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 [email protected]. If you wish to unsubscribe, please e-mail [email protected].
Statewide News
Former NDCA Board Member Passes Away
The North Dakota Council on the Arts is saddened to announce that Richard Brown, of Fargo, has passed away. His funeral will be held on Thursday, November 6 at 10:30am at the First Lutheran Church (619 Broadway North) in Fargo. Richard served as a board member for the North Dakota Council on the Arts from August 2003 to August 2008. Our condolences go out to his family and friends. Richard will be dearly missed.
Call for Nominations – Don’t Forget to Submit Your Nomination for NDCA’s 2009 Governor’s Awards for the Arts
The Governor’s Awards for the Arts are biennial awards presented to individuals, organizations, educators, and businesses who consistently strive to better their communities through their commitment to the arts. The Council asks for your assistance in recognizing these people by your submission of nominations for the 2009 Awards. Nominations can be made in the following categories: Individual achievement (artist, staff, volunteer, administrator); Arts organization; Arts in education (teacher, administrator, school); and Private business. Nomination deadline is January 15, 2009. All nominations are reviewed by the NDCA board, and finalists will be forwarded to the Governor’s Office for final selection. The awards will be presented at a special public event on April 7, 2009, at the Best Western Ramkota Hotel in Bismarck. For a nomination form and more information, visit www.nd.gov/arts/Gov_Award_Conf/Nominations-08.pdf; email [email protected]; call 328-7594; or write to NDCA, 1600 E Century Avenue, Suite 6, Bismarck, ND 58503-0649.
Just in Time for the Holidays – Get Your Special Edition Ornament Today!
NDCA announces the second annual Special Edition Ornament which is now available for purchase! Robin Reynolds, the owner and operator of Dacotah Clayworks in Hebron, was commissioned by NDCA to create this unique, small handled basket ornament. Reynolds forms her pottery with local clay mined by the Hebron Brick Co. She processes their rough material into a clay body suitable for pottery making. Native clays from the Badlands are gathered, making earthen slip-glazes to finish her rustic ware. 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 (includes gift box and a candy). 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. To purchase your Special Edition Ornament, call 328-7590.
NDCA Announces Upcoming Board Meeting
The North Dakota Council on the Arts’ board meeting will take place at the Radisson Hotel, located at 605 East Broadway Avenue, on November 14, from 1-4pm. Board meetings are open to the public. For more information, call 328-7590.
ARTS DAKOTA
Over 60 artists responded to the call to participate in a statewide exhibition celebrating the arts in North Dakota. Hailing from all corners of the state, visual artists, writers, musicians and videographers submitted work to be included in the exhibition ARTS DAKOTA. The North Dakota Art Gallery Association, New Bohemia, ND and the North Dakota Council on the Arts (NDCA) sponsored this exhibition to celebrate the Council’s 40th Anniversary. Focusing exclusively on North Dakota artists, ARTS DAKOTA showcases many of North Dakota’s finest creative personalities, both professional and amateur. To learn more and to view the touring schedule, visit Arts Dakota.
Community Art Center at the Plains Art Museum
Plans are finished for the new Community Art Center at the Plains Art Museum. The main floor will house a small gallery space, lobby, a large ceramics studio and four multiple purpose studios with a general focus. One will be a “clean” studio for drawing and painting etc., two will be outfitted for additional clay spaces, and the fourth will be geared toward sculpture and wood. These four studios will be used about 50 percent by schools, but is also available to rent for classes or workshops, and for use by local artists at available times. The main ceramics studio can be filled with working artists day and night. The second floor will hold private studio spaces available for rent to local artists, office spaces for the Plains and some available for local arts organizations and a gallery space. The third floor will be a gallery for local and regional art, and will connect to the Museum via a skywalk across the alley. This project will create jobs for artists to teach classes and workshops, provide professional development opportunities and create a synergy unlike anything Fargo has ever seen in the Arts Community. To read more about the project and get involved, please go to www.plainsart.org/capitalcampaign/index.php.
Call for Entries: Bismarck Art & Galleries Association (BAGA) Member Artist Show
The BAGA Member Artist Show is open to all BAGA member artists age 18 and up. Artists may submit works in any medium. Only original art work will be accepted, no copies, prints or reproductions will qualify. Art must have been created within the last two years by the artist. Artists entering must be a current paid member of BAGA. There is no entry fee for the show. Registration deadline: November 18, 2008. For more info, visit: www.bismarck-art.org; call 223-5986; or email [email protected].
Reminder – Ornaments for the State Christmas Tree Deadline is November 21!
NDCA invites artists and craftspeople to provide handmade ornaments for the North Dakota State Christmas Tree. The tree will be on display in the Memorial Hall of the State Capitol building in Bismarck. It will be lit during a public ceremony conducted by the Governor and Mrs. Hoeven on December 9, 2008, from 5 to 6pm. Submitted ornaments can vary from traditional to contemporary arts, items that are commercially produced or made from kits are not eligible for inclusion. Each ornament should include a brief one line description of the ornament (art form used, or special circumstances through which it was created), and the name of the individual who created it. A descriptive listing will be mailed to all contributors and will be available at the ceremony. Ornaments must be received in the NDCA office by Friday, November 21, 2008. All ornaments become the property of the NDCA and will be hung on the state tree each ensuing year. Mail ornaments to: North Dakota Council on the Arts, 1600 East Century Avenue, Suite 6, Bismarck, ND 58503-0649.
Call for Entries: Prairie Rose Art Association
Prairie Rose Art Association presents …..art from the heart; cash & carry…..everything priced under $100. Prairie Rose Art Exhibit Room, Bowman Public Library, Bowman, North Dakota. Attention all artists (sculpting, drawing, painting, wood carving, quilting, pottery, photography…etc.). Students or adults. Art for the show is due November 29, 2008 (deadline)-please drop off at the library with information on Artist Form (page 2 of prospectus). The show will be hung November 30. Opening Reception (which we would like artists to attend) will be December 1 during the Bowman Chamber’s Christmas Stroll. The goal of this show is to welcome people to the library to enjoy the art, the reception and to make available, affordable art for everyone to buy and take home…at the same time raising funding for art workshops to be held in the future, something many of you have requested. The past two years we have raised monies for art books for the youth with the ornament show which has been very successful thanks to Angie Moser and her student’s donations. This year we thought we’d expand the idea a step further. Please join us with your work for this show! Email: [email protected]. Print out and attach tags from the Artist Form, to your work.
Call for Entries: Artists Celebrating Christ (ACC)
We are having another wonderful event. Mark your calendars and enter! April 2- 4, 2009, University of Mary Benedictine Center, Bismarck, ND. Artist Registration Deadline: February 1, 2009 for Visual Art; Liturgical Art; Musical Performances; and Student art entries and art classes for school children. Quick Draw and Art Auction/ Proceeds donated to Charles Hall Youth Services. New to the Event!… Drama Clinic and Performance featuring clinician Mozelle Clark Sherman and Postcard art entries featured in the silent auction! If you haven’t received a registration packet and want one… email [email protected], or call 255-7312, and we’ll make sure to send one to you! The website is now updated with our registration forms at www.accArtShow.com.
National News
New Members Confirmed to Serve on National Council on the Arts
Conductor JoAnn Falletta and country songwriter and singer Lee Greenwood have been confirmed by the U.S. Senate to serve on the National Council on the Arts, the advisory body of the National Endowment for the Arts. The confirmation follows their nomination by President George W. Bush to serve on this advisory body to the Arts Endowment. The National Council on the Arts advises the NEA Chairman on programs and policies. Council members review and make recommendations to the Chairman on grant applications, funding program guidelines, and national initiatives. Members are chosen for their widely recognized knowledge of the arts, their expertise or profound interest in the arts, and their established record of distinguished service or achievement in the arts. The Council consists of 14 private citizens and six ex officio Members of Congress. To learn more, visit: www.arts.gov/news/news08/Council-members.html.
Join a Nation of Readers
The Big Read is accepting applications from non-profit organizations to conduct month-long, community-wide reads between September 2009 and June 2010. Organizations selected to participate in The Big Read will receive a grant ranging from $2,500 to $20,000, financial support to attend the orientation meeting, educational and promotional materials for broad distribution, Organizer’s Guide for developing and managing Big Read activities, inclusion of your organization and activities on The Big Read Web site, and the prestige of participating in a highly visible national initiative. Approximately 400 organizations of varying sizes across the country will be selected for this cycle. To download the Guidelines & Application Instructions go to www.NEABigRead.org. Questions? Call Arts Midwest at 612.238.8010 or email [email protected].
What Do You Know About Arts Midwest?
Arts Midwest is a regional arts organization that connects people throughout the Midwest and the world to meaningful arts opportunities, sharing creativity, knowledge, and understanding across boundaries. Arts Midwest region includes: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin. Arts Midwest currently manages the Performing Arts Fund, Midwest Arts Conference and Arts Midwest World Fest; and for Visual arts, the Russel Wright: Living with Good Design, Stories of the Somali Diaspora: Photographs by Abdi Roble, and The Photo League. Arts Midwest also administers several national initiatives for the National Endowment for the Arts including Shakespeare in American Communities, The Big Read, and NEA Jazz Masters Live. To learn more about Arts Midwest and their programs, visit: www.artsmidwest.org.
Application Deadline for Picturing America Extended
Libraries and Schools Encouraged to Apply to Bring Great American Art to the Nation’s Classrooms and Libraries – Libraries and schools now have until November 14, 2008, to apply for an innovative, free teaching tool called Picturing America. Picturing America, presented by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), provides high-quality reproductions of great American art to public libraries and K-12 schools to enhance the study of history, social studies, language arts, literature, and civics. Public libraries; K-12 public, private, parochial, and charter schools; and home school consortia in the United States and its territories are eligible to receive Picturing America materials, which include: Forty large, high-quality color reproductions of the selected masterpieces (24” x 36”); A comprehensive teacher’s resource book providing a wide range of ideas and background information to support educators using the works of art in core subject areas; and Lesson plans and additional resources available through the Picturing America Web site, http://PicturingAmerica.neh.gov. Applications are being accepted now through November 14, 2008, with delivery scheduled for spring 2009. Previous recipients of the Picturing America collection are not eligible for a second award. Application information and testimonials from librarians and educators at can be found on the Picturing America Web site, http://picturingamerica.neh.gov. Library districts and school libraries may apply for every institution in their jurisdiction with one, single application.
Call for Entries: The Art Department at ENMU-Roswell
The Art Department at ENMU-Roswell announces an open call for entry to its upcoming international exhibition, BEAUTY, DECORATION AND ORNAMENT. This exhibition is open to artist at any stage of professional development who believe their work is related in any way to ideas of beauty and or decorative ornament. Cash and scholarship prizes will be awarded. The exhibit will take place from February 12-March 11, 2009. Deadline for submission of entries is January 16, 2009. General entry fee is $20, which covers the submission of images related to as many as three separate works of art. Student entries are encouraged. If a photocopy of a current transcript, student i.d. or other proof of current registration is provided, students may enter one work for each $2 entry fee. Entry forms may be obtained by emailing [email protected] or by downloading from the following web page: www.roswell.enmu.edu/liberal_arts/art_exhibit.php.
As the Nonprofit Sector Faces Recession, Nonprofit Finance Fund Outlines 5 Recommendations to Prepare for Economic Downturn
The Nonprofit Finance Fund (NFF) President and CEO, Clara Miller, outlined five recommendations for what nonprofits can do now to ease the sting of any current and future recessions. An analysis of new data from over 6,500 mid-sized nonprofits released by NFF reveals that it took years for many nonprofits to recover from the economic downturn in the U.S. that started in 2001. Clara Miller, president and CEO, Nonprofit Finance Fund, said: “What nonprofits do now will have consequences that resonate far beyond the bottom lines of the organizations. The expected economic downturn will pose serious challenges for clients that rely on the services of nonprofits, particularly those in low-income communities. With fewer dollars flowing into the sector, nonprofits face the possibility of being forced to cut services at a time of increased need. Philanthropists, government, and nonprofit organizations will need to work together much more closely to ensure ongoing services for at-risk populations.” Five recommendations for Nonprofits in a Recession: 1) Nonprofits heading into recession need to avoid “strong, silent behavior” and sustained spending; 2) Nonprofits should engage with board members and funders in contingency planning on what is likely to happen to clients and funders during a recession; 3) Nonprofits should avoid large investments in fixed assets and infrastructure (i.e., a building purchase, new hires or expansion of services), and if change (growth or retrenchment) is likely, then nonprofits need to work with funders and board to build a cushion to allow flexibility and course corrections; 4) Nonprofits need to get a firm handle now on their revenue patterns; and 5) If they offer services (e.g., job retraining, food kitchens and housing services) that will lessen the negative impact of an economic downturn, nonprofits should approach government funders more aggressively. To read the entire article, visit www.smartbrief.com/news/aaaa/industryPR-detail.jsp?id=B1E2DB5B-A7A5-4DFF-A31D-7EDE904C4B0F; for more information on the Nonprofit Finance Fund, visit www.nonprofitfinancefund.org.
Event and Exhibit Calendars, and Arts Opportunities
Upcoming Events and Exhibits calendars on the NDCA web site. If you have events, exhibits or artist opportunities that you would like included on the NDCA web site, please email them to [email protected].
Check out the current Arts Opportunities available on the NDCA web site!
Did you Know…
Women Leading Philanthropy
Women and Philanthropy: 4 Ways to Get Started. Women’s growing financial power changes the world of philanthropy, recent IRS data shows that women currently donate more than men. Women donors contributed almost $5 million more than their male counterparts in 2005. US News and World Report shares some of the best ways to engage women in giving. To learn more, visit: www.usnews.com/articles/business/2008/09/23/women-and-philanthropy-4-ways-to-get-started.html?PageNr=1.
~ Kimberly Palmer, Posted September 23, 2008, U.S. News
Other Resources
Applying for 501(c) Status Without a Lawyer
The IRS has created a new website (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. www.artcalendar.com; www.artscuttlebutt.com; 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 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 [email protected], 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: www.ahirc.org; for a direct link to North Dakota resources, visit: www.ahirc.org/state_indx.cfm?st=ND.
Online Legal Primers on the Arts
A new web site, www.thelawportal.info, offers legal primers for artists and arts organizations, covering topics that range from the traditional and familiar (such as copyright) to the new and sometimes obscure (two-way broadband network access), and from the personal (how to find healthy materials) to the professional (how to develop contracts) to the political (free speech).
Online Classifieds Opportunities & Services for Artists
The New York Foundation for the Arts’ Online Classifieds Opportunities & Services for Artists, is a free national online sources for artist opportunities and services. These include calls for entry, services such as photography of art work and accounting, space for rent, and many others. New listings are posted daily (designated with an orange “new” icon for one week) and remain on the site until they expire. Organizations posting listings are solely responsible for the content of those listings.
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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