ArtSake

Yesterday, the House Ways & Means Committee released a proposed state budget for the coming fiscal year that calls for $9.1 million for arts and cultural funding through the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC). Thanks to everyone who advocated on our behalf.

Read more about this news, and the next steps in the state budget process.

Also yesterday, the House approved future revenues from casinos for arts & culture.

Image: Cristi Rinklin (Painting Fellow ‘10), BOUND FOR GLORY (2009), Flashe on Duralar 17×14 in.

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If you are a Massachusetts artist and/or supporter of arts and culture in this state, then you probably know 1. Maintaining (or better yet, increasing) funding for arts and culture is a constant effort; and 2. That Massachusetts has a vigorous debate going on right now about gambling in the Commonwealth, and that legislation about expanding gambling and casinos is forthcoming from the State Legislature.

There’s a possibility this new legislation could benefit the arts. Today, supporters of arts and culture in the House of Representatives filed amendments that would take a portion of revenue from new gambling in Massachusetts and invest it in the state’s nonprofit cultural sector.

In a letter from MCC Executive Director Anita Walker, you can find more information on these amendments, and also find out how to contact your State Representatives by April 13 to ask them to support arts and culture funding in gambling legislation.

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Professional success in the arts is about creating pathways - creatively and in one’s career. Organizations like ARTmorpheus, a Boston-based nonprofit that promotes a vibrant artistic community and economic revitalization for working artists, help artists forge those paths.

We recently received an email announcement from ARTmorpheus listing a number of upcoming professional development opportunities for artists. This post re-posts some of those opportunities (and also re-re-posts some opportunities we’ve previously listed but thought could use another “re-”).

Free talk on making a living as an artist
The Arts and Business Council of Boston will host Jackie Battenfield for a free talk on Artists Making a Living. Battenfield, the author of The Artist’s Guide: How to Make a Living Doing What You Love, will speak on the fundamental skills artists need to develop and sustain a professional life. It will cover tips on how to plan, promote, fund, organize, and build community, with half of the time reserved for audience questions. The event takes place on April 6, 6-8 PM, in the Function Room at Suffolk University Law School in Boston.

Upcoming ARTmorpheus roundtables
There are two upcoming events hosted by ARTmorpheus for artists working in any media: April 13 at the Mills Gallery at the Boston Center for the Arts, Artists Roundtable featuring Jessica Burko on social media marketing for artists; and on May 4 at the Calderwood Pavilion, BCA, Artists Roundtable featuring Susan Dupuis, of Dupuis & Co, LLC, an income tax consultant and licensed attorney, on recordkeeping and taxes. Both events take place 5:30-7 PM. Both events are free, but attendees are encouraged to bring a food item to share. RSVP (and/or send questions) to Liora Beer.

PRIME Program from the International Institute of Boston
Offering free guidance and resources for small businesses (including artist-entrepreneurs). A free business class begins April 20, with a few spots still remaining. Visit the program’s website for more info.

Artist Business Training
One-and-a-half day workshops led by the UMass Arts Extension Service to address business basics and key issues that artists confront in the current economy; free to resident artists.

• April 21-22 Petersham, Petersham Town Hall (contact Sarah McMaster at North Quabbin Woods for more info or to sign up)
• April 28-29 Springfield, Schibelli Hall, Springfield Technical Community College (contact Tracy Woods at Art for the Soul Gallery)
• May 5-6 Northampton, Dynamite Space (contact Julia Handschuh)

Disaster Aid for Small Businesses and Individuals Affected by Flooding in Mass.
President Obama declared Massachusetts a federal disaster area, which will give victims of the recent floods - both residents and businesses - access to Federal Disaster relief, including grants and low interest loans. Individuals and business owners who sustained losses in Essex, Middlesex, Suffolk, Worcester, Norfolk, Plymouth, or Bristol Counties, can register for aid online or by calling the FEMA Teleregistration number: 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or 1-800-462-7585 (TTY) for the hearing and speech impaired.

Disaster Aid Grants for Artisans from the Craft Emergency Relief Fund (CERF)
CERF would like to make sure that any professional craft artist who has been seriously affected by the flooding is aware of the disaster relief assistance available from CERF. If, as a craft artist, you have suffered loss, contact CERF when able. Programs include grants up to $1500 and loans up to $8000, booth fee waivers at craft shows, discounts on materials and equipment from suppliers and manufacturers, and assistance with business development through referrals to consultants and other low or no-cost resources. For eligibility requirements and more detailed information, visit Craft Emergency Relief Fund (CERF).

Image: Christopher Faust (Painting Fellow ‘10), TUNNEL (2009), Acrylic on canvas, 28×36 in.

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Jane Gillooly’s (Film & Video Fellow ‘07) film Today the Hawk Takes One Chick was a 2008 pick for the Margaret Mead Film & Video Festival, a documentary film festival hosted by the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. Now it’s your turn: the 2010 festival is currently accepting submissions. The Mead Fest considers a range of documentary films and videos, including: experimental films, essay films, animation, and new media. Productions must have been completed within the last three years. Early Deadline: March 31, 2010, Final Deadline: May 3, 2010.

If you’re a chamber music ensemble looking to commission new chamber works: First, thank you - you are awesome. Second, Chamber Music America, a national service organization for the chamber music profession, is accepting applications for its Classical Commissioning Program. The program provides support to U.S.-based classical/contemporary ensembles, presenters, and festivals that commission American composers to create new chamber works. Applicants must be organization-level members of CMA. Funding is available for the composer’s fee, the ensemble’s rehearsal honorarium, and copying costs. Deadline is April 9, 2010.

For Berkshire artists: don’t miss the upcoming Tricks of the Trade events sponsored by Berkshire Creative. April’s topic: how to secure an artist residency so you have time and a space to create new work. Artist and Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts professor Melanie Mowinski will host three different events to discuss residencies: Tuesday, April 13th, 6:30 PM, MCLA Gallery 51 (Guest: Heather Phillips, Director, Contemporary Artist Center at Woodside); Wednesday, April 14, 6:30 PM, Lichtenstein Center for the Arts (Guest: C. Ryder Cooley, Artist); and Thursday, April 15, 6:30 PM, IS183 Art School (Guest: Calliope Nicholas, Residency Director, Millay Colony for the Arts). Events are free but require registration; contact Jessica Conzo at the Berkshire Cultural Resource Center to register.

For Asian American short story writers: Hyphen Magazine and The Asian American Writers’ Workshop present the 2010 Asian American Short Story Contest. The national, pan-Asian American competition will name 10 finalists and one grand prize-winner who will win a cash prize of $1000 and have the winning story published in an upcoming issue of Hyphen. There is a $20 entry fee. Deadline is March 31, 2010.

Video: an excerpt from TODAY THE HAWK TAKES ONE CHICK by Jane Gillooly. The film has upcoming screenings at the Addis International Film Festival (March 31) and Festival International de Films de Femmes (April 2-11).

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For writers who long to be heard: A new literary magazine, The Drum, has been launched by Henriette Lazaridis Power (a 2006 Artist Fellow in Fiction/Creative Nonfiction). The Drum publishes, in audio form, short fiction, essays, and the occasional author interview. The inaugural issue comes out in May. Says Henriette, “We’re looking for work that pays close attention to language while never losing sight of the narrative drive. We want stories that really do tell a story. And essays that engage in the complexity of an idea. The Drum is a home for emerging and established writers who value the power of writing out loud.”

For filmmakers seeking composers (& vice versa): the Learning Center and the Film Scoring Department at Berklee College of Music will host the 5th Annual Music for Film networking event on Saturday, April 10, 2010 from 1:30–7 p.m. The event, free and open to the public, includes a speakers’ panel about the filmmaker/composer relationship, a presentation by film composer Mason Daring (Lone Star), a film scoring contest, and an exposition where students and professionals will have booths, exchange demos and business cards, and talk about their work. Register and find more info.

For emerging playwrights: The Princess Grace Awards Playwright Fellowship is given annually to a young American playwright, consists of a $7,500 grant and a ten-week residence, including paid travel, at New Dramatists, a playwright service organization, in New York City. The award is based primarily on the artistic quality of a submitted play and the potential of the fellowship to assist in the writer’s growth. Read the guidelines at www.pgfusa.org and apply by March 31, 2010.

For artists with disabilities: VSA, the International Organization on Arts and Disability, has announced the VSA Teaching Artist Fellowship Program, seeking to identify, engage, and support artists with disabilities through teaching artist fellowships in the visual and performing arts. This competitive fellowship offers a professional development retreat in Washington D.C., subscriptions/memberships within VSA’s teaching artist network, networking and teaching opportunities, enrollment in VSA Community of Practice, and the opportunity to serve as facilitators for VSA’s education programs. Fellows will also be profiled in VSA publications. Submission deadline: April 23, 2010. Find guidelines, application forms, and more information.

AND you can continue your opportunities search at these great sites for finding artist grants, residencies, calls-to-artists, etc:

• Mira’s List (a labor-of-love blog just teeming with artist opportunities listings)
• ArtSource (an online resource of the School of the Museum of Fine Arts)
• NYFA Source (a search engine for artist opportunities, hosted by the New York Foundation for the Arts but with a national scope)

Image: TOWNSEND’S PATENT FOLDING GLOBE, created by Dennis Townsend (1869). From the Boston Public Library Norman B. Leventhal Map Center.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/boston_public_library/ / CC BY 2.0

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There are a handful of upcoming opportunities for artists’ professional development - so on your marks, get set, etc!

March 15 – deadline for New England filmmakers to apply for LEF New England Fellowships to support attendance to the Flaherty Seminar in NYC. The Flaherty Seminar, June 19-25, 2010 at Colgate University in Hamilton, NY, is a great opportunity for film artists to connect with programmers, scholars, and other filmmakers from around the globe. The LEF Fellowships can help New England filmmakers attend.

March 19 – ARTmorpheus partners with Fractured Atlas to present Raising Money to Support Your Creative Endeavors, a fundraising workshop for emerging artist of all disciplines and start-up arts non-profits. To RSVP, contact Liora Beer.

March 24 - Free Trailers Workshop for filmmakers at the Center for Independent Documentary in Newton. Register here.

Artist Business Training – one-and-a-half day workshops led by the UMass Arts Extension Service to address business basics and key issues that artists confront in the current economy

• April 21-22 Petersham, Petersham Town Hall (contact Sarah McMaster at North Quabbin Woods for more info or to sign up)
• April 28-29 Springfield, Schibelli Hall, Springfield Technical Community College (contact Tracy Woods at Art for the Soul Gallery)
• May 5-6 Northampton, Dynamite Space (contact Julia Handschuh)

Ongoing - PRIME Program from the International Institute of Boston – offering free guidance and resources for small businesses (including artist-entrepreneurs). Visit the Program’s website for more info.

Ongoing - Assets for Artists teams with City of Pittsfield to help artists buy homes or start-up/expand arts businesses in Pittsfield. Visit Berkshire Creative for more details.

If you know of any other upcoming professional development opportunities we’ve missed, let us know!

Image: Daniel Ranalli (Drawing Fellow ‘10), SNAIL DRAWING/DOUBLE LINE START (2007), Snail drawing in sand, 20×28 in.

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On Friday, March 19, 2010, ARTmorpheus will host Fractured Atlas, a national arts service organization, for a workshop for emerging individual artists and arts organizations entitled Fundraising and Fiscal Sponsorship: Raising Money to Support Your Creative Endeavors.

The event will take place in the Arts Resource Room of the Stanford Calderwood Pavilion at the Boston Center for the Arts, 5:30-7:30 PM.

Diane Debicella, Program Director from Fractured Atlas, will provide an overview of the fundraising process that will address such issues as:

• How do arts organizations in the US fund their operations?
• Who gives money to the arts, why do they give it, who gets the money and how do you find it?
• What are the differences between individual and institutional giving?
• What is fiscal sponsorship and how can it help you?
• What do you need to submit a grant proposal?

There is a suggested donation: $10. Maximum Capacity is 25. To RSVP, contact Liora Beer from ARTmorpheus.

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Way to go Team MA! (Which is our way of saying, “Congratulations to the Massachusetts arts writers who received awards from the Arts Writers Grants Program from Creative Capital/Warhol Foundation.”)

Grants totaling $710,000 to 26 individual writers, including three from Massachusetts, were actually announced last month. We KNOW that’s like eons ago in blog time, but we figured, better late than never.

Malden arts writer (and writing artist) Greg Cook, creator of the The New England Journal of Aesthetic Research blog and the New England Art Awards (formerly the Boston Art Awards), received a grant to continue his blog, an independent and always engaging voice on New England art. Greg, incidentally, was the only arts blogger to make the list, so good on ya, Mr. Cook!

Also receiving support was Amherst writer and curator Christoph Cox, who will write an article about sound installation as artistic practice, and Boston writer Geeta Dayal, who will chart the progress of the use of GPS, mapping, and mobile technologies in art.

In addition to the Arts Writers Grantees, ten applicants to the program were selected to participate in the Art Writing Workshop. This workshop pairs working arts writers with leading art critics, for one-on-one consultations. Among those selected was Kurt Cole Eidsvig (Poetry Fellow ‘04), a multi-talented artist who works in literature and painting, as well as arts writing.

On a related note, Kurt’s poetry will appear in an ongoing feature on the online art journal Big RED and Shiny. Check it out.

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Attention artists of all disciplines who are either in the Boston-area or can be with a little effort: ARTmorpheus is hosting a two-session workshop on Basic Finance for Artists, this coming Monday, January 11 and continuing on Monday, February 8, 2010. The workshops run 6-8 PM at the Boston Center for the Arts‘ Cyclorama in Boston.

The workshop is pay-what-you-can (suggested donation, $40), and topics will include:

• Budgeting, Cash Flow, and Net Worth
• Debt and Credit
• Savings, Investing, and Retirement
• Goal-setting and Long-term Planning

Enrollment is limited; find out more about the workshops and how to enroll here.

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The Studio Museum in Harlem is now accepting applications for their artist in residence program. They are offering a 12 month studio residency for three emerging artists. Each artist is granted a free non-living studio space, a $20,000 fellowship, and a $1,000 material stipend. The program is designed to serve emerging artists of African descent locally, nationally and internationally.

Call to artists: ALCHEMY: Art and Science Call to Artists at the Schiltkamp Gallery, Traina Center for the Arts, Clark University. This show will explore the intersections of art and science; art that is inspired by science or scientific images/models that are transcendent. The concept of “science” is open and may include new technology as well as the traditional sciences. Application Instructions: 10-20 images in slides or as jpegs on a CD (no power point or slide shows). List of art work or other materials submitted, including titles, date, media, dimensions. C.V. or bio and a brief (one or two paragraphs) statement about the work submitted. For more information contact Eli Crocker at 508-793-8818 or ecrocker@clarku.edu
Deadline: Submissions due January 18, 2010

Nave Gallery Call to artists: The Beast In Me—Johnny Cash: Art Influenced by the Struggle of a Man. The Nave Gallery is seeking artwork, literal or interpretive, which speaks to the spirit of Johnny Cash. All media are welcome, including video and installation. For more information email info@navegallery.org
Deadline: February 1, 2010

Image credit: Photograph of Royal Rooter beating a drum, 1903 World Series. Photographer unidentified. Fan on the the visitors dugout provides percussion for the Boston American fans in game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Boston Public Library McGreevey Collection. Accession No.: 06_06_000012

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