North Dakota Council of the Arts

DECEMBER 2009



Welcome to e-Prairie Arts! This electronic newsletter supplements our printed newsletter, Prairie Arts, which is published 3 times per year. e-Prairie Arts will be distributed during the months of February, March, April, June, July, August, October, November and December. If you know of anyone else who would like to receive e-Prairie Arts, please e-mail comserv@nd.gov. Or if you wish to unsubscribe, send an e-mail to comserv@nd.gov as well.



STATEWIDE NEWS



Looking for a Unique Gift? Just in Time for the Holidays - Purchase Your Special Edition Ornament Today!
The North Dakota Council on the Arts (NDCA) announces their third annual Special Edition Ornament which is now available for purchase. Alfred Jason Lindell, the owner and operator of Sundog Glass Design in Park River, was commissioned by NDCA to create a one-of-a-kind, fused-glass ornament. This ornament offers a unique opportunity to purchase a special, hand-made Christmas decoration and/or gift, while investing in the arts across the state. Limited quantities will be available for $25.00 plus tax (includes gift box, shipping additional). Proceeds benefit the ND Cultural Endowment Fund, which was created by the State Legislature in 1979 to assist NDCA in providing artistic opportunities for citizens throughout the state of North Dakota. $11.50 of each ornament purchase is a donation and is tax-deductible. For more information, or if you would like to purchase a Special Edition Ornament, please visit www.nd.gov/arts; or call (701) 328-7590.

Join Governor and Mrs. Hoeven, and NDCA at the State Tree Lighting Ceremony Thursday, December 3rd!
The ceremony takes place Thursday, December 3 at 5pm in the Memorial Hall of the Capitol Building in Bismarck. Live entertainment will be provided by Suzuki School of Music students, and Linda Millican, Bismarck pianist. The ceremony is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served following the ceremony. The tree will be decorated with ornaments handmade by children, students, artists and craftspeople from all over North Dakota.

CulturePulse.org, Where to go for What to do in North Dakota Arts and Culture
CulturePulse.org is the North Dakota Statewide Arts Calendar. To learn more about all of the exciting arts and cultural activities happening throughout the state, and to view North Dakota artist profiles, be sure to visit www.culturepulse.org. Artists, organizations and venues - if you have not yet done so - be sure to get your art and cultural information listed on CulturePulse.org! Did you know CulturePulse.org now has a Facebook fan page? Stay on top of all of the latest arts and cultural information by becoming a fan at www.facebook.com/culturepulse. To learn how to enter your information on CulturePulse.org, an informational video is available at www.culturepulsemedia.com/2009/09/training-introduction-to-culture-pulse.

Northern Plains Ballet Presents "The Nutcracker"
Northern Plains Ballet presents "The Nutcracker" December 11-13, at the Belle Mehus City Auditorium. If the music sounds sweeter than sugarplums, the dancers seem lighter than air, and the snowflakes sparkle more brightly than ever before, you’re not dreaming. Featuring elaborate scenery, stunning choreography and vibrant costumes, Clara’s magical adventure captures the imaginations of all ages. The holidays aren't complete without this classic family story. Performances are at 7:30 pm Friday and Saturday; with a Sunday matinee at 2:30 pm. For more information or tickets visit www.northernplainsdance.org, or call 530-0986.

10th Annual Fargo Film Festival
The Fargo Film Festival which takes place March 2-6, 2009, is currently accepting submissions and searching the globe and in their "own backyard" for the most creative, innovative, provocative and entertaining independent film and filmmakers. Submissions are arriving daily for the 2010 Fargo Film Festival. If you are a moviemaker seeking an opportunity to have your work judged for competition in North Dakota’s premier film festival, complete an entry form and send us your work. The festival’s regular postmark deadline is January 1, 2010. For more information visit www.fargofilmfestival.org.

Anna Johnson Named Billboard Competition Winner
The NDSU Visual Arts Department has chosen Anna Johnson as their Billboard Competition winner. Her artwork titled "Changes" can be seen on a billboard on NP Avenue across from Renaissance Hall through February 2010. Johnson, who grew up in Belcourt, N.D., is currently a senior attending NDSU for visual arts. A reception will be held at the end of January. The Billboard Competition is held each semester for NDSU visual art students to submit artwork to be displayed on the billboard across from Renaissance Hall. Reminiscent of her Native American heritage, Johnson uses her artistic skills to bring together culture that she lives in with culture that she comes from. “My art is the only way I can express what I feel when I experience discrimination or when something moves me to make a difference about social injustice, religion and spirituality and other issues that Native Americans, women, lesbians and people everywhere face on a daily basis,” Johnson said. The original piece "Changes," along with a companion piece of Johnson’s have been installed in the Memorial Union near the Office of International Programs. To learn more, call Esther Hockett at (701) 231-8239.

Institutional Support and Individual Artist Fellowships Online Applications Now Available
Online applications are now available for the Institutional Support grant and the Music and Literature Individual Artist Fellowship program. The Institutional Support Program final grant applications must be submitted on or before March 15, 2010. Two fellowships of $2,500 are awarded annually through the Individual Fellowship program with different disciplines in each fiscal year. 2010 Fellowships are available for Literary and Musical artists. Final grant submission deadline is February 15, 2010. Early submission is strongly encouraged for all programs. You can access NDCA’s online grant system at http://northdakota.cgweb.org. For more information or questions, please contact NDCA at (701) 328-7590; or visit our web site at: www.nd.gov/arts/grants/grant.html.

Do You Want Your Message to be Heard by the Public and the Media? Be Sure to Attend the Upcoming Institute in January, 2010!
"Impact Institute Nonprofit Training and Resources" a leadership initiative for North Dakota Nonprofits. The Impact Foundation announced a statewide capacity-building initiative that will benefit nonprofit organizations across North Dakota. Assisted by a $2 million grant from the St. Paul, MN-based Bush Foundation, the Impact Leadership Institute will provide training, education and resources to increase nonprofit efficiency, reenergize nonprofit boards, improve communication strategies, increase revenues and diversify nonprofit funding streams. Training sessions will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., and the cost is $25.00 per person. A lists of training sessions is available via this link. To learn more and to register, visit www.impactgiveback.org. The next institute is "Communicating with Impact: How to get your message heard in public and in the media."



NATIONAL NEWS



National Endowment for the Arts Announces New Director of State and Regional Partnerships
The National Endowment for the Arts announced on November 5, it is appointing Laura A. Scanlan, principal with Creative Cultural Strategies and former executive director of the Delaware Division of the Arts, as the agency's director of state and regional partnerships. Among her new responsibilities, Scanlan will provide direction concerning NEA funding and other assistance to the 56 state and jurisdictional arts agencies and the six regional arts agencies. She will chair panels that review applications from those organizations and participate in discussions regarding the formulation of policy and budgets related to her constituents. She will join the NEA late November. NEA Chairman Rocco Landesman said, "I am delighted to welcome Laura Scanlan to the National Endowment for the Arts. Her business and philanthropic experience will be a great asset to the NEA. Her years as director of the Delaware Division of the Arts and on the board of the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation assure she is knowledgeable about issues facing the state and regional agencies. This familiarity is especially critical in economically challenging times when many state legislatures and therefore state arts agencies are facing tough decisions." For more information, visit http://arts.endow.gov/news/news09/scanlan-appointment.html.

Call for Paper, Presentation, Dialogue, and Workshop Proposals for At the Crossroads: A Community Arts and Development Convening
Deadline for submissions is December 21, 2009. As hosts for the first Community Arts and Development Convening in St. Louis, MO, the Community Arts Training Institute of the St. Louis Regional Arts Commission invites proposals for papers, presentations, dialogues, and workshops for At the Crossroads: A Community Arts and Development Convening, March 25–27, 2010, in St. Louis, MO. This conference brings together a cross-section of artists, community partners, and leaders in a platform for critical dialogue about arts and community development. Please go to www.art-stl.com/convene or contact convening@stlrac.org for more information about At the Crossroads: A Community Arts and Development Convening and proposal submissions. Submissions should be sent as attachments in PDF form to Roseann Weiss, Director of the Community Arts Training (CAT) Institute, at Roseann@stlrac.org. Please include CONVENING SUBMISSION in the e-mail subject line.

Financial Assistance Available to Attend Chamber Music America’s 32nd Annual Conference, January 14-17, 2010
Through a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, financial assistance (a maximum of $200/person) is available to help defray conference travel or hotel expenses for conference registrants. Application deadline is Monday, December 21. Apply for Assistance. Another way to reduce costs is to volunteer. Assistance is needed at the registration desk, at workshop sessions and for other conference-related tasks. To be contacted about volunteering, please mark the volunteer box on the online registration form. Volunteers must register and pay in full, but a portion of the registration fee, commensurate with the number of hours worked, will be refunded within 30 days of the close of the conference. Conference Schedule & Highlights; Register Now (early rates until December 4); Hotel Registration **A limited number of rooms at the Westin Times Square are available to conference registrants at the discounted rate of $189/night. Offer ends December 21.

Artsbowl, a Creative Courses Hub is Now Live
Artsbowl is a creative community hub where you are invited to connect with like-minded people and share your passion for creativity. Artsbowl is a dynamically developing and growing site and as a member you can help them shape it into a world-class site for promoting creative activity. Do you provide creative courses? As a member of Artsbowl you can: promote your art classes, creative courses or arts workshops; showcase your classes online; raise your profile as a creative course provider; and be found more easily by more people. Artsbowl will provide fair and equal opportunity to promote creative courses for organizations of any size. Their aim is to help you open up new avenues at home or abroad, by providing a user-friendly, easily accessible site. Looking for a course? Dip into your creativity at Artsbowl, where you can: find a creative outlet; discover something new to try; search by course and location; be part of a creative community; and stay up-to-date with what’s on offer. Artsbowl believes art feeds the soul and hopes to engage many new-comers to the arts, as well as seasoned creatives, on an international scale. To learn more, visit http://artsbowl.com.

The Big Read
The Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts designed to restore reading to the center of American culture. The NEA presents The Big Read in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and in cooperation with Arts Midwest. The Big Read brings together partners across the country to encourage reading for pleasure and enlightenment. Approximately 75 organizations in communities of varying sizes across the country will be selected to participate in The Big Read from September 2010 through June 2011. Application instructions and guidelines are available via this link. Application deadline is February 2, 2010.

Arts Midwest Performing Arts Fund
Arts Midwest Performing Arts Fund grants are applied for by and made directly to presenting organizations (organizations that book artists to perform in their venues) in Arts Midwest’s nine-state region of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. All available funds for the 2009-2010 funding cycle have been depleted. This funding cycle supports engagements taking place between July 1, 2009, and June 30, 2010. The 2010-2011 guidelines and eligibility are now available! This cycle will support engagements occurring between July 1, 2010, and June 30, 2011. You will be able to complete the online application via eGRANT beginning in February 2010. Contact us Arts Midwest with questions at performingartsfund@artsmidwest.org or 612.341.0755. For more information visit http://www.artsmidwest.org/programs/paf/tools.



EVENT AND EXHIBIT CALENDAR, ARTS OPPORTUNITIES



VSA arts and Metlife Foundation Arts Connect All Grant
Deadline: December 11, 2009. VSA arts and MetLife Foundation are now accepting applications for their sixth annual Arts Connect All grant program. The goal of the program is for arts organizations to strengthen partnerships with local public schools by creating or enhancing inclusive educational programs. A maximum of 10 grants of up to $15,000 each will be awarded to selected programs. For more information, visit www.vsarts.org/x273.xml.

6th Annual Custer Stampede Buffalo Art Auction, September 24-25, 2010
Call to Artists for Table Top and Free Form Categories. Applications can be downloaded at www.custerstampede.org. Application materials are due by January 29, 2010. Submit materials to: Custer Stampede Buffalo Art Auction: Artist Committee, PO Box 310, 549 Mt. Rushmore Rd., Custer, SD 57730. If you have any questions call (605) 673-5955 or email info@custerstampe.org.

Calling all Artists: Visual Art, Handbell Musicians and Theatre!
ACC, Artists Celebrating Christ is again calling artists of all ages for another event! Mark your calendars for March 18-21, 2010 (two weeks prior to Easter) with a registration deadline of January 30, 2010. ACC, Artists Celebrating Christ will take place at the University of Mary’s Benedictine Center. Previous events have brought in 1500-2000 spectators, making this is a great opportunity for artists to comfortably share their talents featuring inspirational themes. Included in the event will be juried visual art from artists across the upper Midwest, Handbell Choir Workshop and Concert, Drama Workshop, Liturgical Art, Student art with art classes and tours of the exhibits, Quick Draw/ Reception/ Art Auction to benefit The GOD’S CHILD Project. ACC looks forward to serving the community with this unique event. We would love for you to be a part of it. Call or email us to receive registration forms and submission guidelines. Phone: 701-255-7312, Email: info@accartshow.com, or You can also get forms online at www.accartshow.com/registration.html.

Crow Show Entries Sought
Entries for the Great Winter Crow Show at the Spirit Room are due on Friday, February 26, 2010. The March exhibit held in alternate years invites area artists to enter visual, literary, performance or musical pieces on the theme of the crow, raven or blackbird. Entry forms can be found on the Spirit Room website at www.spiritroom.net or by calling (701) 237-0230. An opening reception will be held on Saturday, March 6 from 6:30 to 9:00pm at the Spirit Room.

Check out the upcoming Events and Exhibits listed on NDCA's regional calendars, and for more information, visit North Dakota's Statewide Arts Calendar at www.culturepulse.org. If you have events, exhibits or artist opportunities that you would like included on the NDCA web site, please email them to comserv@nd.gov.

Check out the current Arts Opportunities available on the NDCA web site!



DID YOU KNOW ...



Studio Protector Helps Artists Plan for Disaster
The Studio Protector is an information toolkit to help artists in the studio environment to be ready and resilient when disaster strikes. This self-help resource has two components: the Wall Guide is a calendar-sized reference tool with checklists of the most essential information for emergency preparation and response; the Online Guide is a companion multimedia digest that helps artists respond to and recover from an emergency. The Studio Protector is the first product of the Coalition for Artists' Preparedness and Emergency Response; the Craft Emergency Relief Fund + Artists' Emergency Resources is the lead sponsor of the Coalition and creator of the products. The Wall Guide retails for $16; use the wholesale order form to inquire about bulk orders.
~ NASAA Notes November 2009, Volume 13 Issue 7, Monday, November 16, 2009



OTHER RESOURCES



Sign Up for Your Free Duns & Bradstreet Number
Art organizations are encouraged to sign up for a free Duns & Bradstreet number, which allows your organization to be counted in national arts data. It takes 30 days to get a new DUNS number, apply at http://www.dnb.com.

Nonprofits Organizations - Learn How to Save $$$ on Your Technology Needs!
TechSoup Stock is the technology product philanthropy service just for nonprofits. Launched by TechSoup Global in January 2002 (as DiscounTech), this service is a unique collaboration with corporate and nonprofit technology providers. Thanks to their partners' generous product donations and discounts, TechSoup Stock is able to facilitate and distribute multiple product philanthropy programs in a centralized, Web-based platform. They work to foster social change in two ways: by helping nonprofits to save money for mission-critical work when acquiring technology and by helping nonprofits use this technology even more effectively. To learn more, visit http://www.techsoup.org/stock/aboutus.asp.

Applying for 501(c) Status Without a Lawyer
The IRS has created a new website (http://www.stayexempt.org/) that enables new organizations to apply for 501(c) status without using a lawyer. This site is helpful and easy to follow.

Art Calendar
Art Calendar is the industry’s foremost business magazine for visual artists. Founded in 1986, Art Calendar acts as a beacon to guide artists on their journey toward making a living with their art. Written by knowledgeable industry pros and successful working artists, Art Calendar offers practical business advice on subjects such as art marketing, art law, portfolio development, exhibition presentation, communication skills and sales techniques, as well as advanced technical applications of photography, computer and Web tools. It also offers the most extensive and recent listings of Calls to Artists, including galleries reviewing portfolios, juried competitions, grants, fellowships, festivals, publishing opportunities and residencies. Best described as “The Artist’s Guide to Making It,” Art Calendar is the only subscription-driven, business-oriented magazine published specifically for visual artists. Art Calendar enables professional artists to make a living doing what they love. Offering innovative ideas, along with all of the necessary tools to sell their work and further their careers, Art Calendar has established itself as the ultimate resource for visual artists. http://www.artcalendar.com/; http://www.artscuttlebutt.com/; http://www.craftercircle.com/.

Sell Your Arts/Crafts Online at PrairieWorksMall.com
Prairie Works is organized to empower rural and isolated North Dakota artists and artisans to market their crafts and gain access to professional networks. Its purpose is to promote access to, and development of, arts in rural and tribal communities in North Dakota. Prairie Works is an organization founded to continue the art and craft heritage of rural ND artists by providing a source to market and sell their creative products. Prairie Works is providing the On-Line Gallery, a web site to sell art and craft work that ND artists, crafters and art entrepreneurs have created. The arts/crafts of Prairie Works will consist of quality, originality, creativity, and use of appropriate techniques. All work must be handmade by the ND artisan. For more information; to become a member; and/or to sell your arts/crafts online, please visit http://www.prairieworksmall.com/.

Online Arts Job Resource
Americans for the Arts have created an online arts job resource for employers and employees to come together. This new resource can be accessed by visiting http://jobbank.artsusa.org/search.cfm.

Prairie Independent
Introducing the "Prairie Independent" Bismarck-Mandan's newest community newspaper of people, places and events. The "Prairie Independent" is available at over 130 locations including community coffee shops, restaurants, waiting rooms, bars, entertainment centers, convenience stores, churches and at the Prairie Independent office. The "Prairie Independent" is a Free publication, if you are interested in advertising availability or offering the "Prairie Independent" to your customers, please contact Don Morrison at don@ndpeople.org, or 527-0060.

Self Employment in the Arts (SEA)
The focus of SEA is on the business of art. SEA was created with the idea that more artists will succeed if they have business skills, knowledge, resources, and contacts. Through artist-led conferences, a website full of resources and articles, and educational tools like the award winning Entrepreneurial Artist DVD; SEA helps artists turn their passions into a living. SEA is for college students, serious high school students, artists, and educators. Their mission is to provide educational resources to help aspiring artists gain the entrepreneurial knowledge and skills needed to establish and maintain a career as an independent artist. more on SEA...

"Tools for Results" Tool-Kit - a Resource for Non-profit Arts and Cultural Organizations
The Texas Commission on the Arts "Tools for Results" Tool-kit was developed as a resource for non-profit arts and cultural organizations in Texas and beyond. The Tool-kit is a collaborative project made possible with the help of many organizations that generously agreed to share their resources. The Tool-kit covers six topic areas: Fundraising & Development, Programs & Exhibitions, Cultural Tourism, Marketing, Advocacy, and Nonprofit Basics. Each section covers the basics, relevant concepts, best practices, things to consider, ideas for implementing change, common mistakes, ways to get started, do’s and don’ts, and how-to’s on a variety of topics. The “tools” are the sample forms, letters, documents, checklists, templates, and other resources. The intention is for nonprofits to take these “tools” and adapt them for their own purposes.

United States Artists (USA)
USA is a new organization dedicated to the support of America's finest living artists. Artists now have a home where they may find significant private funding to ignite the creativity that makes this country great. USA was launched in September 2005 with $20 million in seed funding provided by a coalition of leading foundations—Ford, Rockefeller, Prudential, and Rasmuson—in an act of unprecedented private investment in individual artists and the creative potential of America. Their initial investment enables them to pilot the USA Fellows program, awarding unrestricted $50,000 grants to fifty artists each year beginning in 2006. USA's long-term vision is to create an organization dedicated to the unlimited promise of our finest artists. Their horizon line is not three, five, or 25 years, but rather 100 years and beyond. Building on their base of private funding, their aspiration is to be permanently endowed. more on United States Artists…

Artists' Health Insurance Resource Center
The Artists’ Health Insurance Resource Center (AHIRC) database was created in 1998 by The Actors’ Fund of America, with a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, as a health insurance resource for artists and people in the entertainment industry. Since then, with support from The Commonwealth Fund, it has expanded to include resources for the self-employed, low-income workers, the under-insured, the uninsured who require medical care and many other groups. For more information visit: http://www.ahirc.org/; for a direct link to North Dakota resources, visit: http://www.ahirc.org/facet/field_ahirc_scope_0%3A%22ND%22+field_national%3A%22National%22.

Additional Web Sites
The following Web sites have resources that may be of service to educators, individual artists, and arts organizations including funding and other opportunities, publications, arts events, etc:

National Endowment for the Arts
Kennedy Center Alliance for Arts Education Network
National Assembly of State Arts Agencies
Arts Midwest
Arts Education Partnership





The North Dakota Council on the Arts is the state agency responsible for the support and development of the arts throughout North Dakota, and is funded by the state legislature and the National Endowment for the Arts.















If your email service does not accept graphics, please request a text-only version by emailing comserv@nd.gov. e-Prairie Arts is sent automatically to Prairie Arts readers who have an e-mail address on file with the NDCA. If you would like this sent to a different address, email comserv@nd.gov, or i f you wish to unsubscribe, email comserv@nd.gov. We welcome your comments and suggestions regarding the e-Prairie Arts online newsletter, please email them to comserv@nd.gov.







Home | About Us | What's New | Arts in Education | Folk Arts | Grant Programs | Arts Opportunities | Calendar | Newsletters | Press Releases | Resources/Links | Accessibility/504 | Contact Us









--------------------------------------------------------------------------------