mini-grants Available

Deadline: March 31, 2015

 

The Alaska State Council on the Arts is developing a new grant program intended to connect Alaska's youth with their cultural heritage. This new program, funded by the Rasmuson Foundation, will launch in the fall of 2015.  

 

As part of our research into what support is needed for groups working to connect Alaska's youth with their cultural heritage, ASCA will award a limited number of quick turnaround mini-grants to organizations who are working at the intersection of youth and cultural heritage. The deadline to apply for a Youth Cultural Heritage Mini-grant is March 31, 2015 or until available funds are expended. Applications will be prioritized in the order they are received, on a first-come, first-served basis. A final report on mini-grant activities will be due by May 31, 2015.

 

The goals of this new program are to:
+ Strengthen Alaska youth's cultural knowledge and self-awareness
+ Engage citizens around cultural heritage
+ Bridge culture and communities

+ Create greater cross-cultural understanding and empathy

 

For complete information and the online application form go to http://bit.ly/YCHMini-grant. If you have questions, please contact Laura Forbes.    

 

Arts Educator Fellowships

Deadline: March 15 (since March 15 falls on a Sunday, final postmark date for mailed applications is March 16)  

 

Arts Educators Fellowships are awards of up to $3,000 to support the artistic professional development for teachers who are responsible for teaching visual or performing arts in public or private schools.This grant is made possible with funding from Rasmuson Foundation and administered, under contract, by the Alaska State Council on the Arts. Grants support explorations, classes, workshops, etc. in the art discipline in which the applicant teaches. The emphasis of the workshops should be on artistic development, not teaching skills.   

 

Complete information and applications are available at http://education.alaska.gov/aksca/ccp.html. Contact Laura Forbes with questions.   

 

Artists in Schools (AIS) Informational Teleconferences Available for AIS Grant Applicants

 

There are two Artists in Schools (AIS) informational teleconferences available for schools, districts and organizations partnering with Alaska schools and districts in developing an AIS residency grant application. The first will be held on Wednesday, March 18 at 3:45 p.m., the second will be on Thursday, March 26 at 3:45 p.m. These teleconferences are provided to assist applicants who plan to apply for the April 15th deadline for the 2015-2016 school year, as well as for schools or organizations who are considering whether to apply for the November 1st deadline for the 2015-2016 school year.

More information about the AIS grant program of the Alaska State Council on the Arts is available at

http://education.alaska.gov/aksca/AIS.html . A current roster of teaching artists who are available for AIS residencies is available at http://education.alaska.gov/aksca/AIE/teaching-artist-roster-2015.pdf.  

 

The application is available online at http://alaska.cgweb.org/. RSVP for one of the teleconferences online at http://bit.ly/AISFY16RSVP, or you may also RSVP by phone to Arts Education Program Director Laura Forbes at (907) 269-6682. Once you have let us know which teleconference you would like to attend, we will email you with call-in details.    

  

Alaska Arts Education Consortium Opens Registration for Summer Institutes

Registration for the Alaska Arts Education Consortium (AAEC) Summer Institutes is now open! Complete information and registration is available on the AAEC website at http://akartsed.org/2015-arts-institutes-registration/. The Institutes are most applicable for Alaskan teachers working to integrate the arts and culture into their teaching practices.  

 

AAEC will hold three institutes over the summer of 2015. They are:

  • Sitka Northwest Coast Cultural Arts Institute | June 1 - 5, 2015  | In partnership with AAEC, the Sitka School District will host a 5-day Special Topics institute, focused on the cultural arts of the indigenous people of Southeast Alaska. The particular emphasis of this institute will be on Storytelling - both in the traditional ways of Tlingit-Haida people and using contemporary technology.
  • Bethel Cultural Arts Institute | July 26 - 30, 2015 | Based on repeated requests for more in-depth experiences with the traditional, cultural art forms in Alaska, the AAEC will sponsor the fourth in a 5 year cycle of one week institutes featuring major Alaska Native cultures. The 2015 institute will focus on YUP'IK arts, language, and culture. It will include visual and performing arts - carving, grass basket weaving, hands-on subsistence fish practices and preparation, storytelling and singing, and interactive experiences with Yup'ik Elders.
  • Juneau Basic Arts Institute |  July 27 - August 7, 2015 | Participants will learn how to apply brain research into their classroom practice and understand how the arts increase student engagement and achievement. A particular focus of this Basic Arts Institute will be the cultural arts of Southeast Alaska and performing arts that can amplify the stories of this region - in person and via media. Participants will work with experts, local artists and cultural leaders to explore a variety of arts activities that they can use to integrate the performing, visual, cultural and media arts into their curriculum. 

 

UAS, 500 level credit is available for each Institute. Space is limited in all institutes, and potential participants may submit questions through the AAEC website. Rates for teachers from AAEC member districts, and from non-member districts are available on the registration landing page for each institute.   

ASCA Notices
Cultural Collaborations Arts Excursion and Access Grants are available for arts education projects in the 2013-14 school year, on a rolling deadline. Contact Laura Forbes for more information.  

 

Harper Arts Presenting and Touring Fund Grants are closed for FY15. The new cycle will begin July 1, 2015. 

 

Arts Educator Fellowships | Deadline March, 15th, 2015 | for information/application click here

 

Artists in Schools FY16 Informational Teleconferences Available | Wednesday or Thursday, March 18 or 19 at 3:45 pm. | For information and RSVP go to http://bit.ly/AISFY16RSVP.   

 

ASCA 4th Quarter Council Teleconference | Friday, March 20, 2015, 12:00 noon - 1:30 pm

 

Artists in Schools FY16 Round I Applications | Deadline April 15, 2015 | For information and application click here

 

Youth Cultural Heritage Mini-Grants | Deadline March 31, 2015 | for information and application click here

 

FY16 Annual and Biennial Grant Review Panel | Thursday April 16 and Friday April 17

 

ASCA Annual Council Meeting | June 7-8, 2015, Anchorage  

 

Cultural Heritage for Youth Survey

This survey is being conducted to help the Alaska State Council on the Arts (ASCA), in partnership with the Rasmuson Foundation, develop a new grant program to support cultural heritage for youth. The Rasmuson Foundation established funding for this program with the goal of supporting strategies that connect Alaska's youth with their cultural heritage. The program will ultimately provide funding support for youth-focused cultural heritage programs.

The intended goals of this program are to:

* Strengthen Alaska youth's cultural knowledge and self-awareness
* Engage citizens around cultural heritage
* Bridge culture and communities
* Create greater cross-cultural understanding and empathy

With this survey we are looking to learn what is being done across the state, and what gaps in programs or services currently exist. Your response will help us design a program that offers high-impact cultural heritage programs in Alaska.  

 

Please take the survey at http://bit.ly/ASCA_culturalheritage_survey. Also, if you are interested in keeping up-to-date on the program's development, please visit and like the Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/AKyouthculture.  

 

Calls for Artists and Requests for Proposals

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 [email protected]

 

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 [email protected] with questions. More information and the complete RFQ is available here.

  

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 [email protected] or 253-798-5926. Washington State Historical Society, 1911 Pacific Avenue, Tacoma, WA 984 

 

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 [email protected]

 

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

 

Buckminster Fuller Institute: Fuller Challenge Call for Proposals 

Deadline: March 31, 2015

 

The Buckminster Fuller Institute announces the Call for Proposals to the 2015 Fuller Challenge. Recognized as "Socially-Responsible Design's Highest Award," the Fuller Challenge invites activists, architects, artists, designers, entrepreneurs, scientists, students and planners from all over the world to submit their innovative solutions to some of humanity's most pressing problems. A $100,000 prize is awarded to support the development and implementation of one outstanding strategy.   

 

Poems in Place Project

Deadline: April 1, 2015

The Poems in Place project is seeking poems for Fort Abercrombie State Historical Park, Kodiak, and for Caines Head State Recreation Area, Seward. For more information, to see current poems in place, or to access rules and entry forms for this year's Poem in Place invitation, please visit http://www.alaskacenterforthebook.org/

 

Arts Northwest Booking Conference Showcase Applications Open  

Deadline: April 6, 2015

 

The Arts Northwest Juried Showcases are renowned for the commitment to quality and diversity, as well as its reputation as one of the most effective methods for artists to increase their visibility with presenters in the west.The performing artists/ensembles are selected by a peer panel process to present a 12-minute excerpt of their work during the annual conference. These showcases are highly sought after and extremely competitive.

 

After Hours Showcasing artists are also selected from this pool of applicants. The After Hours Showcases are well attended core programs of the NW Booking Conference. 

You or your agent do not need be a member of Arts Northwest to APPLY to showcase at the Arts Northwest Booking Conference. (An agency's membership covers the artists on their roster). IF you are selected, you must agree to become a member and have representation in the exhibit hall. For application and information go to the Arts Northwest website at https://www.artsnw.org/showcase.php

Call for Art | Rochester Contemporary Art Center 6 x 6

Artwork Entries Due: April 19 (Postmarked April 18)   

 

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 Artists | Crafts Weekend at the Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center

Deadline: April 24

 

The Anchorage Museum invites artists and artisans to apply for the annual popular juried craft event, Thanksgiving Weekend, Nov. 27-29. Artists may submit digital images via the online application process beginning Monday, March 2. Deadline for entries is Friday, April 24. Selections will be made by May 8.  

 

Call for Entries |14th Annual Northwest Eye Regional Fine Art Photography  

Competition and Exhibition 

Deadline:  Tuesday, April 28th 5 p.m.

 

The Northwest Eye is an exhibition open to all photographers residing in the Pacific Northwest: Northern California (from Monterey Bay north), Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, Yukon Territory, and Alaska. The Exhibition is sponsored by the Pierson Building Center. Exhibition dates are May 2-31, 2015. For additional entry information please call the Humboldt Arts Council at 707-442-0278 or visit our website at www.humboldtarts.org or contact:  Jemima Harr.   [email protected]    (707) 442-0278  ext. 205

AIGA: "Cased" Annual Design Competition 

Deadline: April 30, 2015

 

AIGA's annual design competition is now named "Cased," and celebrates the best in contemporary design through case studies. Show others why your design matters, whether your project was for a global company, a national nonprofit, a local small business, or self-promotion. Honorees will be affiliated with the prestigious AIGA Design Archives as well as showcased on AIGA.org and AIGA's social media platforms.

 

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, 2nd Place  $250, 3rd 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 [email protected] or Debra Brochin [email protected] with questions.

 

Dave Bown Projects - 10th Semiannual Competition

Deadline: June 6, 2015

 

Dave Bown Projects will be buying works of art from artists as submissions are received. Jurors are 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.

 

Prizes: $10,000 USD (1 artist will receive $5,000 USD and 5 artists will each receive $1,000 USD).

Prospectus: davebownprojects.com 

 

For more information, call 1-917-365-5265 or email [email protected] 

 

Grants and Funding
Mini-Grant Program for Public Libraries and Public Schools - Ezra Jack Keats Foundation

Deadline: March 31

 

Description: The Ezra Jack Keats (EJK) Foundation awards minigrants for projects that foster creative expression and give students the opportunity to work together and interact with a diverse community. Proposed projects may provide special activities outside the curriculum or may support the standard curriculum. Examples of projects include murals, story walks, quilts, theater productions, newspapers, intergenerational activities, and programs that bring dissimilar communities together. Eligible applicants are public schools, public libraries, and public preschool programs in the United States and its territories. Click here for more information.   

  

$1000.00 Working Art Grant/Purchase Award

Deadline: March 31, 2015

 

The Working Art Grant/Purchase Award is a one-time purchase award intended to disperse small but vitalizing bursts of funding to support an artist's ongoing art making process.

The Working Art Grant/Purchase Award is available to all domestic and international artists working in all media. As a stipulation for eligibility to receive the Working Art Grant/Purchase Award, we ask that each prospective recipient be willing to exchange one of their works of our later mutual agreement in return. We will reimburse the artist's shipping costs.

If you are interested in being considered for one of these awards, please send us 5 digital images/files of recent work, (total mail size no larger than 2 MB please), or web links to video/multimedia, via email. No written proposals or CV's are required unless the artist would like to include them. Instead, please simply include in the body of your email current contact information, and send to:
[email protected]. There is no application form. There is an application review fee of $25.00

 

2015 Native Arts and Cultures Foundation (NACF) Artist Fellowship

Deadline: April 6, 2015, 5 pm PST

 

The coveted NACF national award includes support ranging up to $20,000 per artist. Awards will be made in six artistic disciplines, including: performing arts, filmmaking, literature, music, traditional arts and visual arts. To apply, artists who are members of federally and state-recognized U.S. tribes, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian communities can review criteria and complete an application at http://your.culturegrants.org. The foundation will announce award recipients in August 2015. For questions and technical support, contact Program Officer Andre Bouchardat [email protected] or (360) 314-2421.

 

USArtists International

Third Round Deadline: April 17, 2015

 

USArtists International provides support for American dance, music, and theater ensembles and solo artists from across the country who have been invited to perform at significant international festivals and, new this year, performing arts markets anywhere in the world outside the United States and its territories.

The application submission deadline for the final of three grant rounds of the 2015 program is for projects taking place between July 1, 2015 and June 30, 2016.

To access the program guidelines and online application, click
here. Questions about USArtists International should be directed to Robyn Busch at [email protected] . 

 

Education and Youth  

Alaska Arts Education Consortium Summer Arts Institutes
Registration now open

The AAEC will hold three institutes this summer, including a Basic Art Institute in Juneau, a Cultural Arts Institute in Bethel and a Northwest Coast Cultural Arts Institute in Sitka. 500 level credit is available for each of these institutes for teachers.

For complete information and registration visit the AAEC website at http://akartsed.org/2015-arts-institutes-registration/.

Alaska's Justice for All Art Contest  

Deadline: March 15, 2015 

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 [email protected] with any questions during the application process.

 

Professional Development

 

EmcArts will accept initial inquiries for the Community Innovation Labs

Deadline: March 31, 2015


In up to three US communities in 2015, EmcArts will pilot Community Innovation Labs, a new approach to solving tough social challenges by deeply integrating artists and artistic experiences into rigorously designed and facilitated change processes. The new program aims to build on learning from two emerging fields of practice: creative placemaking and social innovation labs. Lead support for the pilot Labs is being provided by the Kresge Foundation.

 

For more information about the program, download this detailed Information Packet .  You can also watch this video  of a recent 1-hour webinar.

 

Pilot Community Identification Process

Through March 31, 2015, EmcArts will be accepting Lab inquiries from groups of local stakeholders. Inquiries can be summited online here.

 

Inquiries should include written reflection on the following questions:

  • What problematic situation in your community would be a good fit to explore in a pilot Lab - one that has resisted traditional planning approaches and requires many stakeholders to carry out new strategies?
  • In what ways might a pilot Lab build on existing momentum, networks, and efforts?
  • What community stakeholders from a range of sectors and backgrounds might be champions of this effort? Who is already committed?

We'll be looking for a coordinated inquiry from multiple stakeholders in your community that represent different aspects of your local system. Don't hesitate to reach out to Project Lead, Karina Mangu-Ward, if you have any questions, [email protected] 


While the schedule for implementing the full Community Innovation Labs is dependent on what we learn from the pilots, we expect to announce the official launch in early 2016. We encourage community leaders interested in the full Labs to keep in contact with us between now and the end of 2015.


2015 Emerging Program Institute | Omaha, NE 

April 21-23, 2015

 

Join the Alliance of Artists Communities  on April 21-23 for the 2015 Emerging Program Institute

 

This two-day training is for anyone considering, planning, just starting, or re-developing an artist residency program! Covering everything from growing a funding base to matching artist selection with mission, the Institute offers best practices, models for success, a community of peers, and access to residency leaders, funders, and artists from around the country.

 

This year's Institute is hosted at the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts

in Omaha, Nebraska. All are welcome! Space is limited. Click here for more information. 

Kachemak Bay Writers' Conference 2015

June 12-16, 2015

Land's End Resort, Homer AK 

Sponsored by Kachemak Bay Campus - Kenai Peninsula College UAA 

 

This nationally-recognized writing conference features workshops, readings and panel presentations in fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and the business of writing. Registration is open now.

For registration information, click here. For complete information about conference activities, schedule and speakers, click here.  

 

Residencies

Select Fair Spring Residency Program

Deadline: March 21, 2015

 

SELECT is looking for a cutting edge artist or collective to receive our yearly residency slot. The winning artist/s will be granted a complimentary studio in Brooklyn for the months of April & May (sponsored by Industry City). While at this 8 week residency, artists are encouraged to challenge themselves by pushing their work in new directions.  The SELECT team will provide mentorship and weekly studio visits.  SELECT will document your work in progress through our residency blog.  While at your residency you will also be able to participate in the Industry City Open Studios (Saturday, April 18th - 11 - 6 pm ). The residency will culminate in the presentation of your project at the SELECT Fair in Manhattan during Frieze Art Fair week (May 13 -17, 2015).

 

Eligibility: Artists from the United States and abroad 18 years or older

Application requirements: 5 images of work / links to video, a project proposal, CV / Resume
Application fee: $50 


For more information, click here,

Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) Artists-in-Residence Program Seeks Artists

Application Deadlines:

March 26th, 2015 for September - November 2015 residencies

July 10th, 2015 for September - November 2015 residencies

 

The IAIA Artist-in-Residence Program seeks artists for 1-month residencies taking place on the Institute of American Indian Arts campus in Santa Fe, New Mexico between Sept. 2015-May 2016.

 

This residency program has the following geographic restrictions: the artist must be a Native American or First Nations artist from one of the following regions:

- Pacific Northwest (Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, or Alaska)

- Upper Midwest (Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, South Dakota),

- Southwest (Arizona, New Mexico, Southern California)

 

For this three-year cycle of residencies, IAIA will host a total of 28 artists. Six artists will be selected for the first cycle (Fall of 2015) including two residencies for artists who will be able to use the foundry and sculpture facilities.

 

Residencies benefits: $3000 stipend, housing, meal plan for one person, car rental (if needed) and $200 budget for gas during residency, studio space on campus, $500 materials budget, and airfare to and from IAIA.

 

Activities for the Artist-in-Residence include: opening and closing receptions, one public workshop/demonstration, two classroom workshop/demonstrations, one student critique session, and participation in residency program assessment.

 

Link to Online Application  

Need help with the online application? Contact Lara M. Evans at 505.424.2389 or [email protected] 

 

Employment

Job Opportunities at the Homer Council on the Arts 

 

HCOA's Board of Directors is recruiting applicants for two positions: Operations and Programs Coordinator and Executive Director. Applications will be reviewed by a Search Committee who will select candidates for interviews. 

 

The coordinator begins training in April, with the first regular day of work on May 4, 2015. The executive director begins training in May with full-time work starting in June 2015. 


To apply, please submit (1) your resume; (2) a letter explaining why you are the best person for the job, your understanding of HCOA's programs and mission, your experience with the non-profit sector; and (3) three references and their contact information; at least two references should be former employers. 


Application materials must be submitted by e-mail to 
[email protected] . Positions are open until filled. Position descriptions are available online here.

 

Articles of Interest
The Seward Mural Society recently completed a mural exchange program with Seward's sister city of Obihiro, Japan (2013-2014).  To celebrate the 40th anniversary of this relationship, the city of Seward sent a team of seven local artists to Obihiro to paint a mural for the city zoo. Obihiro liked the concept so much that the following year, they sent a delegation of Japanese artists to Seward to paint a mural for the Alaska city.  Both painting experiences used local volunteers (as many as 60 individuals) to help with the painting, under the direction of the artists.  Despite organizational challenges and other differences, the experience was a positive one for all involved - artists, laypeople, and government officials alike. Those who served on the committee appreciated collaborating with city employees towards a common goal, as a great example of cities and artists working together to improve international relations and cultural understanding. For photos of the project on both sides of the ocean, click here.

University of Alaska Press Publishes Poet Jeremy Pataky's First Book

Jeremy Pataky's debut book of poetry, Overwinter, published by University of Alaska Press in the Alaska Literary Series, will be launched in Anchorage on Friday, March 13th at Hugi-Lewis Studios starting at 6:30 pm. The event will feature live poetry by Pataky and live music by Molly McDermott.  For more information, contact: Katrina Pearson at [email protected] 

 
Contact Us

ASCA Staff
Shannon Daut, Executive Director
(907) 269-6607  [email protected]  

Saunders McNeill, Native & Community Arts Program Director
(907) 269-6603 [email protected]  

Andrea Noble-Pelant, Visual and Literary Arts Program Director
(907) 269-6605 [email protected]  

Laura Forbes, Arts in Education Program Director
(907) 269-6682  [email protected] 

Janelle Matz, Alaska Contemporary Art Bank Manager
(907) 269-6604 [email protected]

Gina Signe Brown, Administrative Manager
(907) 269-6608 [email protected]  

Keren Lowell, Office Assistant
(907) 269-6610 [email protected] 

ASCA Council Members

Adelheid "Micky" Becker (Anchorage)
Benjamin Brown CHAIR (Juneau)
Diane Borgman (Homer)  
Peggy MacDonald Ferguson (Fairbanks)
Nancy Harbour (Anchorage)
Aryne Randall (Wasilla)
Josie Stiles (Nome)
William F. Tull (Palmer)
Mary Wegner (Sitka)
Kes Woodward (Fairbanks)


For additional information, please visit our web site:  http://education.alaska.gov/aksca/  

        

Copyright � 2014, Alaska State Council on the Arts, all rights reserved.