Oklahoma Arts Council News
December 2017
Oklahoma Arts Council Talks Budget Situation, Cultural Districts
From arts funding to cultural districts and more, Oklahoma Arts Council Executive Director Amber Sharples and Community Arts Director Christina Beatty were recently invited to talk about the status of the arts in Oklahoma on The Living Room with Gerry Bonds. They were joined by Bradley Jessop, Director of the School of Fine Arts at East Central University, who talked about his work to develop an arts district in Ada.
Gerry Bonds is an Emmy-winning broadcast journalist and former news anchor who has been in the media in Oklahoma for more than 30 years. Recent guests on her show have included Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett, former Tulsa Mayor Dewey Bartlett Jr., Linda Cavanaugh of KFOR-TV, and Chickasaw Nation Governor Bill Anoatubby, among others.
Available online, Bonds' show is also broadcast on radio stations across south central Oklahoma.
Arts Represented in State Capitol Time Capsule
The past, present, and future of the arts in Oklahoma are represented in a new time capsule that will soon be secured the Oklahoma State Capitol. On display at the Oklahoma History Center during Statehood Day on November 16, the time capsule is part of the historic building's 100th anniversary. Several items representing the arts will be sealed with it.
Among the items are a letter from the Oklahoma Arts Council (OAC) that explains the history of the agency and the growth of the state's arts industry over the past 50-plus years. Also included are materials from the OAC's Oklahoma Arts and the Military Initiative such as a published anthology of veterans' creative writing and the publication "Engaging Veterans through Creative Expression."
Call for Artists Under 30 for OVAC's 'Momentum'
Through January 24, Oklahoma artists ages 30 and younger can submit artwork for Momentum, an interactive multi-disciplinary art event presented by the Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition (OVAC). The program gives emerging artists opportunities to gain valuable experience and engage new audiences.
Film, performance, new media, installation, music and other media are included in the exhibition. The show will take place in a venue uniquely modified Momentum. Exhibition dates and venue location will be announced soon.
Tulsa-area Artists Can Apply for Artist INC Program
Applications are now being accepted from artists in the Tulsa area interested in participating in the 2018 Artist INC program. A program of the Mid-America Arts Alliance, the cutting edge training seminar addresses the specific business needs and challenges of artists in all disciplines. Classes include small group activities, group discussions, multi-media lectures, and more. The Tulsa program will take place weekly from March 5 until April 30, 2018.
Twenty-five artists will be selected. Applications are due January 5.
New NEA Report Shows Economic Impact of Arts in Rural Communities
New research from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) shows that rural arts organizations draw proportionally more non-local audiences, have stronger customer connections, and play a greater role in civic leadership than their peers in urban areas. The Rural Arts, Design, and Innovation in America report also notes that design-oriented and innovative firms often cluster around performing arts centers in rural communities.
Part of a broader ongoing examination of arts in rural America by the NEA and its partners, the report demonstrates the need to develop strategies to generate awareness of rural arts ecosystems.
Art Celebrating 'Unsung Heroes' Can Earn Students Cash Prizes
Through the ArtEffect Project, middle and high school students in Oklahoma and across the nation are invited to submit art projects that celebrate "unsung herores" from history. The program is offered by theLowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes out of Fort Scott, Kansas.
Prizes totaling $20,000 will be awarded to winners selected by a panel of judges. Accepted media includes visual art, narrative film, original theater, and creative nonfiction. Deadline for submissions is February 15.
View winning entries from 2017.
Find out how your students can submit entries for the ArtEffect Project.
2018 Tulsa Artist Fellows Announced
Six literary and six visual artists from across the country have been selected for the Tulsa Artist Fellowship program. Artists who are selected for the program are given the opportunity to live, work and create in Tulsa.
Created by the George Kaiser Family Foundation, the Tulsa Artist Fellowship is an effort to enhance Tulsa's arts scene.
More than 500 applications were submitted from across the country. Kristi Eaton, a nonfiction writer from Tulsa, and Elisa Harkins, a sound and installation artist from Miami, Oklahoma were among those selected.
View the full list of fellows here. The 2019 Tulsa Artist Fellowship application period opens January 1, 2018.
Students Can Apply for Kennedy Center Summer Music Institute
Oklahoma student musicians ages 15-20 are encouraged to apply for the National Symphony Orchestra's Summer Music Institute. A four-week tuition-free program that takes place at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., the program is designed to prepare students for a 21st century orchestral career.
Private lessons, master classes, rehearsals with professional musicians, and opportunities to perform in the Washington, D.C. are some of the opportunities provided through the program.
Housing and local transportation is provided for all students.
Share this with students in your community. Applications are due January 22, 2018.
Apply to the Intercultural Leadership Institute
Through January 17, established and emerging artists, culture bearers, and other arts professionals can apply for the Intercultural Leadership Institute (ILI). A rigorous leadership development program, the institute focuses on creating cultural equity and supporting artists and arts professionals in becoming change agents in their communities.
The program features three multi-day gatherings and a series of online gatherings. All program costs including accommodation and travel are covered by ILI and its partners.