Oklahoma Arts Council News
August 2017
Registration for the 2017 Oklahoma Arts Conference Opens August 7
Earlybird registration for the 2017 Oklahoma Arts Conference begins Monday, August 7. The earlybird rate of $95 will be available through September 15.
The annual convening of Oklahoma's arts and cultural industry brings together more than 400 individuals from across the state for professional devolopment and networking. Enid's Central National Bank Center is the host site for the 2017 conference, scheduled October 25-26. Preconference activities will take place on October 24.
In addition to sessions tailored to meet the needs of nonprofit administrators, artists community developers, educators and others, sessions and topics for 2017 will include:
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Writing workshops led by Oklahoma State Poet Laureate Jeanetta Calhoun Mish
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Nonprofit storytelling
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Thrift to support the arts (highlighting 2016 Governor's Arts Award recipient Park Avenue Thrift)
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Arts education
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Arts and the military
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Art and agriculture
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Public art
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Filmmaking
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And, more...
Events you can expect at this year's convening include:
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Preconference tour* of Enid's arts and cultural spaces and public art
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Preconference photography workshop* with Mike Klemme
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HIVE, an interactive art project
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Life drawing lessons* at Scribner's Gallery & Studio
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Evening reception and block party
Plan now to join your arts industry peers in Enid, October 24-26.
Learn more about the Oklahoma Arts Conference. More details will be announced soon!
*Additional costs apply
Submit a Governor's Arts Award Nomination
Now through September 12, the Oklahoma Arts Council is accepting nominations for the 42nd Annual Governor's Arts Awards. The awards recognize individuals and organizations across the state for their significant contributions to the arts in six categories:
- The Governor's Award
- Arts in Education Award
- Business in the Arts Award
- Community Service Award
- Media in the Arts Award
- Public Service in the Arts Award
Criteria for selecting recipients include the nominee's overall involvement in the arts, leadership in initiatives, aid in increasing funding, efforts to increase public awareness, impact on arts education, volunteer work, and more.
Two options are available for submitting a nomination:
1. Submit an online nomination form.
2. Download a hardcopy nomination form.
Submissions require a two- to three-page narrative detailing the nominees efforts. Up to three letters of support, newspaper articles, or other items may be submitted as support material.
For details regarding eligibility and more, visit the Governor's Arts Awards page.
Deadline is September 12.
Educational Outreach, Capacity Building Grants Offered
August 11 is the deadline to apply for two grant programs offered by Allied Arts.
Educational Outreach funding helps support youth arts education projects. The program is primarily focused on providing experiences for underserved K-12 students. The program has supported scholarships for art camps, transportation costs to local art exhibitions, afterschool activities and more.
Capacity Building funding assists nonprofit arts and cultural organizations with projects such as first-time audits, consultant fees, strategic planning, and other opportunities that can help organizations better serve their constituencies.
Applicants must be 501(c)(3) nonprofits with headquarters in the 10-county central Oklahoma region.
Visit the Allied Arts grants page for details and guidelines.
Classroom Enhancement Grants Available for Rural Districts
Teachers and school administrators in rural Oklahoma public schools are encouraged to apply for Classroom Enhancement Grants of up to $5,000 offered by the Carolyn Watson Rural Oklahoma Community Foundation. Arts-related projects can be supported through the funding.
Focused on enriching traditional curriculum, grants can be used to create a new program or build upon an existing program. Projects should be integrated into academic curriculum and should offer opportunities for expanding student knowledge.
To be eligible, schools must be located in one of 20 rural counties listed here. Deadline to apply is September 1, 2017.
Learn about Classroom Enhancement Grants.
Please forward this information to an educator.
School Field Trip Grants Available from Target
Field trip grants provided by Target have given millions of students across the country learning opportunities outside of the classroom. Students in schools throughout Oklahoma have benefited from the program since it was launched in 2007.
Through the program, schools can take Oklahoma students to one of the state's many art museums or cultural spaces for an experience that will enrich and inspire student learning. Trips should connect to students' classroom curricula.
Oklahoma K-12 schools can apply through October 1. Field trips must take place between January and the end of the school year. Each grant is valued up to $700.
Apply for a Target Field Trip™ grant here.
Not an educator? Be sure to share this opportunity with an Oklahoma teacher or school administrator.
Nominate an Oklahoma Art Educator for National Award
Individual educators, state associations, and special issues groups are eligible to be nominated for recognition through the National Art Education Association (NAEA) Awards Program. The association is accepting submissions through October 1.
Through the awards, the NAEA works to increase the public's awareness of the importance of quality art education. Nominees in certain categories may be required to be an NAEA member.
Two Oklahoma teachers were recognized with awards for 2016-17. Susan Gabbard of Oklahoma City earned a National Art Educator award and Sarah Carnes of Yukon earned the Oklahoma Art Educator award.
Socially Engaged Artist Fellowship Opportunity
A Blade of Grass (ABOG) is a Brooklyn-based organization that provides artists with resources to foster social change. ABOG is currently accepting applications for its ABOG Fellowship for Socially Engaged Art program. Artists selected for a fellowship receive $20,000 in minimally restricted support.
In applying for a fellowship, artists should consider the problem that is being solved by the project. They should also consider whether storytelling is a good lens for understanding their work.
Artists are required to collaborate with ABOG's documentary film crew, resarchers and others who will produce creative content about the artists' projects.
Letters of intent are due September 18, 2017.
Program Can Strengthen Native Artists' Business Skills
Through the Artist in Business Leadership Fellowship Program, Native artists can learn how to start or grow a thriving arts business.
Offered by First Peoples Fund, the one-year, self-directed program provides artists with technical support, professional training and up to $5,000 in working capital.
Designed for artists with five or more years of experience in marketing their work, the program is intended to help artists grow their business while making an impact on their Native community.
Eligible artists include documented affiliates of a United States tribe (American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian).
Applications will be accepted beginning in September. Application deadline is October 30, 2017.
Projects to Preserve Music, Study Impact Eligible for Funding
Each year, the GRAMMY Museum Grants Programprovides funding to support the archiving and preservation of music and to support research projects related to the impact of music. The program could specifically benefit the preservation of traditional and folk art forms in Oklahoma.
Past projects supported by the program have included the digitization of tapes of live blues music, a study of links between music and early childhood education, and more. Organizations in Austin, Kansas City, and Memphis were among last year's recipients.
Maximum awards are $20,000. Deadline to submit proposals is October 1, 2017.
To find out how submit a letter of inquiry, click here.