IAC Calendar
July 15: Grant Writing Workshop, 1-4 p.m., Fort Madison
July 16: Office on the Road, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Fort Madison
July 25: Small Operating Support (SOS) Grant application deadline
Ongoing:
Artist Directory (Artists – please register!)
Iowa Public Art Artist Resource (Artist Resource)
Mini Grants. Applications due the first business day of each month. Apply for up to $1,500 in matching funds for arts-related projects.
Apply now! Big Yellow School Bus and EZ 1-2-3 Grants . Funding is available for 2008-09.
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The Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs has been collecting information about arts and cultural organizations that have been impacted by the floods in Iowa. There may be more, but here is a list of those we know of so far:
Amana
Old Creamery Theatre Company – Depot Stage
Ankeny
Ankeny Art Center
Bonaparte
Historic Bonaparte Pottery
Boone
Iowa Railroad Historical Society and Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad
Cedar Falls
Ice House Museum
Cedar Rapids
African-American Historical Museum
The Art Vault
Cedar Rapids Library
Cedar Rapids Museum of Art
Cedar Rapids Symphony
Cedar Rapids Opera
Cherry Building (artist studios)
Chorale Midwest
CSPS/Legion Arts
Freedom Festival Office
Grounds for Art (Convention & Visitors Bureau Sculpture Program)
Matyk Building (artist studios)
National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library
Iowa Art Works
Paramount Theater
Science Station
Seminole Valley Farms
Theater Cedar Rapids
Ushers Ferry Historic Village
Veteran’s Memorial/City Hall
Davenport
Bucktown Center for the Arts
River Music Experience
Des Moines
Fort Des Moines Black Officers and WACS Museum
Gateway Dance Theatre
Great Ape Trust
Fort Madison
Fort Madison Art Center – Depot Gallery
North Lee County Museum
Old Fort Madison
Iowa City
Hancher Auditorium
Riverside Theatre
University of Iowa Arts Campus
Iowa Falls
Carnegie-Ellsworth Building
Keosaqua
Aunty Green Museum
St. Lucas
St. Lucas Historical Society
Waterloo
Dan Gable Wrestling Institute Museum
Waterloo Center for the Arts
Waterloo Community Playhouse
Waverly
Bremer County Historical Museum
Williams
Hemken Collection
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Iowa Arts Council Emergency Grant Relief applications are coming in daily, but there are still some funds available. As of July 2, 18 applications had been turned in, each requesting up to $500.
Applicants may be individual artists, nonprofit arts organizations and local or county government arts organizations that are located in a state and/or federally-declared disaster area. The funds may be used for cleaning, office and storage supplies, replacement of art supplies, or any other recovery-related expenses.
A little help can go a long way, said Cyndi Pederson, director of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs.
“While we know the amount is very small, there are many Iowa artists and arts organizations with immediate, basic needs for things that may not cost a lot of money,” she said. “We hope this program can help, even a little.”
The 2008 Emergency Arts Relief Application Form is available by contacting Linda Lee at linda.lee@iowa.gov. The form is also available at www.iowaartscouncil.org Applicants should download and complete the form and mail or fax it to:
Emergency Arts Relief
Iowa Arts Council
600 E. Locust St.
Des Moines, IA 50319
Fax: 515-242-6498
Applications will be processed as quickly as possible on a first-come, first-funded basis. Funding is limited.
--by Heidi Pierson, intern ___________________________________________
If your organization or studio has been affected by Iowa floods or tornadoes:
Excellent places for general resource information:
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Campagna was working in Colorado when he heard about the flooding situation in Iowa. He quickly packed up his things and drove nonstop to his mother’s home. When he arrived on June 13, the National Guard was outside.
“I looked inside and saw all my stuff floating, it was overwhelming to see,” Campagna said.
Among the items floating in the water, Campagna said he lost 20 cameras that were used as loaner cameras for students he teaches during arts residencies; $1,500 in matte board and paper; $1,000 worth of printing equipment; six complete exhibits; tons of negatives; 25 years of notes he took during his teaching; and 40 years worth of correspondence that he said he was hoping to make in to a book.
Campagna is aware of organizations to help artists who were affected by the floods. He has filed paperwork with the Iowa Arts Council and with FEMA, although he does not expect to receive any assistance from FEMA because it was not his residence that was damaged, it was his business. He said he also plans to file paperwork with the United States Small Business Administration.
-by Heidi Pierson, intern
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Arts organizations across the state of Iowa were hit hard by the floods of 2008. Though there may be no way of telling how much was lost to the water, there’s no doubt eastern Iowa was impacted greatly.
Woodworkers, a collaborative woodworking studio in Iowa City, accumulated three feet of water in the studio. Russell Karkowski, one of the woodworkers, said they lost 1,000 feet of board, but most of the damage sustained was to the building. By the time they got the evacuation order, they had only 30 minutes to remove all their finished commissioned work before any damage occurred.
The water that accumulated caused extensive interior damage to the walls and floor. Their radiant floor system was soaked with water and polluted sand. The whole flooring was completely torn out and will be replaced with concrete. The sheet rock walls will also be replaced.
Karkowski said he could not estimate the cost of damages Woodworkers incurred.
“We have had so many volunteers and the cost is going to be cheaper because of their help,” he said. They will still need to hire workers to fix things like electric and plumbing. He said they have not checked into any loans or grants yet because they have been so busy fighting mold and trying to keep on schedule.
Farther north, the cultural and entertainment district that includes Waterloo Center for the Arts, Waterloo Community Playhouse and the new Phelps Youth Pavilion accrued $60,000 worth of damage.
Flood water in the basement of WCA reached six feet and flooded the green room. Public Program Coordinator Johanna Kramer-Weston said that all permanent collections housed at WCA were moved and no art was damaged.
“We were fortunate enough to have quickly moved everything out of the way,” she said, adding the Phelps Youth Pavilion remained untouched.
Across the street, at the Waterloo Community Playhouse in the Walker Building, furniture and props were lost (some that were 40 years old). Danny Katz, marketing and development director, said they were able to salvage some of the items, but due to mold and little hope for cleaning or repair, much of the wood, upholstery and props had to be thrown out.
The majority of the items that were salvaged or relocated are stored in the rehearsal room, which left little space to rehearse for Into the Woods, which will open July 8.
“The building is functioning, but it is far from being complete,” Katz said.
In addition, the building lost an elevator, a water heater and a furnace. Any and all donations of props, furniture, labor, or funds are welcome and greatly appreciated, Katz said. The district plans to have “Big Clean Days” July 12 and July 19. Donation inquiries may be directed to (319) 235-0367.
In Cedar Rapids, Legion Arts had a new exhibit hanging titled “2x2 by You—My River,” when the worst of the flood occurred. The public exhibit was a tribute to the Year of the River celebration planned in the city. Legion Arts Co-Director Mel Andringa said he won’t be quick to remove the exhibit during clean up efforts.
“We’ve been strongly encouraging artists to leave them in place because people tell us all the time that these are strong reminders that we’ll survive,” Andringa said. “Everything that you see that got through the flood is a little reassuring sign that we may get it back together again.”
--by Heidi Pierson, intern
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Applications for the second round of S.O.S (Small Operating Support) grants are due Friday, July 25.
These grants from the Department of Cultural Affairs’ help small and mid-size arts, history, and cultural organizations to do such things as:
SOS grants are specifically for nonprofit arts, history, and cultural organizations with annual budgets below $150,000. Applicants may request up to 5 percent of their annual budget, or a maximum of $5,000. Funds must be used between September 1, 2008 and June 30, 2009. Applications must be received at the Department of Cultural Affairs by 4:30 pm, Friday, July 25; this is NOT a postmark deadline. For more information and application, visit the DCA Web site or contact Dawn.Oropeza@iowa.gov.
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In 2007, with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts American Masterpieces initiative, the Iowa Arts Council and Iowa Public Television produced two television shows that aired on IPTV’s Assignment Iowa. The programs showcased seven living Iowa master artists, while featuring the venues that help bring their work to Iowans.
Now, as a complement to the DVDs showcasing these artists, IAC has created a new DVD featuring some of Iowa’s most talented folk and traditional artists, titled Inspiration and Influence: Iowa’s Cultural and Artistic Legacy Evolves.
IAC is creating educational kits to accompany the DVDs, which will be available this fall for teachers, home-schoolers, museum education programs, and others. The DVDs and curricular materials in the packets will introduce students to some of Iowa’s master artists and give them the opportunity for an in-depth exploration of the artists and their work. Designed by a group of multi-grade level educators, each kit contains the following:
Watching the DVDs introduces students to each artist, while additional resources give them the opportunity for an in-depth exploration of these Iowa artists. Students will explore the artists themes, learn about their artistic influences, and will then in turn do their own creative work. The kits were designed by a group of multi-grade level educators, and lesson plans are available for K-5 and secondary grade levels. Kits will be available in the fall of 2008.
Educators: watch this newsletter and the IAC web site for more information about how to access the kits for your students.
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The Iowa Arts Council and the Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center will host a two-day workshop next fall to help teaching artists and arts educators develop their skills in planning arts-integrated residencies for students.
“Artists as Educators: Planning Effective Residencies for Students,” developed by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, D.C., will be Sept. 4-5, 2008 at AEA267 in Cedar Falls. The workshop registration fee is $250 and participation is limited to 15 people selected by application, which are available at http://www.gbpac.org/outreach/teachartdev.shtml. Applications must be received by July 11, 2008.
The workshop offers teaching artists opportunities to know the purpose and components of arts-integrated instructional residencies, and to examine and apply a five-step process for planning arts-integrated instructional residencies for students.
Artists who complete the training and subsequent residency proposal will be placed in a five-day school-paid residency for the 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 academic year. After completing this two-year program, ‘graduates’ will be acknowledged in publications of the Iowa Arts Council and the Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center at the University of Northern Iowa.
For more information, visit www.gbpac.org/outreach or contact Amy Hunzelman of the Gallagher-Bluedorn at Amy.hunzelman@uni.edu or (319) 273-3679 or Dawn Martinez Oropeza of the Iowa Arts Council at Dawn.oropeza@iowa.gov or (515) 281-5773.
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There is exciting news about www.buyiowaart.com. By the end of July, Spindustry Systems, Inc., the company the Iowa Arts Council partnered with to create the site, will be taking over complete operation. The IAC’s original goal of promoting Iowa artists through this online store has been accomplished over the last few years -- but much more will be possible with Spindustry at the helm.
In particular, Spindustry has the technical know-how and marketing capabilities to increase traffic to the site, making it possible for participating artists to sell more of their work. Spindustry also plans to expand the scope of the site to involve artists from all states.
“We are really excited about the new stage of this project and think it will be nothing but beneficial for those involved,” said Sarah Ekstrand, IAC’s coordinator of the site. “A site like www.buyiowaart.com can be a good startup venture for a state agency, but to move to the next level, it really needs the focus and talents from professionals like those at Spindustry. We think this change will be a real win for artists on the site.”
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A new online course, Introduction to Arts Management (course number 188:109:EXW), will be offered this fall through The University of Iowa’s Division of Continuing Education. The course examines topics such as nonprofit arts management and administrative principles, responsibilities of key administrative positions, marketing, and budgeting.
Five class meetings will be conducted using the conferencing system Adobe Connect which allows students to participate from their own computers. (For information on Adobe Connect, see http://www.continuetolearn.uiowa.edu/CCP/tech-support/breeze/) The meetings are scheduled for 7:30-9 p.m. Aug. 27, Sept. 17, Oct. 15, Nov. 12, and Dec. 3.
Also offered this fall is Grant Writing in the Arts (01P:185:EXW). While the focus is on developing arts-related grant proposals, the content is beneficial to grant seekers in most any area.
Register online until midnight Aug. 24. More course information may be found at http://isis.uiowa.edu/isis/courses/. Registration assistance is available at http://www.continuetolearn.uiowa.edu/ccp/enroll.htm
For information, call (800) 272-6430.
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