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Oregon POL champ competes at national contest April 24
Help cheer on Oregon’s 2018 Poetry Out Loud Champion, Sarah Calvin-Stupfel of West Salem High School, when she participate in nationals April 23-25 in Washington, DC.
Watch Sarah’s performance live between 2 and 5 p.m. on Tuesday, April 24. If she advances she will compete in the finals April 25.Enjoy an excerpt of Sarah’s winning performance at the state contest here.
Poetry Out Loud is sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation & Poetry Magazine in partnership with the Oregon Arts Commission and other state arts agencies.
2018 Poetry Out Loud champion Sarah Calvin-Stupfel, right, with runner-up Amy Jarvie from Oregon School for the Deaf.
Amanda Wojick exhibits in Governor’s Office
Eugene artist Amanda Wojick will exhibit “The space is always” in the Governor’s Office of the Capitol Building in Salem through May 31.
Wojick’s work explores a collision of abstraction and everyday life. Using layered texture, vibrant colors and irregular shapes, she weaves together elements of painting, sculpture and collage. “The Space is Always” includes works inspired by common materials found within the space of her home.
An exhibit in the Governor’s office is considered a “once in a lifetime” honor.
“Bricks on Yellow,“ 2017. Wood, paper, paint. 22 x 30 x 1 inches. Courtesy of the artist. Photo Jonathan Bagby
Grant panelists needed to review, score proposals
The Arts Commission invites those interested in serving as grant panelists to submit a nomination form.
Selected panelists will read, review and score applications on-line and meet once by teleconference to provide final application ranking. Commission staff will provide a panelist orientation and training.
Individuals with experience in a variety of arts and non-profit disciplines including music, dance, film/media, interdisciplinary arts and arts learning are needed. Panelists from different artistic disciplines who bring a regional perspective from throughout the state, and a variety of backgrounds and experiences are encouraged to participate.
Tyler Fuqua, an artist from Eagle Creek, has one of his creations displayed as part of the “No Spectators: The Art of Burning Man” exhibition through Jan. 21, 2019.
Tyler’s project, “Thorax: Ambassador of the Insects,” is made from mostly reclaimed materials including more than 50’ of EL wire, a color changing chest emblem and four fully articulated wings.
“No Spectators: The Art of Burning Man” brings the large-scale, participatory work from the famous desert gathering to the nation’s capital for the first time. The exhibition takes over the entire Renwick Gallery building and surrounding neighborhood, bringing alive the maker culture and creative spirit of this cultural movement.
“Thorax: Ambassador of the Insects” by Tyler Fuqua, now on display at the Smithsonian.
By Brooke Nuckles, 175 contributed posts
View all Brooke Nuckles's posts. About the author:
February 2018
News & Updates
A new Arts Commissioner, lots of grant news and a powerful new exhibition in the Governor’s Office — plus a preview of the 2018 Poetry Out Loud contest!
Matthew Stringer, the executive director of Four Rivers Cultural Center and Museum in Ontario, Oregon, has been appointed to the Oregon Arts Commission by Governor Kate Brown. Stringer fills the position previously held by Libby Unthank Tower, who completed her second four-year term in December.
Jess Perlitz, a Portland-based artist working in sculpture, performance and drawing, is the 2018 recipient of the Oregon Arts Commission’s honorary Joan Shipley Award.
Perlitz leads a group of 19 Oregon artists selected from a pool of more than 120 applicants from 23 Oregon cities for the Arts Commission’s Individual Artist Fellowships.
Jess Perlitz, That Which is Set Before the Eyes, 2015. Concrete, foam, office furniture, paint.
Motoya Nakamura exhibits in Governor’s Office
Portland artist Motoya Nakamura is exhibiting “Images of the 442nd: Nisei Japanese American WWII Veterans and Their Continuing Legacy” in Governor Kate Brown’s Office at the Oregon State Capitol in Salem now through April 4.
Congratulations to Jaden Schiffhaur and Leopold Westrey, the first and second place finishers in the Feb. 12 Poetry Out Loud contest at Lincoln High School!
Jaden will represent Lincoln Saturday, March 3, at the Portland Regional Contest at Lewis and Clark College. Regional contests also are scheduled that day at Rogue Community College in Medford and at Willamette University in Salem.
Jaden Schiffhaur (left) and Leopold Westry (right) took first and second place in the Lincoln High School Poetry Out Loud contest Feb. 12.
Arts Learning grants announced
Congratulations to the 20 Oregon arts organizations sharing $193,001 in FY 2018 Oregon Arts Commission Arts Learning grants! The grants, ranging from $4,451 to $12,046, support arts education projects now under way across the state.
Teacher Bari Frimkess leads a recorder class for students in the Phoenix/Talent school district as part of an Arts Learning project led by the Rogue Valley Symphony Association.
Small Operating grants announced
Congratulations to the 79 small Oregon arts organizations to receive FY2018 operating support from the Oregon Arts Commission! Awarded to arts organizations in 29 towns and cities across the state, Small Operating Grants are designed to provide operating support to arts organizations with budgets under $150,000.
Congratulations to the 33 projects awarded $209,400 in 2018 Oregon Arts Commission Arts Build Communities grants! Arts Build Communities projects use the arts as a means of addressing community need. They target broad geographic impact and arts access for underserved audiences in Oregon. More than half of this year’s awards go to communities outside of the Portland area.
A studnet shows off her ring prowess during a Circus Project workshop.
Conversations with Funders and Partners happening now
More than $5 million in funding will be on the table when Oregon Cultural Trust Manager Aili Schreiner joins with colleagues from the Cultural Trust’s Statewide Partners and other funders for “Conversations with Funders and Partners,” a 14-stop state tour. Attendees will learn about grant programs available from multiple grantmakers and will have the opportunity to discuss their projects and programming. Other statewide programming resources also will be presented.
A 2017 Conversations with Funders event in Eugene.
Happy 55th to the Corvallis Art Center
January marked the 55th anniversary of the opening of the Corvallis Art Center. We are proud of your longstanding service to the greater Corvallis community!
By Southern Oregon Artists Resource, 1577 contributed posts
View all Southern Oregon Artists Resource's posts. About the author: SOAR: The Southern Oregon Artist's Resource is a directory of Southern Oregon artists, artisans and those who serve them and calendar of their art events, and Art Matters!, our blog posting Southern Oregon art events and matters of interest to artists, enthusiasts and patrons of the arts near and far. SOAR was created and is maintained by art advocate and web designer Hannah West in Jacksonville, Oregon to promote our diverse and talented arts community to our visitors and the rest of the world.
Tony Kushner, the return of the Governor’s Arts Awards
to headline 2017 Oregon Arts Summit: “Creating Impact”
The important role of the arts in reflecting and defining society will be explored during the 2017 Oregon Arts Summit, “Creating Impact: Art and Civic Engagement,” scheduled from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 6 at the Hilton Portland Downtown. Celebrating the Oregon Arts Commission’s 50th anniversary, the Arts Summit will feature Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Tony Kushner and the return of the Governor’s Arts Awards after a 10-year hiatus. Scholarships are available.
Tony Kushner
“Throughout history, art has reflected the most important social issues of its time,” says Arts Commission Chair Christopher Acebo, the associate artistic director of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.
“It’s fitting that we celebrate the Arts Commission’s 50th Anniversary by examining the important connection between art and civic engagement, and we are thrilled to have Tony start the conversation.”
Nominated for an Academy Award for his screenplay for Steven Spielberg’s “Lincoln,” Kushner’s honors also include an Emmy Award, two Tony Awards and three Obies. In addition to his two-part epic, “Angels In America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes,” Kushner’s plays include “A Bright Room Called Day,” “Homebody/ Kabul” and the musical “Caroline, or Change.”
In a free 8 a.m. event preceding Arts Summit meetings, Governor Kate Brown will present 2017 Oregon Governor’s Arts Awards to two artists and three organizations as recipients of the 2017 Governor’s Arts Awards. Portland artist Arvie Smith and Yoncalla artist Esther Stutzman will be honored with Lifetime Achievement Awards. Organization honorees include Crow’s Shadow Institute of the Arts, Portland Opera and The James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation.
Other featured speakers for the 2017 Arts Summit include slam-poet and musician Mic Crenshaw, Oregon Symphony Music Director Carlos Kalmar and Randy Cohen of Americans for the Arts, speaking on the Arts & Economic Prosperity 5 study. Scheduled performances include Poet Laureate Elizabeth Woody, jazz artist Darrell Grant, singer Edna Vazquez, BRAVO Youth Orchestras and the PHAME Choir-with special guest Excellence in Theatre Education Tony Award-winning teacher Rachel Harry. Breakout sessions will focus on equity, economic impact, education and creativity.
Hosted by the Oregon Arts Commission, the Arts Summit is a forum of learning and shared resources for arts organizations, arts associations, elected officials, individual artists and arts professionals from around the state. The 2017 Oregon Arts Summit is funded in part by The Oregon Community Foundation, The James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation and the Harold & Arlene Schnitzer Care Foundation. Kushner’s appearance was made possible by the Harold & Arlene Schnitzer Care Foundation.
By Southern Oregon Artists Resource, 1577 contributed posts
View all Southern Oregon Artists Resource's posts. About the author: SOAR: The Southern Oregon Artist's Resource is a directory of Southern Oregon artists, artisans and those who serve them and calendar of their art events, and Art Matters!, our blog posting Southern Oregon art events and matters of interest to artists, enthusiasts and patrons of the arts near and far. SOAR was created and is maintained by art advocate and web designer Hannah West in Jacksonville, Oregon to promote our diverse and talented arts community to our visitors and the rest of the world.
Playwright/screenwriter Tony Kushner, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of “Angels in America,” will deliver the keynote address for the Arts Commission’s 50th Anniversary Arts Summit on Friday, Oct. 6, at the Portland Hilton Downtown. Known for his work in bringing society’s most difficult topics – including AIDS, racism and social justice – to the public stage, Kushner will introduce the Arts Summit theme of “Creating Impact: Art & Civic Engagement.”
Tony Kushner
“Throughout history, art has reflected the most important social issues of its time,” says Arts Commission Chair Christopher Acebo, the associate artistic director of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.
“It’s fitting that we celebrate the Arts Commission’s 50th Anniversary by examining the important connection between art and civic engagement, and we are thrilled to have Tony start the conversation.”
Nominated for an Academy Award for his screenplay for Steven Spielberg’s “Lincoln,” Kushner’s honors also include an Emmy Award, two Tony Awards and three Obies. In addition to his two-part epic, “Angels In America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes,” Kushner’s plays include “A Bright Room Called Day,” “Homebody/ Kabul” and the musical “Caroline, or Change.”
John Lahr of The New Yorker says Kushner “takes an almost carnal glee in tackling the most difficult subjects in contemporary history.” Register for the Arts Summit here.
Recipients to be announced soon
Governor’s Arts Awards to Open Arts Summit
After reviewing the more than 100 nominations for the 2017 Governor’s Arts Awards, a statewide committee submitted its recommendations to Governor Kate Brown. The Governor has now made her final decision and award recipients will be announced soon. The Governor’s Arts Awards ceremony is scheduled for 8 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 6, just prior to the 2017 Arts Summit.
On hiatus for 10 years, the Governor’s Arts Awards were reinstated in honor of the Arts Commission’s 50th Anniversary. The Awards recognize and honor individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to the arts in Oregon.
Grant alert!
Applications due Sept. 15 for Small Operating Grants
Launched two years ago as a pilot program, the Arts Commission’s Small Operating Grant program has been continued by the Arts Commission. Applications for FY2018 grants are due by 5 p.m. on Sept. 15; a fillable PDF application is available on the Commission’s website.
Following a program evaluation by Commissioners and staff, the Commission agreed the impact on underserved populations was significant and voted to continue the investment,” says Brian Wagner, community arts coordinator.The evaluation showed a near mirroring of grant dollar distribution to population numbers across the state.
The Inland Northwest Musicians’ Small Operating Grant allows them to continue presenting free concerts in Northeast Oregon like this one in Echo in 2016.
The grants are designed to provide operating support to Oregon small non-profit arts providers with budgets under $150,000. Eligibility is limited to organizations who have operated as an IRS-recognized nonprofit for two years or more and provide on-going programming through the year.
“This grant program was developed to increase the Commission’s support of Oregon’s small arts providers,” says Wagner. “These organizations frequently represent the only arts presenter for remote and underserved regions of the state.”
Welcome Arts Commissioner Nichole Maher
Nichole Maher, the president and CEO of Northwest Health Foundation, has been appointed to the Arts Commission by Governor Kate Brown. Maher fills the position previously held by Julie Vigeland, who completed her second four-year term in July.
Maher was raised in the small community of Siletz in Lincoln County and is very involved in supporting Native art and arts organizations.
“We are thrilled to have Nichole join the Arts Commission as we continue the critical work of ensuring equity, access and inclusion through all of our programs and services,” says Commission Chair Christopher Acebo.
“I am particularly interested in ensuring that all parts of Oregon are included in arts development and that all have access to opportunity and funding,” says Maher.
By Southern Oregon Artists Resource, 1577 contributed posts
View all Southern Oregon Artists Resource's posts. About the author: SOAR: The Southern Oregon Artist's Resource is a directory of Southern Oregon artists, artisans and those who serve them and calendar of their art events, and Art Matters!, our blog posting Southern Oregon art events and matters of interest to artists, enthusiasts and patrons of the arts near and far. SOAR was created and is maintained by art advocate and web designer Hannah West in Jacksonville, Oregon to promote our diverse and talented arts community to our visitors and the rest of the world.
The hands of master Native basketweaver Pat Courtney Gold at work. Gold is the recipient of a 2001 Governor’s Arts Award from Gov. Ted Kulongoski.
Do you know someone who has had a dramatic impact on the arts in Oregon? Consider nominating him or her for a Governor’s Arts Award! Individuals and organizations are eligible.
A call for nominations is now posted on the Arts Commission website; nominations are due by 5 p.m. on Friday, June 30. Awardees will be announced during the Governor’s Arts Awards ceremony from 8 to 9 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 6, at the Portland Hilton Downtown.
A partnership between the Office of the Governor and the Arts Commission, the Governor’s Arts Awards recognize and honor individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to the arts in Oregon.
The Governor’s Arts Awards are open to any individual, organization or community that currently resides in or has a significant presence in Oregon and has made outstanding contributions to the arts in the state. Previous awardees are not eligible (see past recipients ).
By Brooke Nuckles, 175 contributed posts
View all Brooke Nuckles's posts. About the author:
April 2017
Alexis Rockman (American, b. 1962), Evolution, 1992, oil on wood, 96 x 288 in., George R. Stroemple Collection, Lake Oswego, Oregon. Featured in curator and writer Linda Tesner’s essay “Thoughts on a Museum of Wonder,” which was commissioned for the Ecology Project.
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Arts Commission and The Ford Family Foundation
Launch Visual Arts Ecology Project
The online magazine and archive attempts to further explore the depth and expand the breadth of Oregon’s visual arts ecology. The Project is a joint effort of the Oregon Arts Commission and The Ford Family Foundation to create an accessible, permanent and interactive virtual collection documenting Oregon’s visual arts landscape, and the interconnected realms of artist, institution, patron, curator and arts writer.
The collection is a beginning, with historic and contemporary content drawn from the archives of the Arts Commission and visual arts partners across Oregon.
Oregon’s Megan Kim to compete
at Poetry Out Loud National Finals April 24-26
Megan Kim, an 18-year-old senior at Medford’s Cascade Christian High School, will represent Oregon in the April 24-26, 2017 Poetry Out Loud National Finals in Washington, D.C. The competition will be live-streamed here.
Megan is scheduled to compete during the third semifinal, with other upper Northwest and Western states’ contestants, from 2 to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, April 25. If she advances, she also will compete in the finals 4 to 6:15 p.m. on Wednesday, April 26 (Pacific Daylight Time).
Megan, who lives in Ashland, reads poetry for fun and serves as editor of the school’s literary magazine. Her plans are to attend college (she’s considering several) and to major in English.
Enjoy an excerpt of Megan’s performance of Carmen Gimenez Smith’s “Bleeding Heart” and the moment she was named our state champion. Read is a profile of Megan from The Ashland Tidings.
Megan Kim
Breaking news
National report shows Oregon ranks near top
for arts and culture jobs
Oregon is one of seven states- including Alaska, California, Colorado, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Utah- that exceed the national rate for arts and cultural workers by nine to 17 percent, says a new national study. Only three states (New York, Washington and Wyoming) rank higher.
By Flickr user Aaaarrrrgggghhhh! Courtesy of the NEA.
The research was unveiled April 19 by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Bureau of Economic Analysis. It represents the first authoritative federal data on arts and culture employment and compensation.
The data, gathered in 2014, reveals that overall arts and culture contributed $729.6 billion, or 4.2 percent of the Gross National Product (GDP), to the U.S. economy. Oregon employed 69,712 arts and culture workers earning a total of $3.9 billion that year.
By Southern Oregon Artists Resource, 1577 contributed posts
View all Southern Oregon Artists Resource's posts. About the author: SOAR: The Southern Oregon Artist's Resource is a directory of Southern Oregon artists, artisans and those who serve them and calendar of their art events, and Art Matters!, our blog posting Southern Oregon art events and matters of interest to artists, enthusiasts and patrons of the arts near and far. SOAR was created and is maintained by art advocate and web designer Hannah West in Jacksonville, Oregon to promote our diverse and talented arts community to our visitors and the rest of the world.
By now we have all heard about President Trump’s push to eliminate federal funding for a host of cultural agencies and nonprofits. Last week, President Trump doubled down, and proposed additional cuts the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA)—in the current budget year. These cuts would hit in the final six months of the budget cycle, crippling grants and programs that are planned and approved this year.
Oregon Humanities depends on the NEH for almost half of our funding. Thanks to this funding, we are able to work with hundreds of organizations around the state in communities large and small, urban and rural. The federal dollars that come to Oregon Humanities from the NEH make it possible for people from Klamath Falls to Portland and Enterprise to Astoria to do the ongoing work of building trust and strengthening community.
In addition to my work as Executive Director of Oregon Humanities, I serve on the board of the Cultural Advocacy Coalition. The Coalition is Oregon’s only statewide advocacy organization that lobbies legislators on behalf of the cultural community, and defends funding for the Oregon Cultural Trust, Oregon Arts Commission, Oregon Heritage Commission, State Historic Preservation Office and Oregon Humanities.
So, while we continue to pressure Congress to reject budget proposals which harm community-based programs like Oregon Humanities’ Conversation Projects and others, we are also in the midst of a challenging session here in Oregon—and we need your help!
We hope you will consider taking a few hours out of your day on Monday, April 24, 2017 to join us in Salem for Arts and Culture Advocacy Day 2017, at the Oregon State Capitol.
By visiting oregonculture.org/take-action right now you can sign up–and then immediately request a constituent meeting with your own legislators. If you have already registered, be sure you take a moment to request your constituent meeting, then help spread the word by sharing the link with friends and colleagues!
If you can’t make Advocacy Day, and are not yet a Coalition member, please consider joining with a membership gift of $50, $100 or $250 today to help preserve arts, heritage and the humanities, promote the creative economy and protect Oregon’s cultural life.
With your help, the Cultural Advocacy Coalition will continue to speak to those in power on behalf of our values; protecting and amplifying the voices of artists, historians, storytellers, community-builders and creatives whose essential work enriches our lives. With your help, we will withstand these very real threats to veterans’ programs in Central Oregon and North Portland, education programs for low income adults and the rich exploration of individual and community values facilitated by Oregon Humanities through community conversations throughout our state.
It will take all of us working together, participating in the legislative process and communicating with our elected representatives to protect arts and culture in Oregon and across the nation. Please take the time to join us.
With gratitude,
Adam Davis
Executive Director, Oregon Humanities
Board Member, Cultural Advocacy Coalition
By Brooke Nuckles, 175 contributed posts
View all Brooke Nuckles's posts. About the author:
March 2017
Moments after Megan Kim (second from right) was named Oregon’s 2017 Poetry Out Loud champion, she poses with Arts Commission Executive Director Brian Rogers (far left), runner up Philip Chan (second from left) and Arts Commission Chair Libby Unthank Tower (far right)
Ashland student named Oregon’s Poetry Out Loud champion
Megan Kim, an 18-year-old senior at Medford’s Cascade Christian High School, will represent Oregon at the April 24-26, 2017 Poetry Out Loud National Finals in Washington, D.C. She was one of nine regional finalists who competed in the March 11 state Poetry Out Loud contest at Salem Public Library. The runner up was Philip Chan of West Linn High School.
Megan, who lives in Ashland, reads poetry for fun and serves as editor of the school’s literary magazine. Her plans are to attend college (she’s considering several) and to major in English.
“Falling in love with poetry completely changed how I process the world,” says Megan.
“Through the lens of rich language, I get to explore emotion, to ask questions and seek truth, and to connect with other humans in a way that is entirely set apart from any other experience. I really think the truest me is the me that is writing or speaking poetry,” she adds.
TMegan Kim
Enjoy an excerpt of Megan’s performance of Carmen Gimenez Smith’s “Bleeding Heart” and the moment she was named our state champion.
Wendy Red Star, Apsáalooke Roses, 2016, Four-color lithograph with chine-collé archival pigment ink photographs, 18 x 26 inches. Courtesy of the artist.
Portland artist Wendy Red Star will exhibit “Works” in the Governor’s Office of the Capitol Building in Salem through May 11.
Red Star works across disciplines to explore the intersections of Native American ideologies and colonialist structures, both historically and in contemporary society.
Raised on the Apsáalooke (Crow) reservation in Montana, her work is informed both by her cultural heritage and her engagement with many forms of creative expression, including photography, sculpture, video, fiber arts and performance.
Red Star has exhibited at venues including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Fondation Cartier pour l’ Art Contemporain, Portland Art Museum, St. Louis Art Museum and the Minneapolis Institute of Art, among others.
Thirty-six Oregon organizations recently received Arts Build Communities grants from the Oregon Arts Commission. The grants, totaling $210,400, are designed to address and alleviate community needs by engaging in the arts. hh
Among the projects are new public art to revamp the streetscape of Vale while celebrating and reinforcing community collaboration; Slam Across Oregon, bringing together Oregon’s young slam poets from diverse rural, urban and suburban backgrounds for a Slamboo competition in Portland; and a public performance and exhibit designed to facilitate a community discussion about homelessness and home insecurity in the Columbia Gorge.
Lane Arts Council‘s Fiesta Cultural, supported by a 2017 Arts Build Communities grant.
Now in its 21st year, the Arts Build Communities program targets broad geographic impact and arts access for underserved audiences. More than half of the 2017 awards go to communities outside of the Portland Metro region.
Wynde Dyer’s tarp quilt tents for Camp Here Tonight at Littman Gallery at Portland State University.
In the first two of three rounds of FY2017 Career Opportunity Grants, the Oregon Arts Commission, The Ford Family Foundation and The Oregon Community Foundation have collectively awarded $111,146 to 43 artists for career development projects.
The awards include $52,496 from the Oregon Arts Commission; $40,300 in supplemental funding for seven artists through a partnership with The Ford Family Foundation; and $18,350 from The Oregon Community Foundation. Individual grants range from $535 to $7,500.
Agnieszka Laska, a Portland-based dancer/choreographer and the founder of Agnieszka Laska Dancers, is the 2017 recipient of the Oregon Arts Commission’s honorary Joan Shipley Award. The Joan Shipley Award is named for Oregon arts leader Joan Shipley, who passed away in 2011.
Laska leads a group of seven Oregon artists selected for the Arts Commission’s 2017 Individual Artist Fellowships.
The 2017 fellowships support artists working in the performing arts; visual artists are reviewed in alternating years.
The Arts Commission’s fellowship program is available to more than 20,000 artists who call Oregon home. Fellows are recommended by a review panel of Oregon arts professionals who consider artists of outstanding talent, demonstrated ability and commitment to the creation of new work(s). The Arts Commission reviews and acts on the panel’s recommendations.
The following performing artists were awarded 2017 fellowships: Agnieszka Laska (Joan Shipely Award), Portland; Oluyinka Akinjiola, Portland; Leah Anderson, Ashland; Douglas Detrick, Portland; Ashleigh Flynn, Portland; Eliot Grasso, Springfield; and Lydia Van Dreel, Eugene.
This month marks Arts Commissioner Avantika Bawa’s first solo exhibition in Los Angeles.
In “Parallel Faults,” up through April 6 at the Los Angeles Valley College Art Gallery, large painterly gestures sweep across the gallery.
Topographical maps of the surrounding San Fernando Valley and San Gabriel Fault line inform the scale, colors and patterns of the swaths.
Stretches of silence are interrupted with multi-channel field recordings of tremors and earthquake sounds procured from geophysicists. The diagonal thrust of the visuals and the spatial distribution of sound synthesize to create a feeling of movement, raw power and unease.
An installation view of “Parallel Faults,” an exhibition by Arts Commissioner Avantika Bawa at the LAVC Art Gallery.
By Southern Oregon Artists Resource, 1577 contributed posts
View all Southern Oregon Artists Resource's posts. About the author: SOAR: The Southern Oregon Artist's Resource is a directory of Southern Oregon artists, artisans and those who serve them and calendar of their art events, and Art Matters!, our blog posting Southern Oregon art events and matters of interest to artists, enthusiasts and patrons of the arts near and far. SOAR was created and is maintained by art advocate and web designer Hannah West in Jacksonville, Oregon to promote our diverse and talented arts community to our visitors and the rest of the world.
March 2017 News From Oregon Arts Commission
The Eugene Symphony performs at Cuthbert Amphitheatre. The Eugene Symphony received a $15,000 NEA direct grant in 2016 to support its “Ode to the Future” young composers’ project.
Arts Commission issues statement on national arts funding
Many arts supporters have reached out to inquire about the importance of national funding to the arts in Oregon. We’d like to take this opportunity to share information on how national and state funding partner to support arts organizations and artists across the state.
We know that funding of arts and culture in Oregon is comprised of many sources of revenue including public, private, individual and corporate giving. It’s safe to say, however, that without public support many arts organizations would be in jeopardy.
The National Endowment for the Arts allocates 40 percent ($41.2 million) of its annual appropriation to funding the nation’s state arts agencies. Combined, NEA and state arts agency grants reached all 435 Congressional districts. In fiscal year 2016 our Arts Commission received $727,700 in NEA Partnership funding to support grants and services. Combined with our state funding it allowed the Arts Commission to award 267 grants totaling more than $2.1 million. In addition, the NEA made 32 direct grants to Oregon arts organizations and projects totaling $795,000, bringing the total for NEA funding in Oregon to $1,522,700 for fiscal year 2016.
DataArts launches for Operating Support applications
Photo courtesy of Youth Music Project, a FY2016 Operating Support grant recipient.
All arts organizations applying for FY2018 Operating Support grants, including Arts Services applicants, are required to complete a customized ‘Funder Report’ via DataArts at http://culturaldata.org/.
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The DataArts Funder Report replaces most of the financial and non-financial data traditionally collected in the Operating Support application and Final Report.
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Organizations must enter information from their most recently completed fiscal year into a DataArts Cultural Data Profile in order to generate a Funder Report, which must be saved as a PDF and attached to the Operating Support application. Applications will not be considered complete without a Funder Report. The information is required annually for both the Full and Interim Application.
Jenny Green, a gallerist and art historian from Bend, has been appointed to the Oregon Arts Commission by Gov. Kate Brown.
Green is the owner of Jenny Green Gallery in Bend, a pop up contemporary art gallery exhibiting in Bend, throughout the United States and, soon, in Venice, Italy. She has worked in arts and education for 22 years and is a former adjunct professor of art history at Central Oregon Community College.
“I believe deeply in the power of art and its ability to enhance the quality of life not only for artists but for the communities in which they work,” said Green. “The Oregon Arts Commission strengthens our statewide community through the arts and I want to support this important work.”
Jenny Green
“Jenny is a wonderful addition to our Commission and we look forward to working with her to enhance and encourage the arts across the state,” says Executive Director Brian Rogers.
Untitled, 2015, oil and colored pencil on canvas, 48 x 36 inches.
Courtesy of the artist.
Portland artist Howard Fonda exhibits a selection of works he calls “Les premiers seront les derniers*” in the Governor’s Office of the Capitol Building in Salem through March 9.
Fonda’s works, which often feature human, animal and other natural forms against colorful and loosely patterned dabs of bright colors and undulating lines, are both playful and serious, safe and perilous. He describes painting as “an articulate means of exposing a range of emotion, both rational and irrational.
An exhibit in the Governor’s office is considered a “once in a lifetime” honor.
Spring Jewels by Anji Grainger, one of the works on Beaverton’s Creative Containers.
Grant spotlight
‘Creator Containers’ beautify Beaverton
More than 40 city-owned trash receptacles in Beaverton have received a makeover. The Creator Container Project, a part of the Beaverton Arts Program’s Art in Public Spaces initiative, aims to add an artistic element to the city’s existing infrastructure while supporting both established and emerging artists.
Supported by the Arts Build Communities program, the original plan was to place 10 vinyl-art-wrap installations on existing infrastructures throughout the city. The project became so popular that ultimately 44 wraps were developed by students as well as amateur and professional artists.
(Right) Farmland Quilt by Cate Wilcox.
(From left) Libby Unthank Tower, Erin Graham, Candace Kita and Brian Rogers in front of the Supreme Court building.
WESTAF delegation visits Capitol Hill
Brian Rogers, left, with Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden
Commission Chair Libby Unthank Tower and Executive Director Brian Rogers joined Western States Arts Federation Board Chair Erin Graham and Candace Kita, a WESTAF emerging leader of color, for WESTAF’s annual advocacy trip to Washington, D.C. Jan. 30 through Feb. 1.
The group met with every member of Oregon’s Congressional delegation or their staff to share stories of arts impact in their districts.
The meetings provided an opportunity to relay information about the importance of government funding for the arts and the important impact of NEA funding in our state.
By Southern Oregon Artists Resource, 1577 contributed posts
View all Southern Oregon Artists Resource's posts. About the author: SOAR: The Southern Oregon Artist's Resource is a directory of Southern Oregon artists, artisans and those who serve them and calendar of their art events, and Art Matters!, our blog posting Southern Oregon art events and matters of interest to artists, enthusiasts and patrons of the arts near and far. SOAR was created and is maintained by art advocate and web designer Hannah West in Jacksonville, Oregon to promote our diverse and talented arts community to our visitors and the rest of the world.
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November 10, 2016
The Art Summit’s morning session ended with a panel discussion on arts as an effective change agent.
2016 Summit Eexemplifies Arts In Action
Attendees ranked their experience of the 2016 Arts Summit in Corvallis highly. With a conference theme of Arts In Action, Keynote speaker Tim Carpenter of EngAGE provided an outstanding example of creative programs that are developed to encourage vibrant aging. The August Wilson Red Door Project’s “Hands Up” performance and its associated speaker panel also gave attendees a rich, powerful and sometimes raw window into the lived experience of many Americans of color.
Overall people found the speakers and performers inspiring and valued the opportunity to network with other arts professionals. Those who came the afternoon before the Summit participated in the welcome reception, generously hosted by the Corvallis Arts Center, and arts themed dinners with Arts Commissioners. These were cited by several attendees as their favorite part of the Arts Summit.
The evaluation revealed that interaction with others is a key take-away from the event.
The 2017 Arts Summit, celebrating the Commission’s 50th Anniversary will be held Friday, Oct. 6, at the Sentinel Hotel in Portland. Mark your calendars now and register early. If you have suggestions for next year’s speakers, please reach out to [email protected]In the meantime, enjoy this link to photos from the 2016 Arts Summit.
LaTevin Alexander of the August Wilson Red Door Project delivers a dramatic “Hands Up” performance.
Pat Boas’ “Cipher” to be exhibited in the Governor’s Office
Pat Boas, Untitled (yellow), 2015, Sumi ink, gouache and flashe on Khadi paper. 30 x 22 in. Photo T. Harrison. Courtesy of the artist and Elizabeth Leach Gallery. Collection of Dave Pollin and the Canopy Hotel.
Portland artist Pat Boas will exhibit “Cipher” in the Governor’s Office at the Capitol Building in Salem from Nov. 22 to Jan. 12.
Boas uses the form, movement and sound-sense of words as maps for abstraction. Her paintings and works on paper distort the code of written language to the point where the viewer might glimpse, but not grasp, an implied meaning. Beginning with common stencil letters or the shapes between letterforms, the pieces develop into characters that are not easily deciphered, like logos too complicated to achieve the usual aim of instant recognition.
The artist explains, “I want to confuse the acts of reading and looking, writing and drawing, jostling them with the noise of color and form.”
An exhibit in the Governor’s office is considered a “once in a lifetime” honor.
One of the recent Connecting Students to the World of Work grant projects contributed to a music video honored Sept. 17 with the top prize in the best music video category for the Native American Music Awards, also known as the NAMMYS.
Students participating in the Beats Lyrics Leaders project funded by the Arts Commission worked with Oregon-based hiphop artist Blue Flamez (Scott Kalama) to produce “Rez Life” with Portland’s Ibori Records. Ibori, through Beats Lyrics Leaders, was awarded a 2014 World of Work grant to partner indigenous youth with professional teaching artists. The project allowed 16 Native American youth to participate in song writing retreats and music training programs with entertainment personalities and musician mentors.
A still of the students featured in “Rez Life.”
“I’ve seen them grow up from kids to young men and it makes me proud to know we won an award for our efforts as a team,” says Flamez. “That’s what life’s about — dreaming big and making it happen!”
The Oregon Arts Commission will hold its quarterly meeting at the Lakewood Center for the Arts on Friday, Dec. 2. It is open to the public.
Artists, arts organizations and supporters are invited to gather with Arts Commissioners and staff for an informal Arts Salon reception from 4 to 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 1, at the 510 Museum & ARTspace (510 First Street in Lake Oswego).
Please RSVP for the reception by Monday, Nov. 28, to Bonnie Fox at 503-986-0130 or [email protected]
At left: Lee Kelly’s Angkor I in Lake Oswego, purchased through an Oregon Arts Commission Art Acquisition grant.
Grant alert!
Mid-level artists encouraged to apply for Career Opportunity Grants
Record funding is available to support Oregon artists’ career opportunities in December. Through partnerships with The Ford Family Foundation and The Oregon Community Foundation, visual, performing and literary artists may apply for up to $9,000 to further their careers in artistic, business or professional development.
Artists may apply for up to $1,500 from the Arts Commission and, if they are over 30 and actively producing new work, an additional $7,500 from The Ford Family Foundation and the Oregon Community Foundation. The Ford Family Foundation supports artists in the fields of fine art and contemporary craft. The Oregon Community Foundation funds are available only to established Oregon literary and performing arts artists.
Applications are due by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 7. Guidelines and more information are
