ARTSERVE MI: Fed Action Alert! Advocacy link below

ArtServe Michigan

Federal Action Alert: Senator Coburn Amendment

United States Senator Tom Coburn (R - OK) has introduced an amendment (Senate Amendment 4697) to The Food Safety Act (S. 501), scheduled to be voted on Monday, November 29th that would place a ban on earmarks in FY11, FY12 and FY13 appropriations. Sen. Coburn (R-OK) is joined by Sens. McCaskill (D-MO) and Mark Udall (D-CO) and others.

While ArtServe has previously stated its position on earmarks, Senator Coburn's amendment is written too broadly, putting at risk numerous federal, state and regional arts, culture and arts education programs.

While it is obvious that many cultural project earmarks would be included in this ban, we are told that this amendment would likely prohibit funding to VSA Arts and the Kennedy Center for their arts education programming. The amendment could even impact the competitive grants of the Arts in Education program as well. Additionally, many education organizations from Teach for America and Communities in Schools to the National Writing Project and Reading is Fundamental are targeted by this amendment.

While many may be in favor of an elimination of earmarks, the programs we support are quite different from other congressionally directed spending that may only benefit a specific state, district or region and change year-to-year. In contrast, these programs are authorized nationally-structured programs with many years of bipartisan support and that benefit thousands of students and families in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. In short, we are not what are envisioned as typical congressionally directed spending items that have invoked the public's demand for earmark reform.

It is because of this that we urge you to take a moment to visit http://www.capwiz.com/artsusa/issues/alert/?alertid=20023931&type=CO and send Senator Levin and Stabenow an email asking them to oppose this amendment.

As always, if you have any questions or comments please email or call Mike Latvis at mike@artservemichigan.org or 248-379-5897.

DUE 1/31! 2011 Nat'l Arts & Humanities Youth Program Awards (formerly Coming Up Taller Awards)

This message was forwarded by Carolyn Damstra, Program Manager at the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs (MCACA):

Call for Youth Program Applications

The President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services, invites applications for the 2011 National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Awards, formerly the Coming Up Taller Awards.

Over the last 13 years, the Coming Up Taller Awards have recognized the accomplishments of exceptional arts and humanities after-school and out-of-school programs across the country. Its new name will serve to enhance recognition of the national significance of the award. Twelve programs will receive $10,000 and an invitation to accept their award from the President's Committee's Honorary Chairman, First Lady Michelle Obama, at a ceremony at the White House. The deadline to submit an application is January 31, 2011.

LIVE streaming from NAMP: National Arts Marketing Conference in San Jose, CA 11/13-11/15

This and other information about NAMP 2010 Conference can be viewed at http://www.artsmarketing.org/conference:

Want to be at the NAMP Conference on November 12-15, but your travel budget won’t allow? We understand, and we are bringing part of the conference to you!

For the first time, we will be live streaming portions of the NAMP Conference. With support from Livestream.com, you will be able to participate in daily discussions, including:

• There’s an App for That on Saturday, November 13, 4:00 p.m.-5:30 p.m. PST
• Plenary Lunch with Susan Medak on Sunday, November 14, 12:00 p.m.-1:30 p.m. PST
• Closing Plenary with Chip Conley on Monday, November 15, 10:45 a.m.-12:00 p.m. PST

Simply visit our Livestream channel at www.livestream.com/nampconference2010 and feel like you are at The Fairmont San Jose with more than 600 colleagues.

Want more ways to connect with the Conference from your desk? Follow our Twitter talk with hashtag #NAMPC10, and watch interviews with attendees on our conference media page.

JOB: Art Center of Battle Creek hiring Art Teachers

The following message was submitted by Kelly Parker at the Art Center of Battle Creek:

I am always looking for teachers to fill positions with the Art Center of Battle Creek.
They can check out our website and classes to get an idea of what we do at www.artcenterofbattlecreek.org

Then email me if they are interested in teaching. I have many expanding programs and need teachers for workshops, after school, and more.

Thanks,

Kelly Parker
Art Center of Battle Creek
269.962.9511
kparkerartcenter@yahoo.com

Art Center of Battle Creek - Main
www.artcenterofbattlecreek.org

DUE 12/15! Stevens Point Sculpture Park: Juried Call for Outdoor Public Sculpture

The following announcement was forwarded by Elizabeth Wellso, Co-Chair Stevens Point Sculpture Park:

Stevens Point Sculpture Park
Juried Call for Outdoor Public Sculpture
www.stevenspointsculpturepark.org

The Stevens Point Sculpture Park is accepting submission of sculpture work for their second annual, three-year outdoor sculpture exhibition. A local jury will choose pieces for display from April 15, 2011 through April 15, 2014.

The Stevens Point Sculpture Park, located in Central Wisconsin, is a 20-acre, city-owned park with nearly a mile of forested trails that are used year-round by people of all ages for biking, skiing, running and walking. The Park offers a wide variety of trees and geographic features including a pond, wetland and forest. It is a zone 4 growing season (which includes cold winters and hot summers).


The Stevens Point Sculpture Park is committed to providing a welcoming and accessible outdoor venue for sculpture and arts exhibitions, activities, and educational programs by enhancing the cultural life of our community and surrounding region through a diverse program of education, collaboration and experimentation.


The Park is located close to elementary, middle and high schools, and the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. The Park’s trails connect to the Stevens Point Green Circle Trail, a nationally recognized 31-mile recreational corridor that encircles the Stevens Point Urban Area (1993 National Park Service Award).


Artist submissions that are selected will receive $750 for a three-year exhibition loan of their piece. Sculpture submissions need to be free standing; foundations or bases are not provided. Delivery, installation, and return of work are the artist’s responsibility (please note in artist’s statement if any special installation needs are expected).


A wide variety of work will be considered, including: site specific work, ephemeral and/or permanent work, work in a variety of scales, art with a performance component, etc. Materials and scale must be appropriate for an outdoor environmental location. For more information about the park or visitation requests, please contact Elizabeth or Paul at pointsculpturepark@hotmail.com.


Artists may submit up to five pieces for consideration. Submissions must include the following information for each piece submitted:

• Artist Name; Address; Phone; Email
• Title of piece; Dimensions; Materials/Media
• Images – JPEG (1000 pixels on the long side), slides will also be accepted
• Artist’s Statement (including any specific installation requirements)


Mail to:

Stevens Point Sculpture Park
Attn: SPSP Juried Call
PO Box 975
Stevens Point, WI 54481


Or email: pointsculpturepark@hotmail.com


In your submission, please let us know how you heard about this call, to help us better communicate.


All submissions must be received by December 15, 2010. Electronic and standard mail submissions are accepted.


Calendar:
• December 15, 2010 – Submissions due
• January 30, 2011 – Notification of works selected (by phone or email with follow-up contract in mail)
• February 15, 2011 – Contracts returned by artists
• April 15 – May 15, 2011 – Sculpture installations
• June 11, 2011 – Opening Reception
• April 2014 – Artists pick up workFor more information about the Stevens Point Sculpture Park, visit http://www.stevenspointsculpturepark.org/.



Elizabeth Wellso
Co-Chair Stevens Point Sculpture Park
Stevens Point, WI 54481
715 343-1437

A Message from President Obama's Council for the Arts and Humanities

Message below forwarded from John Bracey, Executive Director of Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs (MCACA):

Dear Arts Organizations/Arts Education Organizations,

The President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities (PCAH), in partnership with Americans for the Arts and the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies, is pleased to invite you to join one of two conference calls hosted by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) on November 10, and November 12, 2010 at 1:00 p.m..

This October, President Obama issued a Proclamation in recognition of National Arts and Humanities Month in which he wrote, "By supporting the fields that feed our imagination, strengthen our children's education, and contribute to our economy, our country will remain a center of creativity, and our society will stand as one where dreams can be realized."

The PCAH is very aware of the great work organizations like yours do in communities across the country, and we will continue to work on raising the visibility of the field and the resources available to it at the federal level. In that vein, we have been working with CNCS to ensure that AmeriCorps grants are available for qualified arts and humanities organizations working in community service, as well to increase the pool of eligible arts organizations that apply for these funds.

As you may know, deadlines are approaching for applications to AmeriCorps for 2011. If you think it makes sense for your organization, we encourage you to apply. To help you in this process, you are invited to hear an overview of AmeriCorps opportunities, alert you to upcoming deadlines, and advise you on what the Corporation is looking for in a successful application.

There will be time for questions and answers at the end of the discussion.

The information for required registration is below.

Looking forward to the conversation.

Sincerely,

Rachel Goslins,
Executive Director
President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities

******************************************************

The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) is hosting a conference call to discuss AmeriCorps funding opportunities for organizations focused on education and youth.

In the AmeriCorps State and National grant competition this year, CNCS especially seeks to focus investment on national service programs that improve academic outcomes for children, youth and young adults. This focus reflects the extensive experience and past success of national service programs in education, and aligns with the reform efforts of the Department of Education.

AmeriCorps grants are awarded to eligible organizations to recruit, train, and manage AmeriCorps members who serve as part of the solution to pressing problems facing communities across the country.

To join us for an overview of funding opportunities and learn more about our interest in supporting educational initiatives, please register for one of the following calls:

November 10; 1:00 PM: http://americorpsedcall2nov10.eventbrite.com
November 12, 1:00 PM: http://americorpsedcall1nov12.eventbrite.com

ARTSERVE MICHIGAN: General Election Results

ARTSERVE MICHIGAN
General Election Results

This past Tuesday, voters from across the state went to the polls to elect candidates to federal, state and local offices. As you know, voters have elected Rick Snyder to serve as Michigan’s 48th Governor. Additionally, Republicans have gained full control of the state legislature garnering 26 of 38 seats in the Senate and 63 of 110 seats in the House.

Click here to view a full listing of the 2010 Unofficial Michigan General Election Results.

ArtServe would like to congratulate and thank each and every candidate for their dedication and passion for moving Michigan forward. While they held differing opinions on many issues, it was clear that each candidate cared deeply for Michigan and its future.

As you know, over the past five months, ArtServe has worked to get to know the candidates and inform them of the importance of arts, culture and arts education to Michigan’s citizens, communities and economy. We look forward to working with Governor-Elect Snyder and the newly elected members of the legislature when they take office in January.

Until then, ArtServe will work to connect with the Snyder Transition Team as well as continue to build upon the relationships we have made with the newly elected members of the legislature. Stay tuned for further information and details of ArtServe’s plans for the future.

As always, if you have any questions or comments please feel free to contact ArtServe's Director of Public Policy, Mike Latvis at 248-379-5897 or mike@artservemichigan.org.

ARTS RESPONSE to the 2010 ELECTION from Americans for the Arts (AFTA)

Statement by Americans for the Arts on the 2010 Election

The Arts Are Part of the Economic Recovery Solution

WASHINGTON, DC — November 3, 2010 — Americans for the Arts President and CEO Robert L. Lynch gave the following statement on the Election Day results:

“Frustration with the nation’s lack of economic recovery is clearly top of mind among voters and candidates. Likewise, nonprofit arts organizations have also felt the sting of the recession with state and local government arts funding dropping as much as 16 percent, and private charitable gifts to the arts declining $1.2 billion in just two years. Additionally, individual artists have been experiencing unemployment at twice the rate of other educated, professional workers.

As our newly-elected leaders at the federal, state, and local levels focus on creating jobs and growing the economy, it is imperative that they understand the profound role the arts play in spurring economic growth and job creation. The nation’s 100,000 nonprofit arts organizations are part of the small business sector, and the nation’s 2.2 million professional artists are among the millions of business entrepreneurs fueling the economy. It is also important that our newly-elected leaders appreciate the connection between arts education training and the development of creative and innovative workforce skills, which are essential to future workers to compete effectively in the 21st Century global economy.

For the past four years, the House of Representatives initiated several hearings to spotlight the role of the arts in both the economy and in workforce development, yielding more than $100 million in new public investments in the arts and culture. Americans for the Arts looks forward to working with the bipartisan Congressional Arts Caucus and Senate Cultural Caucus on Capitol Hill to continue educating freshman members on how the arts fuel our nation’s economy. We want to congratulate three of the four Caucus members who were up for re-election on their convincing win last night and look forward to working closely with them in the 112th Congress. They are Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Representative Todd Platts (R-PA), and Representative Louise Slaughter (D-NY). We also look forward to working with Representative Jerry Moran (R-KS) and Representative Mark Kirk (R-IL), both already champions of the arts in the House, as they move into their newly elected Senate seats.

At the state government level, several arts champions— based on their record in other public offices or platform statements—have been elected as Governor. They include Governors-elect Jerry Brown (D-CA), Dan Malloy (D-CT), Tom Corbett (R-PA), Neil Abercrombie (D-HI), Lincoln Chaffee (I-RI), Mark Dalton (D-MN), John Hickenlooper (D-CO) and Rick Snyder (R-MI).

Locally, there were 232 Mayoral elections in cities with a population of over 30,000. Among the many new promising arts champions, Providence, RI Mayor-Elect Angel Taveras and Louisville, KY Mayor-elect Greg Fischer identified the arts as a way to harness local talent and creative energy to power the economy.

Americans for the Arts will soon begin conducting the next installment of national research to document the size, impact, and trends of the nonprofit arts industry for its Arts and Economic Prosperity IV study. The previous study demonstrated that the nonprofit arts industry generates $166.2 billion of economic activity annually, which supports 5.7 million full-time equivalent jobs.”

Next Steps:
Americans for the Arts will be undertaking a number of comprehensive initiatives to welcome and educate new members of Congress, but we can’t do this without you! Starting today and in the next few months, we ask you to:

* Send a letter of congratulations to each elected leader representing your community (federal, state, and local levels) and identify yourself or your organization as a resource on arts policy issues.
* Ask all freshman members of Congress to begin thinking about joining the bipartisan Congressional Arts Caucus or Senate Cultural Caucus. We will be sending more information about this in the coming weeks.
* Work with your state and local arts advocacy organizations to develop a unified message to your newly-elected state and local leaders.
* Save the dates of April 4-5, 2011 to come to Washington, DC for National Arts Advocacy Day on Capitol Hill. We especially need grassroots advocates representing the districts and states of newly elected Congressional members.
* Become an official member of Americans for the Arts Action Fund, it’s free and it helps you stay connected to all the latest political breaking news impacting the arts.

Changes to NEA guidelines info - more MI orgs need to apply!!

Announcement below was contributed by Carolyn Damstra, Program Manager at Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs:

Good morning,
I want to share the following important message from the Endowment, please distribute. I strongly encourage organizations to look into applying for direct NEA grants, Michigan doesn’t always get its share of these due to lack of applicants—not due to lack of quality programs because I know they exist! Please note the education program deadline change and the innovation program in particular.
Thanks,
Carolyn


Changes to NEA Guidelines

To help you plan for your application to the NEA in 2011, we'd like to give you a preview of some changes to the NEA's Grants for Arts Projects application guidelines that will be posted in January 2011.

Here are the highlights of the changes:

* The Access to Artistic Excellence and Learning in the Arts for Children and Youth categories have been replaced with a new funding category called Art Works, which will embody the agency's guiding principle: "Art works."

*Art Works will support the four outcomes mandated by the Agency's 2010 Strategic Plan:
- Creation: The creation of art that meets the highest standards of excellence,
- Engagement: Public engagement with diverse and excellent art,
- Learning: Lifelong learning in the arts, and
- Livability: The strengthening of communities through the arts.

You will be asked to select the outcome that is most relevant to your project and that reflects the results expected to be achieved by your project. If you receive a grant, you also will be asked to provide evidence that the outcome was achieved.

* Within these outcomes, innovative projects are encouraged. To ensure that innovative ideas and formats for artistic expression are supported, the NEA is requiring that Consortium applications be for innovative projects (see below for a definition).

What does this mean to you?

If you've been applying to Access to Artistic Excellence, you now will apply to Art Works.

* The two application deadlines are at the same times as last year (March 10 and August 11, 2011).
* You'll continue to go to the discipline that is most relevant to your project as your starting place.
* All types of projects supported in the past continue to be eligible in Art Works.

If you've been applying to Learning in the Arts for Children and Youth, you now will apply to Art Works through the Arts Education discipline.

* If you have a pre-K through 12 curriculum-based project that aligns with national or state arts education standards, your new starting place for funding will be with the Arts Education discipline.
* You will need to make a schedule adjustment within the Arts Education discipline. You may apply to either the March 10 or August 11, 2011, application deadlines; there no longer is a June deadline. The March deadline will be for community-based projects with project start dates of January 1, 2012, or later. The August deadline will be for school-based projects with project start dates of June 1, 2012, or later.

If you will be applying for an official Consortium project in Art Works, you must apply for an innovative project. An official Consortium project is an exception to the one-application rule and represents a partnership of organizations that undertakes a shared project. In general, innovative projects are characterized as those that may prove transformative with the potential for meaningful change; are distinctive by offering fresh insights and new value for the field and/or the public through unconventional solutions; and may be shared and/or emulated, or lead to other innovations.

A note about Challenge America Fast-Track: This funding category will still be available with an application deadline of May 26, 2011. This year we're implementing a policy to limit consecutive-year funding. If you've received a Challenge America Fast-Track grant for the last three years, you are not eligible to apply to the Fast-Track category this year. You may apply to other NEA funding opportunities including Art Works.

Grants.gov update: Grants.gov has implemented new security requirements for the use of the Grants.gov system. Among the changes, you are required to change your password every 90 days. See www.grants.govfor more details.

Once the Grants for Arts Projects guidelines are posted in January, take a look, and if anything is unclear, contact the discipline staff that is appropriate to your project (see "Agency Contacts").

The National Endowment for the Arts www.arts.gov

THIS NEA ANNOUNCEMENT FORWARDED BY:
Carolyn Damstra
Program Manager, Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs
Michigan Economic Development Corporation
300 N. Washington Square
Lansing, MI 48913
(517) 241-3968
FAX (517) 241-3979
damstrac@michigan.org
www.themedc.org/Arts

DUE: 1/15/11!! 2011 Bus Grant Program, up to $500, MI K12 schools eligible

The Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs Offers the 2011 Bus Grant Program to Help K-12 Students Access Michigan Cultural Institutions

October 20, 2010

The Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs (MCACA) is offering grantsof up to $500 to Michigan K-12 schools for the transportation cost of an arts andculture-related field trip. The destination or performance must be chosen by theschool from a list of organizations affiliated with MCACA.

This is the second year of this program. In Fiscal Year 2010, MCACA funded146 schools, benefitting more than 17,000 students. The need for this funding isstaggering. Last year’s applications revealed significant decreases or no field tripfunding available in their districts, coupled with increasing inability for parentsto pay for these valuable experiences. Cultural institutions have also seen theiraudience and visitor numbers drop substantially, and research shows that thesingle largest factor in building adult audiences at cultural events is exposure asa child.

This program is an attempt to stem this downward cycle and improveeducational experiences. An elementary music teacher wrote, “I can teach themsongs, I can teach them the beat and the notes and even how to play someinstruments. I can play CDs of famous symphonies and arias, and tell them aboutBach and Beethoven. But what I cannot do within the confines of my classroomis give them a true aesthetic experience of a live performance of top notchmusicians.”

The application and list of organizations can be found at www.themedc.org/artsunder “Grant Program.” Deadline to apply is January 15, 2011, for trips that takeplace March 1, 2011, through May 30, 2011. For more information contactCarolyn Damstra, Program Manager, damstrac@michigan.org, (517) 241-3968or (517) 241-4011.

The Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs serves to encourage,develop and facilitate an enriched environment of artistic, creative and culturalactivity in Michigan. For more information on our initiatives and programs, visitwww.themedc.org/arts. Become a fan on Facebook: http://on.fb.me/bgeWqP.