Review meetings for the first 2008-2009 round of Iowa Arts Council major grants will be held Wednesday, April 16 at the State Historical Building, 600 E. Locust, Des Moines.

From 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m., sub-panels will meet to discuss each grant application. The afternoon session, from 1:30-3:30 p.m. will bring together the full panel to discuss funding recommendations.

The public is welcome to attend one or both of these sessions to observe. Observers are not allowed to speak or participate in anyway.

Call Staci Nevinski at (515) 281-3293 for more information.

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Mortvedt Crowned State Poetry Champ

Emily Mortvedt of Roland-Story High School won the 2008 Poetry Out Loud in Iowa contest March 8 at the State Historical Building, edging out 13 other competitors from across the state. Mortvedt, daughter of Tim and Deb Mortvedt, said she was excited “but really nervous because this was a great opportunity to compete here in this beautiful building.”

For her winning performance, Mortvedt recited “A Psalm of Life” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, “Time Does Not Bring Relief: You All Have Lied” by Edna St. Vincent Millay, and “Love (III)” by George Herbert.

Emily Mortvedt receives her medal and certificate at the Poetry Out Loud state competition March 8.

The Roland-Story senior will receive $200 and a $500 check for her school library, for the purchase of poetry books. She’ll also receive an all-expense paid trip to Washington, D.C. to compete against state winners from across the country in the Poetry Out Loud National Finals April 28-29 at George Washington University.

All participants in the state competition received signed volumes of poetry by Iowa poets, and a certificate of recognition signed by Governor Culver. The 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd place winners also received engraved medallions. Placing second in the state competition was Shaquita Welch from Northview Middle School in Ankeny; third place went to Saulaman Schlegel from North High School in Des Moines.

The National Finals will award $50,000 in college scholarships and school prizes, including a $20,000 college scholarship to the national winner. Poetry Out Loud is a nationwide program sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation.

Emily Mortvedt explained that the poems she performed keep her connected to the memory of her brother, Sam, who died in a 2003 car accident. “I picked these poems because they narrate my life and reflect things that are very personal to me,” she said.

According to Mortvedt’s teacher, Denise Biechler, the contest is a confirmation of the role poetry can play in students’ lives. “We discuss memory and recitation in class, and some students would prefer to read from notes,” Biechler said. “But poetry can’t get inside you unless you’ve memorized it. That’s when it can have context and meaning, and that’s what we saw Emily convey in her performance today.”

Mortvedt hopes she will represent Iowa well and is thankful for the support she has received from her teachers, fellow students, community, and the Iowa Arts Council.

Those interested in learning more about the program or who would like to view the wide range of poetry available for participants’ use should visit www.poetryoutloud.org, http://writersalmanac.publicradio.org and http://poetryfoundation.org.

This year’s Poetry Out Loud contestants were (front, l-r): Emily Mortvedt, Alyssa Gourd, Saulaman Schlegel, Alyson Browder, Jessica Phillips and Mitchell Tiedeman; (back l-r) Melissa Tuinstra, Felicia Mauk, Kate Vukovich, Shaquita Welch, Jeena Gochenour and Hunter Heidesch.

Not pictured: Ronnie McConnell and Sarah Thompson

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IAC “Office on the Road” May 15 in Le Mars

The Iowa Arts Council will take its “Office on the Road” to Le Mars May 15 to offer assistance and guidance with arts-related project planning and grant programs to Iowans.

IAC staff will hold office hours from 1-5 p.m. at the Le Mars Art Center, 200 Central Avenue S.E. Constituents interested in meeting with IAC staff should contact Sarah Ekstrand at sarah.ekstrand@iowa.gov or (515) 281-4657 to schedule 20-minute appointments.

“When we made the decision to take our office on the road the first time last December, we believed it would be well received by constituents – and we were right,” IAC Administrator Mary Sundet Jones said. “In many cases, we met constituents who could not travel to Des Moines but still needed one-on-one interaction with our staff about project planning and grant programs.”

IAC will announce additional “Office on the Road” dates and locations as they are confirmed.

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Eco-Logical Art

With Earth Day looming toward the end of this month (April 22), it seems a fitting time to think about how artists and cultural organizations across the state are working to be more eco-friendly.

The concept is nothing new. Artists have been making beautiful pieces from junkyard scrap for years. But with increased attention on the suffering environment, artists have been some of the first to turn over their working conditions, materials and inspirations to nature.

Earlier this year, the Vision Iowa Board granted $100,000 to Winneshiek County for the acquisition of durable public art along a 12-mile loop recreational trail known as Trout Run Trail. The county and the city of Decorah created the Trout Run Trail Public Art Committee, whose members are now working together to select artists and find donors willing to underwrite the costs. The selected artists will either use environmentally-friendly materials or draw from the natural environment as inspiration.

Since 2004, Ogden artist David Williamson has led “Riverse,” an artistic off-shoot of the Department of Natural Resources Project AWARE. In 2007, Project AWARE covered 102.5 miles of the Middle and North Raccoon Rivers. Four hundred volunteers removed more than 26 tons of trash, recycling 85% of it. Each year for Project AWARE, Williamson used some of that trash to create permanent sculptural pieces, with the help of visitors to the Iowa State Fair.

On April 22, the public is invited to the unveiling of the

Artist David Williamson, far right, talks about his “Strongback” sculpture unveiled in April, 2007. The sculpture was created from trash in Iowa rivers, and is now on display at the Wallace State Office Building in Des Moines.

current sculpture-in-progress from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Wallace State Office Building, 502 E. 9th Street. Visit www.iowaprojectaware.com for details.

Williamson practices what he preaches: his home in rural Ogden is constructed of recycled material. The floor in his kitchen, for example, used to be a basketball court. “We were considered an oddity,” he said of building his house. “In the 1990s, when recycling became fashionable, all of a sudden we were hip.”

Through the Art in State Buildings Program, the Iowa Arts Council is currently working with the Iowa Utilities Board and the Office of Consumer Advocate to select an artist to create public art for a new “green” state office building. The integration of art, design, and aesthetic elements on the site will showcase the importance of utility services to the Iowa economy, and demonstrate the value of all Iowans to be responsible for wise use of energy resources.

“More and more, we see artists who are looking to weave environmental themes throughout their work,” said IAC Administrator Mary Sundet Jones. “By using recycled materials, renewable resources or reducing waste, artists are finding new and creative ways to express themselves in a way that benefits the environment.”

There are several artist groups who are integrating “green” practices. The Metro Arts Alliance of Greater Des Moines has developed “Green Arts” to provide training for central Iowa artists in practicing greater environmental stewardship in their lives and work. This summer, the James & Meryl Hearst Center for the Arts in Cedar Falls will hold educational workshops for children and families around the themes of reducing, reusing and recycling, with an emphasis on bringing new life to ordinary objects.

Artists who are interested in becoming more environmentally friendly may want to check out the Coalition of Green Artists out of Lincoln, Neb., a group of professional artists, educators and philanthropists committed to environmentally-friendly approaches to creativity. Learn more at http://greenartists.tripod.com/.

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Renewable Artist: Pam Dennis

Today, Pam Dennis is one of the busiest artists on the IAC Teaching Roster. Although she was initially turned down for the roster, her persistence eventually paid off.

With a degree in horticulture, Dennis left college and was hired as one of the first female gardeners at Greenwood Park’s Rose Garden in Des Moines. In 1979, she and her husband, Rick Weiss, found a community of people who wanted to start living off the land in Ogden.

“Dancer” by Pam Dennis reflects her use of natural materials in her art. This piece is available at www.buyiowaart.com.

In adherence to their belief that it is essential to be kind to the earth, Dennis and Weiss built a cabin that used alternative energy for heat and light . After their daughter was born, Dennis started making willow baskets from willow grown on their land. Though she didn’t consider herself an artist, Dennis received encouragement from her parents and an aunt.

With Weiss, Dennis sold her baskets at local farmers markets and then to artists markets. In 1986, Better Homes and Gardens did a spotlight article on the couple and their business took off. That same year, Dennis was accepted for IAC’s Teaching Artist Roster and started teaching at the Des Moines Art Center.

Since then, Dennis has worked as a teaching artist alongside students to create permanent recycled, renewable arts installations in schools and centers all over the state. The couple’s work continues to grow—

literally—by creating large, interactive installations that grow with the environment. In April, both Dennis and Weiss will offer workshops at Reiman Gardens in Ames, funded in part by an Iowa Arts Council Mini Grant. Visit www.reimangardens.iastate.edu for information.

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NEA’s Ostrout Offers Tips for Grant Seekers

Has your organization applied for a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts? It’s possible!

John Ostrout, Director of State and Regional Programs for the NEA, presented an NEA grants workshop to about 30 Iowans Saturday, March 8 in Des Moines. It was a great opportunity to hear first-hand about the programs and services of the NEA.

Most of the information presented at the workshop can be found in the NEA’s downloadable 2008 Guide.

TIP: John strongly recommended that anyone seeking an NEA grant should first review the information in the Guide, and then call the NEA directly. He stressed that calling to discuss your idea with NEA staff working in the appropriate program is not an intrusion at all; rather it is an important step in the process.

TIP: Plan ahead! Remember that NEA timelines are long ones, especially compared to the Iowa Arts Council’s. The shortest NEA turnaround time is for Challenge America Fast-Track grants, and that is 6 months.

TIP: All applicants for NEA grants must apply through the U.S. Government’s Grants.gov process. The sign up process can be complicated, so John recommends starting the registration process right now, if there’s a possibility you may apply for funding anytime in the next year. The NEA web site offers a step-by-step checklist that walks you through this registration process.

TIP: Iowa organizations are especially encouraged to apply for the NEA’s Challenge America Fast-Track Review grants. These grants are $10,000 each, for straightforward projects that extend the reach of the arts into underserved communities. Only one Iowa organization (Dubuque Symphony Orchestra) received a Challenge America grant in 2008; there were none from Iowa in the previous two years!

NEA grants are made to nonprofit organizations, units of state or local government, tribal governments, schools, and a host of other organizations. The NEA does not fund individuals, except in its literature fellowships and some lifetime honor awards. Check the NEA web site for a wealth of information about grants and other programs and services.

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Legislative Update

By Gordon Hendrickson, legislative liaison

We are now 22 days from the scheduled end of the session and much work remains to be done. Among the less visible legislation are several pieces of direct interest to the cultural community in Iowa. Prior to the session, the Department of Cultural Affairs filed a proposal to authorize the historical division to address concerns for preservation and access to electronic records and to create an advisory committee regarding commemoration of the sesquicentennial of the American Civil War. That same legislation (SF2176 / HF2396) authorizes the Department of Cultural Affairs to create a Culture, History, Arts Teams (CHAT) program. Currently this legislation has passed the Senate and is on the floor of the House of Representatives ready for debate. We expect this bill to be debated and approved in the very near future.

Another bill of interest to the Department is SF 2001 / SF582 -- identical bills related to sales tax exemptions for performing arts centers and the construction of performing art centers. This legislation is in the Senate Ways and Means Committee at this time. I have heard concern expressed about the fiscal impact of this legislation because of a rebate of sales taxes paid since 2005 which would be paid from current revenues. Discussions have explored potential methods for distributing that impact over more years in the future but the bill has not yet moved from its sub-committee.

Senator Bill Dotzler of Waterloo introduced SF 2359 to increase the allocation of construction costs for public art associated with state projects. This bill suggested an increase in the percent for art from the current .5% to 1.5% of total construction costs, with a portion of that allocation to be used for maintenance of public art elements. Unfortunately that bill failed to survive the second funnel this session. The issue has, however, now appeared on the legislative radar screen and advocacy efforts would be appropriate to secure enactment in the future.

As I have stated many times, this is a quiet year for the Department of Cultural Affairs. Only a limited number of bills have been introduced that have a direct impact on our Department. That does not mean we can reduce our advocacy efforts. Rather, we must continue to bring cultural issues to the attention of our elected officials. We need to say thank you for support given and we need to continue to educate officials about the impact of culture, arts and history activities and organizations on local communities.

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Smoking Ban Discussion: An Issue for Theatres?

As our state legislature’s conference committee on a proposed smoking ban in Iowa begins its work, it may be important for arts organizations – especially theatres and presenting organizations – to consider how the proposals on the table could affect theatrical productions in Iowa. If directors and theatres haven’t already found creative alternatives to cigarette smoking onstage, the passage of the proposed ban will certainly require it.

Des Moines arts reporter Michael Morain referenced a recent article in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune about what lawmakers there are proposing. Read the article: http://www.startribune.com/local/15859722.html

This can be a tough issue, and the IAC wants to make sure cultural organizations are aware of changes that could affect them. The Iowa Arts Council and Department of Cultural Affairs are not taking a position for or against this legislation but urge arts organizations to consider its implications fully.

If you feel strongly about this legislation’s potential impact on theatrical presentations, you may want to make your feelings known to legislators, especially those on the conference committee. These include:

Representatives Tyler Olson, Cedar Rapids; Janet Peterson, Des Moines; Mike Reasoner, Creston; Cecil Dolecheck, Mount Ayr; and Chuck Soderberg, Le Mars.

Senators Staci Appel, Ackworth; Joe Bolkcom, Iowa City; Bill Dotzler, Waterloo; Ron Wieck, Sioux City; and Mark Zieman, Postville.

For contact information on Iowa legislators, visit www.legis.state.ia.us.

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Cultural Supporters – Show Your Support!

The Iowa Cultural Coalition (ICC) is building a constituent database to strengthen its hand in advocating for culture. They won’t share the contact information with other groups and will use it only to supply cultural advocacy information.

Add your name to the list to receive advocacy updates by sending an email to Oxana Bedore, ICC board member, at mobedore@smunet.net.

The ICC helps historic preservationists, historians, artists, musicians, actors, economic developers and people interested in the arts to enhance and promote Iowa’s cultural offerings. Learn more about the ICC at www.Iowaculturalcoalition.org.

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IAC Staff Out & About

April 1: Dawn Martinez Oropeza to Grand View College (Des Moines) for Grand View Art Dept Advisory Group

April 2: Bruce Williams meets with Belle Plaine Historical Museum

April 3: Mary Sundet Jones to Waterloo for grand opening of new Phelps Youth Pavilion at Waterloo Center for the Arts

April 3-4: Bruce Williams and Cyndi Pederson to Iowa City for Cultural Leadership Partners site visit with Riverside Theatre

April 3-5: Riki Saltzman to Iowa City to present “Pork, Place and Praxis: Foodways in Iowa” session during the Food, Ethnic Identities, and Memory Symposium, sponsored by University of Iowa’s Center for Ethnic Studies and the Arts

April 7: Riki Saltzman touring Fremont County with Evelyn Birkby

April 10: Sarah Ekstrand and Dawn Martinez Oropeza to Iowa City to provide grant writing information to arts management and business students at University of Iowa

April 11: Bruce Williams to Ames to present information about public art to the ISU Community/Urban Revitalization class

April 11: Riki Saltzman to Ankeny for Iowa Studies conference

April 13: Riki Saltzman to Cedar Rapids to meet with refugees from Central Africa.

April 14: Riki Saltzman to Ames for Advisory Council meeting for the Center for Excellence in the Arts and Humanities, ISU

April 18: Mary Sundet Jones to West Des Moines for Iowa Tourism Unity Day conference

April 18: Bruce Williams to Toledo with the Toledo Juvenile Home Art in State Buildings Committee

April 22: Bruce Williams meets in Des Moines with Iowa Utilities Board/Office of Consumer Advocate Art in State Buildings Advisory Committee

April 27-30: Dawn Martinez Oropeza to Washington, D.C. for Poetry Out Loud National Recitation Competition (with Iowa’s winner, Emily Mortvedt from Roland-Story High School)

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NEA’s “Big Read” Calls to Iowans to Read London Classic

The State Historical Library has announced its schedule of statewide events to promote reading and literature in Iowa as part of the National Endowment for the Arts’ “The Big Read” program.

The Big Read is an NEA initiative designed to restore reading to the center of American culture and is presented in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and Arts Midwest.

NEA awarded nearly $1.6 million in grants to 127 libraries, municipalities, and arts, culture and higher education, and science organizations throughout the country to host a Big Read celebration of one of 16 classic novels January-June 2008.

The State Historical Library received a $16,300 NEA grant to promote the program this year in Iowa, choosing Jack London’s The Call of the Wild for a series of events throughout the state April 18-May 28, 2008.

Visit www.neabigread.org for the complete schedule and more information.

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DCA Awards Community Cultural Grants

The Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs has awarded 21 Iowa Community Cultural Grants totaling $327,420 for arts, historical and cultural programs in 14 Iowa communities, including three Iowa Great Places.

The ICCG program encourages strong cultural growth and development throughout the state and provides matching grants to support organizations and projects that provide lasting employment for Iowans while also enhancing Iowa’s artistic, cultural and historical resources

Projects include museum exhibits, historic restoration and archaeology projects, folk life and other festivals public art projects, ethnic heritage projects and performing arts events and companies.

DCA received 80 ICCG requests totaling $1,146,357 for fiscal year 2008-2009. The 21 grants announced today will be awarded July 1, 2008 pending legislative budget approval.

Communities and organizations across Iowa are encouraged to apply for fiscal year 2009-2010 Iowa Community Cultural Grants. Nonprofit or tax-exempt organizations that promote and develop the arts, history or historic preservation, culture, ethnicity, tourism, economic development, festivals or municipal libraries are eligible to apply. City and county governments and tribal councils are also eligible. Awards range from $1,000 to $25,000.

Applications for the 2009-2010 ICCG program will be available at www.culturalaffairs.org later this year. The new deadline will be May 1, 2009 for FY10 funding.

Read the summary of 2008-2009 ICCG awards by visiting www.culturalaffairs.org.

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Save America’s Treasures Solicits Applications

The National Park Service in partnership with the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services is seeking applicants for its Save America’s Treasures 2008 grant program. Save America’s Treasures makes critical investments in the preservation of our nation’s most significant cultural treasures. Grants are awarded for preservation and/or conservation work on nationally significant intellectual and cultural artifacts and nationally significant historic structures and sites. Grant amounts range from $25,000 to $700,000 to conserve collections and from $125,000 to $700,000 for historic property and sites projects. All the awards must be matched 1:1.

Beginning this year, Save America’s Treasures will be accepting on-line applications only through www.grants.gov, the federal government grant website. Paper applications will not be accepted. Applicants are asked to register on Grants.gov. Once applicants have registered, they can download the application package and begin filling out the various PDF forms. Once the registration is confirmed, which can take several weeks, applicants can then submit their final application through Grants.gov.

Complete guidelines, applications and information, as well as a database of previous Save America Treasure’s awardees, can be found on the National Park Service Web site. Deadline for applications is 20 May 2008. For general information contact Kimber Craine at the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities or call 202/682-5661.

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Prairie Arts Management Institute June 3-6

The 8^th Annual Prairie Arts Management Institute will be held June 3-6 at Augustana College in Sioux Falls, S.D. The Institute provides professional development and practical training for staff of small and mid-sized community arts organizations and is funded by the National Endowment for the Arts and Arts Midwest. Participants are offered leadership and management tools in an intense learning environment with master teachers. Space is limited to maximize individual learning.

Early bird registration is $350 per person prior to April 30; regular registration is $400 after April 30. Events included in the registration are:

· Opening night dinner featuring artist or national speaker;

· Visual Arts Center Exhibit at Washington Pavilion of Arts and Sciences;

· Tour of Washington Pavilion Arts and Sciences;

· Special dessert evening and Zandbroz Variety Shop;

· Sculpture Walk 2008; 50 new sculptures downtown; and

· “Closing graduation” dinner Friday evening.

Scholarships are available. Visit www.sdarts.org for Institute information and registration. Prairie Arts Management Institute is sponsored by South Dakotans for the Arts, South Dakota Arts Council, Missouri Association of Community Arts Agencies, with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts and Arts Midwest.

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