North Dakota Council on the Arts

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STATEWIDE NEWS



Your Thoughts and Opinions Matter!
Every three years NDCA updates its strategic plan. We need to hear from the North Dakota arts community in order to assure our next plan moves the arts in the right direction. You can help by sharing your opinions at one of four regional public meetings held on: April 20: Taube Museum in Minot, 5-7pm; April 21: Bismarck Art & Galleries Association, 5-7pm; April 22: Plains Art Museum in Fargo, 5-7pm; and April 23: North Dakota Museum of Art in Grand Forks, noon luncheon (limited space, RSVP required to jwebb@nd.gov). Please try to attend one of these if at all possible. We want to gather as much information as we can from the field! For more information, email jwebb@nd.gov, or call (701) 328-7592.

Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Grant Deadline Approaching
The Traditional Arts Apprenticeship grants must be postmarked by May 15, 2010 for project periods of July 1, 2010 to April 30, 2011. Early submission is strongly encouraged. To access the Traditional Arts Apprenticeship grant, visit www.nd.gov/arts/folkarts/TAP-grant.html. If you have any questions, please email tgeist@nd.gov and/or call NDCA's office at 328-7590.

Poetry Out Loud State Finals Winners Announced
The North Dakota Council on the Arts is pleased to announce that the first place winner of the North Dakota State Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest is Brianna Anderson of Shanley High School in Fargo, ND. The second place winner is Kaley Schwab of Mandan High School, and third place was awarded to Kaitlin McNary of Wahpeton High School. Rachel Nerison of Dakota Prairie School in Petersburg, Clare Geinert of Edgeley Public School, and Morgan Hessman of St. Mary’s Central High School in Bismarck also placed in the top six. The competition was presented in partnership with The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the Poetry Foundation. The state finals competition took place on Tuesday, March 9, at the North Dakota Heritage Center in Bismarck, ND. Brianna Anderson will advance to the National Finals in Washington, DC on April 25, 2010, where a total of $50,000 in scholarships and school stipends, with at least a $20,000 college scholarship for the Poetry Out Loud National Champion, will be awarded. For more information, visit www.nd.gov/arts/whatsnew/POL.html, or contact Linda Ehreth at (701) 328-7593, or via email at lehreth@nd.gov.

Job Posting ~ The Arts Partnership is Seeking an Executive Director
Martha Keeler Olsen, The Arts Partnership (formerly Lake Agassiz Arts Council), Executive Director is retiring at the end of June. Therefore, The Arts Partnership, a member-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is seeking an Executive Director who is passionate about the arts to lead and manage the day-to-day operations of the organization. Duties of this part-time to full-time, flexible position include overseeing development activities, publications, personnel, events, re-granting, and advocacy efforts. Successful candidate will have: Bachelors degree plus three years related experience, passion for the arts, outstanding written and verbal skills, development and fundraising competencies, proven leadership ability, and capacity for partnership building and collaboration. To apply, send letter of application, résumé, three professional references, and sample of professional writing to search@theartspartnership.net or mail to The Arts Partnership, 1104 2nd Ave S, Suite 315, Fargo ND 58103. Review of applications will begin April 30 with a start date of July 1. Visit www.theartspartnership.net for a full position description.

Job Posting ~ North Valley Arts Council is Seeking an Executive Director
The North Valley Arts Council of Grand Forks is seeking an Executive Director to oversee the operations of the arts council. A complete job description can be found on the website at www.novac.org. Annual salary range is $30,000-$37,000 depending on experience and vacation and sick leave benefits are available. Applications will be accepted through Friday, April 9, 2010.

Honoring Volunteers Just Got Easier
The Department of Commerce, Division of Workforce Development, State Commission on National and Community Service wants to help honor the state’s volunteers and has budgeted money to purchase the President’s Volunteer Service Award packages for eligible individuals or groups/families that serve in the state. To request award packages for volunteers in your organization just enter the required information on the spreadsheet available via this link, and email the completed form to Ryan Volk at: rdvolk@nd.gov. By returning this form to us, you are verifying the accuracy and authenticity of the information submitted. The President’s Volunteer Service Award packages will be purchased for organizations and individual volunteers on a first come, first served basis until all funds have been expended. For more information, visit www.presidentialserviceawards.gov/index.cfm; or email rdvolk@nd.gov.

Great Opportunity for Emerging Nonprofit Leaders
The Impact Institute is excited to announce their North Dakota Emerging Leaders Program (NDEL) and they want you to be the first to hear about it! With support from the Bush Foundation, they are offering this low-cost, professional and local training opportunity for nonprofit staff that are aspiring to be in executive leadership positions. The goal in offering the North Dakota Emerging Leaders program is to identify, educate and equip the next generation of nonprofit leaders. NDEL will have some similarities to LAND and will be lead by Bill Coy of La Piana Consulting. The complete program description and application are available via this link. Twenty (20) emerging leaders will be invited to participate in this first class and the training site will be determined based upon the geographic location of participants. Applications for NDEL are due April 23, 2010.

North Dakota Chamber of Commerce Offers Marketing and Communication Webinar Series
The North Dakota Chamber of Commerce will host a webinar series focused on teaching businesses how to use internet and e-mail to enhance their marketing and communication efforts. “The webinar series is a great opportunity for businesses to learn how to successfully incorporate new communication tools,” says Dave MacIver, president of the North Dakota Chamber of Commerce. “This series will bring businesses up-to-date on changing marketing strategies and allow companies to expand their customer base.” The first webinar session, “Social Media Strategies for Business”, will be held at 11 a.m. on April 13 and introduce businesses to using social media sites. Internet Trends for Your “Growing Business”, scheduled for May 6 at 10 a.m., will cover recent trends in web development, Internet marketing, Google Analytics and web 2.0. On June 1 at 11 a.m. “E-Mail Marketing Strategies (Yes, There Really is a Strategy)” will demonstrate how to develop a successful e-mail marketing strategy. Chamber members can register for $50 per webinar or $120 for all three sessions. The cost for non-members is $75 per webinar or $195 for all sessions. Additional information and registration is available online at www.ndchamber.com or by calling the Chamber at 222-0929 or 800-382-1405.

Third Annual Community Connect Forum
On April 24, North Dakotans are invited to a unique opportunity to learn from tribal, rural and University of North Dakota peers at a community-university forum. Finding Common Cultural Ground: Heritage, Education, Tourism is the theme for the Third Annual Community Connect Forum, to be hosted by Cankdeska Cikana (Little Hoop) Community College in Fort Totten. The event is free and open to the public. The forum is part of the Community Connect Project, coordinated by the UND Center for Community Engagement. Dozens of communities and organizations across the state, as well as UND faculty and students, have been involved over the past few years in conversations to connect regional communities. The first two forums, Generating Ideas through Partnerships (Grand Forks, 2008) and Focus on Community Entrepreneurship (Rugby, 2009), gathered several hundred participants to discuss topics of mutual interest. Those interested in sharing community projects on cultural heritage, education or tourism, are encouraged to register an exhibit or propose a roundtable discussion. Exhibiters can showcase projects on display boards, and discussion facilitators are asked to prepare talking points to direct the conversation. Registration for attendees is due April 9. Visit www.communityengagement.und.edu for more information. Questions? Call 777-0675 or e-mail comunivforum@und.edu.

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. Impact estimates about 800 nonprofit executives, board members and staff will be trained through this initiative. Training sessions will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., and the cost is $25.00 per person. To learn more and to register, visit www.impactgiveback.org. The upcoming training session and locations are as follows: Beyond Collaboration: Strategic Restructuring for Nonprofit Organizations “Partnering with others is essential to achieve your nonprofit’s mission.” Audience: Nonprofit executive directors, management staff, those who aspire to these roles, and community leaders and funders. Fargo: April 12, 2010; Bismarck: April 13; Minot: April 14; and Grand Forks: April 15.

ND ITD Announces Broadband Project
North Dakota, along with the other 49 states and 5 territories, is working on a project to map broadband services in the state to increase broadband access and adoption through enhanced data collection and planning. The North Dakota Information Technology Department (ITD) is overseeing the planning and mapping project and needs your assistance in completing the statewide evaluation. Citizens and businesses are encouraged to participate in one of two ways: 1) From your home or business, log into the Speed Test Site located on ITD’s website at www.nd.gov/itd/ to capture the speed of your internet connection; or 2) Anyone who does not have broadband internet service available at their home or business, should report their location by calling the toll free number 1-877-811-0471. Funding for the project is provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications Infrastructure Administration (NTIA) under its State Broadband Data and Development Program. The data collected from states will be displayed on NTIA’s national broadband map, a tool policy makers can use to plan for employment, education, and broadband services. To learn more about this project, please visit www.stagenet.nd.gov/projects/broadband.html or call Deborah Mosset, Public Information, or Dirk Huggett, Project Manager, at (701) 328-3190.



NATIONAL NEWS



Arts Advocacy Day 2010
Dates: April 12–13, 2010. Americans for the Arts invites you to the 23rd Annual National Arts Advocacy Day, which brings together arts, education, entertainment, and policy leaders to develop strong support for increased public funding for the arts. Especially in these times of economic uncertainty, it is even more crucial to make our case that the arts are an important engine for economic growth. This is why we would like to invite you to join hundreds of grassroots advocates from across the country in legislative training sessions, the Congressional Arts Kick Off on Capitol Hill, the Nancy Hanks Lecture on Arts and Public Policy at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and meetings with your members of Congress on important arts-related issues. Your involvement does make an impact, so register now! To learn more and to register, visit www.artsusa.org/events/2010/aad/default.asp; or contact Natalie Shoop at nshoop@artsusa.org.

Prairie Arts Management Institute Announces Arts Organizations Training Opportunity, Sioux Falls, SD
“Challenging Times / Creative Solutions,” Prairie Arts Management Institute offers professional development and leadership training for staff of small and mid-sized community arts organizations. Keynote Speakers: David O'Fallon, MacPhail Center for Music; & David Fraher, Arts Midwest. Where: Augustana College, Sioux Falls, South Dakota 2001 S. Summit Avenue, Sioux Falls, SD 57197. When: June 3-5, 2010. Courses include: “From Design to Evaluation: Developing Programs for Impact” Taught by Sharon Rodning Bash, ArtsLab Program Director, Arts Midwest; “Traditional Arts Brought to Light” Taught by Andrea Graham (South Dakota Traditional Arts Program) and Lisa L. Higgins (Missouri Folk Arts Program); and “Effectively Engaging Internal Stakeholders” Taught by John McCann, Consultant, Partners in Performance. Cost: $275; Each course is 1⁄2 day: all participants attend all courses. Register prior to April 30, 2010. Limited enrollment and scholarships available. When: June 3, 6PM to June 06, 10AM. More info is available at: www.sdarts.org, Contact info: Pat Boyd, South Dakotans for the Arts, patsoda@rushmore.com (605) 722-1467. Registration link: events.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07e2q1vwe056f7bdc1&oseq=a0221bfmz6kigp. NDCA Professional Development funds are available for this training opportunity. For more information, visit http://www.nd.gov/arts/grants/PDguidelines.html.

MetLife Foundation Innovative Space Awards
The MetLife Foundation Innovative Space Awards is a competitive national funding program that recognizes outstanding efforts in the design and development of affordable space for artists. The program emphasizes the benefits artist spaces yield for both artists and their communities. Leading artist spaces will be selected from across the country to receive unrestricted awards ranging from $10,000 to $50,000 along with access to technical assistance and a learning community of peer institutions. Applications may be submitted by non-profit organizations, individual artists, public agencies, or a combination of the three, for artist space projects. How to apply: To learn more about the Awards, including the guidelines for how to apply, please visit www.lincnet.net/artist-space/awards. For additional questions, or to request application materials in an alternate form, you can contact Rise Wilson, Program Manager at 646-731-3275. Deadline for all application materials is April 23, 2010.

Job Creation Bills Contain Relief for Nonprofits
In an effort to combat nationwide unemployment rates, the U.S. Congress passed a comprehensive job package to encourage employers to hire new workers. A bill signed into law this week is of particular importance to nonprofits—it relieves nonprofit employers from paying their 6.2 percent share of Social Security payroll tax for each new hire for the remainder of 2010. The U.S. Senate passed another jobs-related bill, which includes an extension of the IRA Charitable Rollover provision through 2010 that awaits final approval in the House. The arts and nonprofit community is watching the IRA Charitable Rollover closely, as it would allow charitable donations to be made from IRAs and Roth IRAs tax-free by individuals 70.5 and older. For more information on congressional actions, please contact Associate Director of Federal Affairs Gladstone Payton at gpayton@artsusa.org. The Independent Sector’s Jobs Bill Analysis is available via this link.
~ Americans for the Arts’ Monthly Wire, March 2010

April is Jazz Appreciation Month
Jazz Appreciation Month (JAM) is intended to draw public attention to the glories of jazz as both an historical and a living treasure. The idea is to encourage musicians, concert halls, schools, colleges, museums, libraries and public broadcasters to offer special programs on jazz every April. In addition, JAM is intended to stimulate the current jazz scene and encourage people of all ages to participate in jazz--to study the music, attend concerts, listen to jazz on radio and recordings, read books about jazz, and support institutional jazz programs. The Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History has designated the month and has enlisted a distinguished roster of federal agencies and departments, nongovernmental organizations, foundations and broadcasting networks. Any organization can participate in Jazz Appreciation Month. For more information, a calendar of activities and to learn how to participate and celebrate JAM, visit http://www.smithsonianjazz.org/.

April is National Poetry Month
Inaugurated by the Academy of American Poets in April 1996, National Poetry Month (NPM) brings together publishers, booksellers, literary organizations, libraries, schools, and poets around the country to celebrate poetry and its vital place in American culture. Thousands of businesses and non-profit organizations participate through readings, festivals, book displays, workshops, and other events. more on National Poetry Month...



EVENT AND EXHIBIT CALENDAR, ARTS OPPORTUNITIES



43rd Annual Sheyenne Valley Arts & Crafts Association’s Arts and Crafts Festival
September 25 & 26, 2010, Fort Ransom, North Dakota. This is a juried show. All articles for sale must be hand crafted by the exhibitor. All exhibitors are asked to include photos of their art or craft as well as a complete description of all items that will be sold. No commercial displays. Average attendance for this show is 6,000-8,000 for the weekend. Entry deadline is May 1, 2010. For an application and more information Contact: Sheyenne Valley Arts & Crafts Association, PO Box 21, Fort Ransom, ND 58033; 701-973-4461; Email svaca@drtel.net; visit www.svaca.org or www.ransomcountynd.com.

Garden Party
Special invitation to all artists to participate in a juried exhibit in conjunction with the American Hemerocallis Society Region I Show, July 30 & 31, 2010 in Bismarck, ND. Bismarck Art & Galleries Association is hosting an art & photography exhibit celebrating daylilies July 29-August 28, 2010. Jury deadline for submitted works is May 28, 2010. Eligibility: BAGA’s Garden Party is a juried art exhibit open to all artists and photographers, and must include daylilies. No reproductions or copies will qualify. A complete prospectus and application is available via this link. For more information call 701-223-5986 or e-mail baga@midconetwork.com.

Village Gallery's Craft Fair
Village Gallery's Craft Fair, June 11 & 12, 2010 at the Civic Center in Center. Registration Fee: $7.50 per 3’x 6’ table. For more info call 794-3772 or e-mail psalm147@westriv.com. Deadline: May 30, 2010. An entry form is available via this link.

Americas 2010 All Media
Cash and purchase awards: five merit awards and one Best of Show. Best of Show earns a solo exhibition in 2011 and an invitation to the Best of the Best exhibit. Juror is Susan Haas Morrissey. Works in any medium, traditional or experimental, qualify. All works must be original and not measure over 60 inches in any direction. Works must be ready to exhibit, completed within the last two years, and not previously exhibited in an Americas 2000 exhibition. All two-dimensional artwork must be secured to a rigid backing. It is preferred that two-dimensional work be framed and protected by clear acrylic glazing. A maximum of five entries are allowed per artist. Entry fee is two entries for $25, each additional entry is $5. Include a $20 annual membership fee and you may enter at the NAC Art Friends membership rate of two entries for $15, each additional entry is $2. Entry deadline is June 1, 2010. Mail to Americas 20101 All Media, Northwest Art Center, Minot State University, 500 University Avenue West, Minot, ND 58707. For more information and an entry form, visit www.minotstateu.edu/nac; email nac@minotstateu.edu; or call 701-858-3264 (toll free 800-777-0750) ext. 3264.

Watercolor Painting Workshop
Artist, Author, Publisher and Instructor ~ Ellen Diedeirch. July 23 – July 25, 2010, at The Assumption Abbey, 418 3rd Ave West, Richardton, ND. (Minimum 12 Students – with 18 maximum). Assumption Abbey in Richardton has a wonderfully relaxing and enjoyable atmosphere for creating art. The artistry and imagination of Ellen Jean Diederich springs from a gifted and award winning palette. Ellen has a B.F.A. and a B.A. in Art Education from MSUM. Workshop participants will work in a large room with artists’ north lighting and a full panoramic view of rolling prairie hills. Students will dine with the monks and take accommodations in newly renovated dorms. On the Abbey grounds you will have the opportunity to visit Abbey Pottery, wine cellar and gift shop. St. Mary’s church, built in Bavarian Romanesque Style, is beautiful and a work of art in itself. When you arrive in Richardton off of I-94, (23 miles east of Dickinson or 73 miles west of Bismarck) just look to the North for the twin steeples. Welcome to Western North Dakota.You can view Ellen’s work on line at: http://www.givinity.com/about.html. Registration Fee: $200.00 Reserves your spot. (Does not include lodging and meals) Cut-off date for workshop Registration is by June 30, 2010. If the class does not fill by this date, your payment will be refunded. Lodging costs at the Abbey are: Single $20.00 per night. Double $15.00 per person per night (must be two people per room to get this rate) Meal costs for entire workshop: $60.00 (Lodging and meal charges may be paid at the time of registration depending on what you select.). Make check payable to: Art Depot., 3519 94th Ave. SW, Taylor, ND, 58656. For more information, please contact Beverly L. Haas, Phone 701-290-3275; Brother Llewellyn Kouba, Assumption Abbey, Phone 701-974-3315 or email, llewellyn@assumptionabbey.com.

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 ...



Financials are important for measuring your profitability and growth, for creating a yearly budget and making long-term plans. Do you know which financial statements you need to review? How should you analyze them? And when things are not going the way you want them to, how can these numbers help you to get out of the red? The article is available via this link.
~ Art Calendar, Analyze Your Business Finances and Create a Better Budget, By Ligaya Figueras
http://www.artcalendar.com/article.asp?ID=230

2010 Field Guide to Software for Nonprofits, Idealware, a nonprofit that provides candid software reviews and articles for other nonprofits, has published its first book. The Field Guide to Software for Nonprofits provides an overview of 35 different types of software that nonprofits might need, including donor management systems, social networking sites, on-line surveying platforms, and e-mail discussion lists. Written in accessible, nontechnical language, the guide is appropriate for nonprofit managers at all levels of software expertise.



OTHER RESOURCES



CulturePulse.org, the ARTbeat of North Dakota
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.

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.















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