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Oklahoma Arts Council News

April 2014

Guthrie in the Running for $400,000+ ArtPlace America Grant

The City of Guthrie is envisioning a new outdoor regional performing arts center and a grant of $400,000 or more from ArtsPlace America may make it a reality. Guthrie has been named one of 97 finalists from across the country for grants provided by ArtPlace, a collaboration of foundations, government agencies and financial institutions dedicated to supporting creative placemaking. ArtPlace received a total of 1,270 letters of inquiry for the grants.

Grantees will be announced in June. Since 2011, ArtPlace has invested more than $42 million in 134 projects in communities of all sizes.

Read an article about the announcement in the Guthrie News Page.

Learn about projects that have received ArtPlace America funding.

Rural Communities with Design Challenges Can Submit for Funding

Is your rural community interested in improving quality of life and economic vitality for its citizens using its cultural resources, enhancing its Main Street program, or initiating a placemaking project? Citizens' Institute on Rural Design (CIRD) has issued a request for proposals from rural communities facing design challenges. Stipends of $7,000 plus $35,000 worth of professional design expertise and technical assistance is available to successful applicants.

Communities with 50,000 or fewer residents are eligible to submit a proposal. Deadline to submit is May 6.

For more information, visit the CIRD website.

State Farm® Offering Service-Learning Grants in the Arts

Grants of $25,000 to $100,000 are available for service-learning projects in the arts and other issue areas from the State Farm® Youth Advisory Board. Comprised of youth from across the United States and Canada, the board assists with philanthrophic initiatives for issues that are important to the company and the communities it serves.

What is service-learning?

Service-learning is the integration of meaningful community service into classroom curriculum. According to State Farm®, service-learning is a proven method for increasing student engagement and achievement.

Learn about a therapeutic art and creative development organization in Joplin, MO, that received a service-learning grant from the State Farm® Youth Advisory Board.

Click here to learn more and to apply. Deadline is May 2.

Leadership Arts in the News

Members of the 2014 class of Leadership Arts completed their second of four spring sessions during a visit to Tahlequah in March. The program and its class members have been featured in recent news articles:

"Arts leaders pleased with Tahlequah experience"

Read how the community of Tahlequah and its leaders inspired class members in this article in the Tahlequah Daily Press.

"Bringing the arts to LG"

Inspired by her experience through two sessions of the 2014 Leadership Arts program, Shaun Perkins of the Rural Oklahoma Museum of Poetry has helped form the Locust Grove Arts Alliance. The group's vision is to provide opportunities and awareness of the arts in their rural Oklahoma community. Read how the group plans to bring the arts to Locust Grove.

Congressional Art Competition Open to Oklahoma Students

Oklahoma high school students are encouraged to submit artwork for the annual Congressional Art Competition, sponsored by the Congressional Institute. The purpose of the competition is to recognize and encourage artistic talent in each U.S. congressional district.

Interested students must submit entries to their respective representative's office. Deadlines vary, but are generally mid to late April. Click on your congressman's name below for details about submitting artwork for the competition:

Not sure who your congressman is? Click here to find your congressman.

Bethany Student Wins State Poetry Out Loud Competition

Edson Alvarado of Bethany is the 2014 winner of the Oklahoma state Poetry Out Loud competition. On March 1, seven Oklahoma high school students competed in the state finals in Tulsa, with Alvarado winning the competition and earning a trip to compete in the national finals in Washington, D.C. The national finals will be held April 28-30. Last year, Denise Burns of Lawton placed third in the national competition.

Through participation in Poetry Out Loud, students learn about great poetry through memorization and recitation. The program helps students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn about their literary heritage. Teacher toolkits and resources are available through the program. Visit www.poetryoutloud.org for more information.

Poetry Out Loud is made posisble through a partnership of the Oklahoma Arts Council, Tulsa Arts & Humanities Council, National Endowment for the Arts, and the Poetry Foundation.

Related: Oklahoma Humanities Council calls for State Poet Laureate Nominations.

Have You Signed Up for Arts Day at the Capitol?

Oklahomans for the Arts is gearing up for the third annual Arts Day at the Capitol, scheduled for Wednesday, May 7. Arts Day at the Capitol has become one of the few times each year when Oklahoma's arts and cultural industry gathers in one place. Plan now to be in attendance, as space may be limited. Don't miss out on your opportunity to be a part of the event!

Visit Oklahomans for the Arts' website to find out how to sign up for Arts Day at the Capitol.

Audio Tour Now Available for 'Allan Houser at the Capitol'

The Oklahoma Arts Council has teamed up with OETA to provide visitors to the state Capitol an interactive educational experience based on the special sculpture exhibit, Allan Houser at the Capitol: A Legacy in Bronze. A museum-quality cell phone audio tour is now available and is the first of its kind at the Capitol. Additional audio tours based on other works of art at the Capitol may be announced in the future.

From Houser's birth in southwest Oklahoma as the first free member of the Chiricahua Apache tribe, to his years of studying art as a student in Santa Fe, to his rise to prominence and recognition of his groundbreaking approach to Native American art, the audio tour covers the entire spectrum of Houser's life.

Learn more about the exhibit and the new audio tour here.

Consolidation Proposal Stalls in House, Will Not Advance

House Bill 3028, which would have consolidated the Oklahoma Arts Council and Oklahoma Historical Society with the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department to form the Department of Tourism, History and Cultural Affairs, failed to advance to the floor of the state House of Representatives for a vote by deadline.

The bill was written in response to a proposal made by the Governor in her executive budget, which was released in early February at the start of the 2014 legislative session. The bill was approved in its committee of origin by a 6 to 5 vote but was not called to a vote on the House floor. If approved by the full House, the bill would have advanced to a Senate committee for consideration.

Read an article in the Norman Transcript about the status of the consolidation proposal.