Arts News

Wisconsin Arts News | Top International News | More Arts News | WAB Press Releases

Local News
National Endowment for the Arts News
Americans for the Arts News
Resources
Opportunities

Posted 7/22/08:

Over Our Head Players Present Witty Irish Comedy

In July, Over Our Head Players presents a bonus production, Stones in his Pockets, a witty Irish comedy by Marie Jones. A sharply funny comedy that wraps humor around hope, Stones in his Pockets runs just two weekends July 25 – August 3. All performances are at the Sixth Street Theatre, 318 Sixth Street, Downtown Racine. Reservations are available through the box office, (262) 632-6802. Tickets are $12 - $15.

Winner of the 2001 Olivier Award for Best Comedy, Stones in his Pockets premiered in 1999 in Ireland, but soon opened to rave reviews at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland. Not long after that its success took it to London’s West End where it won the Olivier Award, and then to Broadway where it earned three 2001 Tony Nominations. “A comedy on several layers — overtly funny at times, self-reflective at others, poignant and touching throughout. A must see!” – BBC. "An inventive and riotously funny comedy." - Mike Kuchwara, Associated Press

Jenny Kostreva directs, Brad Kostreva is Production Manager, and Emily Breiwick stage manages. The production staff includes Rick Ditter, Diane Carlson, Kathy Honigmann, Christopher Larson, Jim Smith, and Tom Spraker. The production is sponsored by McAuliffe’s on the Square.

Stones in his Pockets runs July 25, 26, 27 and August 1, 2, 3. Fridays and Saturdays are at 8:00; Sundays are at 2:30. Tickets are $15 on Fridays and Saturdays and $12 on Sundays. For reservations or information, please call the box office, (262)632-6802. All performances are at the Sixth Street Theatre, 318 Sixth Street, Racine. Advance reservations are recommended as previous productions have sold out.

Over Our Head Players operates the 6th Street Theatre, Downtown Racine. A non-profit organization of volunteer theatrical talent from throughout Southeastern Wisconsin now in their 17th season, OOHPs focuses on contemporary comedies and original productions. Season tickets are now on sale for their 2008-09 season which includes Barefoot in the Park, The Ice-Fishing Play, Dog Sees God, Theatre / Schmeatre, and the 2009 Snowdance 10-Minute Comedy Festival.

Call for Art: Friends of Milwaukee’s Rivers Announces First Bi-Annual Juried “Arts and the Rivers” Contest

To celebrate our rivers, Friends of Milwaukee’s Rivers (FMR) is seeking visual works that convey the beauty and importance of our waterways in an artistically meaningful way.

The contest is funded by Shirley Holzer Jeffrey, a long-time FMR board member who started photographing the river about eight years ago as a self-meditative healing process. Works will be judged by Annemarie Sawkins, Ph.D., Associate Curator at Marquette University’s Haggerty Museum of Art. Prizes are as follows: First Place, $500; Second Place, $250; Third Place, $175; Fourth Place, $75.

Content of the work must connect in some way to the Kinnickinnic, Menomonee and/or Milwaukee rivers or their tributaries. Themes of the work may include visual beauty, ecological importance/biological functioning, poetic and/or metaphoric symbolism, recreation or transportation. Any professional or amateur artist may submit work.

Submitted works must be drawings, paintings, prints or photographs. Maximum size is 48” x 48”. Artists must submit digital images by 5 PM, December 1, 2008. Images must be in .jpeg format, with maximum file size 3 MB. They must be submitted by email to Erin Hartman at erin_hartman@mkeriverkeeper.org. Judging of the submitted works will be done by December 12, 2008, after which artists will be informed of works accepted. Selected works must be delivered, ready to hang, at the Milwaukee Environmental Consortium (MEC) by January 7, 2009. Awards will be judged from actual work and announced at a reception during Gallery Night, January 16, 2009. The work will remain on display at the MEC offices until Friday, March 7, 2009.

For rules and guidelines, please visit FMR’s website at www.mkeriverkeeper.org. For more information, please contact Erin Hartman, Outreach Coordinator, at erin_hartman@mkeriverkeeper.org or 414-287-0207 x 34.

This Week at the Civil War Museum

Stop in at the new Civil War Museum during the week of July 21 for some special activities.

On "Make-It Monday," July 21 from 2-4pm, learn about Civil War era food and make hard tack. This is a free family program offered each Monday afternoon throughout the summer at the Civil War Museum.

On Thursday, July 24, join Civil War Museum Curator Doug Dammann for the "Curator's Show and Tell" from 12-12:30pm. Mr. Dammann will present artifacts related to John Brown in Springdale, Iowa. Visitors are welcome to bring their own brown bag lunch. This is a free public program offered each Thursday afternoon throughout the summer at the Civil War Museum.

On Friday, July 25 enjoy the "Civil War Museum Theatre Program." People from the Civil War era come to life in this new program at the Civil War Museum. Learn the struggles and turning points in their lives. This week meet "Cordelia Harvey," Wisconsin's First Lady and an activist for medical care for Civil War soldiers which led her to Abraham Lincoln's White House. Performances are at 11:00 am and 2:00 pm. Tickets are $2 per person and are available in advance or at the door.

The Civil War Museum is located at 5400 First Avenue in Kenosha. "The Fiery Trial," main exhibit gallery is under construction and is not open at this time. The Civil War Museum will remain open to the public at no charge as exhibit construction and installation continues through the summer. When "The Fiery Trial" exhibits are complete, the main gallery will reopen and a nominal fee of $5 for adults will be charged for admission to that exhibit. Children 17 and under and Friends of the Museums will be admitted to the gallery free. Admission to the Civil War Museum, the Veterans Gallery, Resource Center and all other rooms and exhibits are free to the public.

The Civil War Museum is open Sunday and Monday 12-5pm and Tuesday - Saturday 9am -5pm. For more information please call the Civil War Museum at 262-653-4141 or go to www.thecivilwarmuseum.org.

The ARTgarage, Operated by Cedar Center Arts, Presents David Beck
Saturday August 2nd, 2008 6:00pm – 8:00pm
Please join us for the musical piano performance of David Beck. David received his Piano Performance degree from St. Norbert College in 2007. He has been playing in the Green Bay area as a classical, jazz or rock pianist for business conventions, weddings, as a member of the band Free Radio, as an accompanist for numerous schools and the Green Bay Boy Choir. In the fall, he will be auditioning for his Masters in Piano Performance at Julliard School of Music. On Saturday, Aug 2nd he will be performing timeless music from Baroque to Post Modern, Classical to Jazz and Pop. $5 donation at the door is requested. For more information please e-mail us at theartgaragec4arts@sbcglobal.net or call 920-448-6800.

Shawano Old Time Music Festival <shawanofestival@hotmail.com>

This year, the weekend of August 8-10, the Shawano Folk Music Festival is celebrating its 30th year. As you know, that's a HUGE milestone - and we're all very proud of it.

Museum Announces Dinosaur Story Time

Have a dino-riffic time at the Dinosaur Discovery Museum as you listen in on Dinosaur stories. Hear a variety of dinosaur stories and sounds presented by Kenosha Public Museums volunteer and retired librarian Pat Machmeier. Story time will take place on Saturday, August 9 from 12:30-1:00PM.

For children ages 3-6 accompanied by an adult. Seating is limited. Free tickets will be available at the Dinosaur Discovery Museum at 12PM on the day of the program. For more information please call DDM at 262-653-4450.

Posted 7/16/08:

New Exhibit Announced, "From the Figure"

The Barnsite and Linden Galleries announce the opening of a new exhibit, titled “From the Figure” July 19, with a reception at the Linden Gallery from 1-5 pm and a clay portrait demonstration by Bren Sibilsky from 1-4 pm.

The exhibit will include clay and bronze sculpture by Algoma, WI artist, Bren Sibilsky; classical realism oil portraits and figure paintings by Denmark, WI artist, Molly M. Johnson; glorious, impressionist work in oil and pastel by California colorist Nancy McDonald; and classical realism figure paintings by Chicago artist, Mary Qian. Resumes for this group of national award-winning artists will be available at the exhibit.

In addition, we have negotiated the rights to sell the personal collection of California Master painter Jove Wang. An extensive display of Jove’s work will be on display. Most of these paintings have never been exhibited and came from his home for this exhibit.

The Exhibit will be displayed in both the Barnsite and Linden Galleries through August 3, 2008 from 10 am to 5 pm daily. Each gallery will display different works.

Barnsite Gallery, LLC
109 Duvall Street, Kewaunee, WI 54216
920-388-4391 · www.barnsitegallery.com

Linden Gallery
12001 Mink River Road at Hwy. 42, Ellison Bay, WI 54210
920-854-2487 · www.lindensgallery.com

Great Lakes Civil War Forum September 13

Three speakers and a special tour of the new Civil War Museum of the Upper Middle West will highlight the Great Lakes Civil War Forum Saturday, September 13, 2008.

The Civil War Museum examines the role of Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, Iowa, Indiana and Michigan in the Civil War. The facility is located on the shores of Lake Michigan in Kenosha, Wisconsin, between Chicago and Milwaukee.

Speakers include Dr. Gordon Dammann on "The Letterman Plan as Devised at South Mountain and Antietam”; Scott Wolfe on abolitionist John Brown and his men at Springdale, Iowa, and Daniel Nettesheim, a former West Point history instructor, who will examine the career of U.S. Grant.

Check-in opens at 9:00 AM and the Forum begins at 10:00 AM. The fee for the program is $35 for the public or $30 for Friends of the Kenosha Public Museums and includes lunch. The deadline to register is September 6. Registrations can be made over the phone using Visa or Mastercard by calling 262-653-4140 or by mail.

All mail registrations should be sent to: The Kenosha Public Museum, 5500 First Avenue, Kenosha, WI, 53140. Please include your name, address, telephone, email information, and title of the event with your registration. Checks should be made out to “Kenosha Public Museum.”

The $16.7 million block-square, two-story Civil War Museum features a 19,000 square foot permanent gallery entitled “The Fiery Trial,” a research center, veterans’ memorial, gift shop, second floor temporary gallery, and class and seminar rooms. The building is located at 54th Street and First Avenue north of the Kenosha Public Museum. For information call 262-653-4141 or go to www.thecivilwarmuseum.org.

Museum Announces Radio Theater Event

Radio Theater is back with Heroes of the Western Range on Saturday, July 19 at the Kenosha Public Museum. Hi-Yo Silver! Bring your partners - young and old to Dodge City, the Kenosha Public Museum to celebrate the 75th anniversary of “The Lone Ranger” which hit the airwaves in 1933. RG Productions presents 2 original radio plays: “The Lone Ranger” and “Gunsmoke”. Plays will be performed in 1940s old time radio style featuring live music and sound effects! The show starts at 1PM with the pre-show beginning at 12:30.

This is a free family program. For more information please call the Museum at 262-653-4140.

Museum Announces "Underground Railroad" Bus Trip

Wednesday, July 23 from 8:30AM to 4:30PM, the Kenosha Public Museums is sponsoring a bus trip “Steps of the Underground Railroad”. See the route through southeast Wisconsin where those escaping slavery traveled en route to freedom. Two leading authorities of the Underground Railroad in southeast Wisconsin, Lance Herdegen and Don Vandesand, accompany you as you travel the footsteps of Caroline Quarlls, Joshua Glover and others.

The first stop is the Racine Heritage Museum to hear the story of Joshua Glover and the role Racine played in his journey to freedom. See existing buildings and visit Wales, East Troy, Spring Prairie and Burlington - locations along the Underground Railroad - to hear more fascinating stories of freedom.

Lunch is included and will be at "Fork in the Road" in Mukwonago is included.

The cost of this trip is $59 and $54 for Friends of the Museum. Advanced paid registration is required. For more information please call the Museum at 262-653-4140.

Civil War Museum Announces Bus Tour

Thursday, July 17 is the Early Bird Deadline for the new Civil War Museum motorcoach tour to "The Civil War Eastern Sites," October 13-20, 2008. Sign up now for this extraordinary tour of Civil War sites on the East coast and receive a discount on your reservation fee. Lance Herdegen, Civil War Museum consultant and respected historian and author will provide commentary throughout the tour.

Highlights of the tour include Gettysburg National Park Battlefield Tour and a stop at their new Visitor Center, Antietam National Historic Park Battlefields Tour, Pry House Field Hospital Museum, Harpers Ferry National Historic Park, National Museum of Civil War Medicine, Stonewall Jackson's Headquarters, George Washington's Office, Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historic Parks and Reenactment and more!

This is a fully escorted tour that includes deluxe motor coach transportation, baggage handling, 7 nights lodging, sixteen meals, admission to all feature attractions. You will visit historic Gettysburg, Antietam, Pry House, Harpers Ferry National Historic Park, Stonewall Jackson's Headquarters, George Washington's Office and Cedar Creek & Belle Grove National Historic Parks and Reenactment. Register by July 17 and receive a $50 discount on your reservation.

The new Civil War Museum focuses on the personal stories of the men women and children who lived in the Upper Middle West during the Civil War era. Learn about life at home and at the battlefront. Understand how life changed after the War and how it shaped a growing nation.

National Endowment for the Arts NEWS

NEA Press Releases

Upcoming NEA Deadlines

Past NEA Grants to Wisconsin

Americans for the Arts

Americans for the Arts News

RESOURCES

Links for Flood Damage Victims - NEW!

Wisconsin Statewide Theatre Directory
Published by Liberal Studies and the Arts, this directory is an invaluable reference to theatre leaders and organizations throughout Wisconsin. Each of the more than 1,000 entries includes the theatre company name, contact person, address and phone number. The directory also lists all high school theatre teachers and college theatre faculty.

Wisconsin Children’s Performers Directory
This Performer Directory was created by the Department of Public Instruction as a service to public libraries and other organizations that want to hire quality performers for their children’s programs. The listing is intended to help identify potential performers and to assist libraries and organizations in contacting these groups and individuals.

Arts Wisconsin’s ArtsJobs site
Arts Wisconsin is your connection to jobs in the arts across Wisconsin and globally.

Americans for the Arts Job Bank
“Americans for the Arts Job Bank is the premier electronic recruitment resource for the industry. Here, employers and recruiters can access the most qualified talent pool with relevant work experience to fulfill staffing needs.”

Access to Health Insurance / Resources for Care
The AHIRC database was created in 1998 by The Actors’ Fund of America, with a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, as a health insurance resource for artists and people in the entertainment industry. Since then, with support from The Commonwealth Fund, it has expanded to include resources for the self-employed, low-income workers, the under-insured, the uninsured who require medical care and many other groups.

The Law Portal
Overviews of the range of issues of importance; laws and regulations that affect how art is made; the legal context for presenting art in public; things to think about when art is put up for sale or barter; laws and regulations that affect how artists live; legal basics, and how to make or change the law.

Lessons Learned: A Planning Toolsite
This comprehensive guide to planning, created by the National Endowment for the Arts, can be used as a linear map to define a complex and lengthy planning process, or in a more modular fashion to examine the various practices of planning and decide the most useful entry point for you and/or your organization. The contributing consultants work with arts organizations in all disciplines throughout the US. Their combined knowledge and experience in planning results from their work in the field as consultants, arts administrators, writers, teachers, practicing artists, board members and theoreticians.

NEA Office for AccessAbility
The National Endowment for the Arts’ Office for AccessAbility is the advocacy-technical assistance arm of the Arts Endowment to make the arts accessible for people with disabilities, older adults, veterans, and people living in institutions. The website offers publications & checklists, laws and compliance standards, leadership initiatives, resource lists and links, funding opportunities, and more.

NYFA CURRENT
Since 1992, NYFA Current (previously known as Arts Wire Current) has provided the national arts community with news and analysis of the important issues of the day.

Artscan--Arts in Education Policy Database
Education Commission of the States
"ECS has developed Artscan to support the analysis of state-level policies related to the arts in education. From this database, you can generate profiles of the state policies for arts education in individual states, create comparisons of specific types of arts education state policies across several states and view compiled reports on state policies for the arts education. Artscan will be updated as state policy information becomes available."

Media Paints Arts Education in Fading Light
Education Commission of the States
"How does the national press portray arts education? Find out in this new media analysis released by ECS."

State Superintendents Are Powerful Advocates for the Arts in Education
Education Commission of the States, Americans for the Arts
“In the latest of a series of Education Commission of the States interviews, state superintendents Libby Burmaster of Wisconsin, Sandy Garrett of Oklahoma and Tom Horne of Arizona talk about their efforts to make support for the arts education a higher priority at the state and local levels.”

Making Student Achievement (PDF)
EdSource Report, Americans for the Arts
“A new report identifies four specific practices most strongly correlated with higher achievement: 1) prioritizing student achievement; 2) implementing a coherent, standards-based instructional program; 3) using assessment data to improve student achievement and instruction; and 4) ensuring the availability of instructional resources. The remaining three domains examined—involving and supporting parents, encouraging teacher collaboration and professional development, and enforcing high expectations for student behavior—had much weaker but still positive correlations with school performance.”

New Arts Education Report (PDF)
Education Commission of the States
“With the leadership of its 2004 chairman, Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, The Education Commission of the States (ECS) has published a 'Findings & Recommendations' to conclude a two-year initiative on arts education. This report offers a summary of state arts education policies; examines policymakers' perspectives on the arts in education and the tools they need to promote the arts in education; reviews existing research on the benefits of learning in and through the arts; and identifies areas in which additional research is needed. The report closes with suggestions for future action on the part of ECS.” posted 8/1/06

National Parent Teacher Association joins fight for arts education funding (PDF)
Parent Teacher Association, Americans for the Arts
“Following a speech by Americans for the Arts President and CEO Robert L. Lynch at the National Parent Teacher Association's (PTA) convention, the PTA sent a letter to Senate Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Arlen Specter (R-PA) and Ranking Member Tom Harkin (D-IA) that calls for full funding of the Arts in Education program at the U.S. Department of Education. The letter represents a request from nearly six million parents, teachers, students, and child advocates.” posted 9/19/06

Federal Resources for Education Excellence (FREE)
US Department of Education
“The U.S. Department of Education is pleased to announce the newly remodeled and updated Federal Resources for Education Excellence (FREE) website. It now provides richer, more expansive resources to teachers and students alike. There are over 1500 resources to take advantage of at FREE, ranging from primary historical documents, lesson plans, science visualizations, math simulations and online challenges, paintings, photos, mapping tools, and more. This easily accessible information is provided by federal organizations and agencies such as the Library of Congress, National Archives, NEH, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian, NSF, and NASA.” posted 2/13/07

Act like a business? Why aim so low?
The Artful Manager, ArtsJournal.com
"In his recent monograph, Good to Great and the Social Sectors, Jim Collins makes a rather bold statement: 'We must reject the idea -- well-intentioned, but dead wrong -- that the primary path to greatness in the social sectors is to become "more like a business."' His point is that most businesses are poorly run, and that many business practices correlate with mediocrity, not greatness. So, to him, telling nonprofit organizations to 'run like a business' is like telling artists to lower their standards, or telling a visionary leader to 'aim low.'" posted 8/1/06

Foundation Yearbook: Facts and Figures on Private and Community Foundations Foundation Center
"Foundation Yearbook: Facts and Figures on Private and Community Foundations documents changes in the actual number, giving, and assets of all active U.S. foundations from 1975 through 2004 and includes estimates of foundation giving through 2005. The report provides an overview of the state of foundation giving in the current year and beyond; comparisons of foundation activities by foundation size; and breakdowns of foundation resources by geographic location and grantmaker type." posted 8/1/06

NPT Research: Donors Want Accountability Slightly More Than Connection
Nonprofit Times
"The perception that an organization is well managed and its money well spent drives long-term giving, more so even than the personal connection to an organization or cause. According to exclusive national polling conducted for The NonProfit Times by Opinion Research Corporation, it is more likely that a donor will give for five years or more if, one, the organization is perceived to be well managed, and two, that the person strongly believes in the cause. The study found these are more important for giving for five years or more than personal experience with the cause, that a family member will benefit, or because a person volunteers." posted 8/1/06

Donor Perceptions. Donors don’t like slick, or do they?
The Nonprofit Times
“How slick is that direct mail? Donors strongly dislike nonprofits using big-business marketing and sales techniques. They are turned off by glossy brochures, unsolicited 'gifts,' and telemarketing. These are some of the results in a report called, The Charitable Impulse, by Public Agenda, a New York City nonpartisan research organization. The study was designed to explore perceptions held by typical donors.” posted 10/4/06

Opportunities

NEH Guidelines Available
National Endowment for the Humanities
Deadlines: Various

IMLS Guidelines Available
Institute for Museum and Library Services
Deadlines: Various

Classics for Kids Foundation Grants Program
Classics for Kids Foundation
Deadline: N/A

The Melody Program of the Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation
Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation
Deadline: N/A

Nominations Requested for 2008 Governor’s Awards in Support of the Arts
Wisconsin Foundation for the Arts
Deadline: July 18, 2008
The Wisconsin Foundation for the Arts invites nominations for the 2008 Governor’s Awards in Support of the Arts. Nominations are accepted in the categories of:

Individual leaders who have provided extraordinary personal support for the arts;
Corporations or businesses that have shown exemplary support for the arts;
Community organizations that have developed and sustained outstanding arts projects; and
Lifetime achievement by an arts administrator with 25 or more years of distinguished service to the field.

Nomination forms are now available from the Wisconsin Foundation for the Arts, PO Box 1404, Madison, WI 53701-1404, or online at www.wiffa.org or www.portalwisconsin.org. All nominations and detailed supporting materials must be postmarked by July 18.

Cultural Tours for K-12 Wisconsin Teachers
Wisconsin Teachers of Local Culture
Milwaukee: August 4-8
“These tours will be led by Debbie Kmetz, Ruth Olson, and Anne Pryor. Wisconsin Teachers of Local Culture is a partnership of the Center for the Study of Upper Midwestern Cultures, Wisconsin Humanities Council, and Wisconsin Arts Board. This third year of cultural tours as professional development opportunities for K-12 teachers will focus intensively on two distinct areas of the state: the Ashland area in the far north by Lake Superior, and the city of Milwaukee in the southeast by Lake Michigan. This year's tour focuses on sense of place and conservation in Wisconsin, especially Aldo Leopold's 'Land Ethic.' Making It Home asks, How do people here make Wisconsin their home? What is their relationship to the land and the water where they live? Contact Debbie Kmetz, dkmetz@wisc.edu, 608/262-8180.”

Wisconsin Humanities Council offers research grants for scholars
Wisconsin Humanities Council, Portalwisconsin.org
Deadlines: January 1, March 1, May 1, July 1, September 1, and November 1 of each year

Rural Arts Management Institute - A training program for rural arts managers in the Upper Midwest
Presented in partnership by Arts Wisconsin and Northern Lakes Center for the Arts at the Northern Lakes Center for the Arts, Amery, WI
Begins October 2008
“The Rural Arts Management (RAM) Institute is a training and educational program specifically for artists, organizational representatives, and creative people in rural communities throughout the Upper Midwest. If you are a rural arts manager, administrator or entrepreneur, the Institute will help you increase your personal and organizational effectiveness and sustainability, understand the complexities involved, and develop comprehensive leadership skills to succeed now and in the future! A series of six monthly sessions will provide participants with the necessary background information, skills, information, and connections needed to develop and manage entrepreneurial, successful, and sustainable arts, cultural and creative organizations in rural communities. The Institute will give participants training in thoughtful management theory and practical, applicable leadership experience, and help them learn to manage entrepreneurial, successful, and sustainable arts, cultural and creative organizations in rural communities.”

Updated: July 22, 2008