Oklahoma Arts Council News
August 2011
Schools Can Travel to State Capitol through Arts Council Program
Oklahoma City - Schools statewide are eligible for free field trips to the Oklahoma State Capitol through a program being offered by the Oklahoma Arts Council. The Council's Capitol Art Travel Subsidy program reimburses schools for eligible travel costs to the Capitol where students can learn about Oklahoma history through the Capitol Art Collection.
During their visit, students and teachers can view over 100 works of art that tell the story of Oklahoma through the important people, land, and events in the state's history. The artwork includes monumental murals, large-scale bronze sculptures, and portraits. Learn how to apply for the program...
Registration Begins for 2011 Oklahoma Arts Conference
This fall hundreds of Oklahomans will descend on Tulsa for the 2011 Oklahoma Arts Conference. Over the course of two days conference-goers will enance their marketing skills, sharpen their fundraising abilities, hear first-hand from an expert in community development, and more.
Registration begins at noon on Monday, August 1 for the fifth annual statewide Oklahoma Arts Conference. Experience the transformation taking place in downtown Tulsa with the development of the Brady Arts District. Visit the area's galleries and creative spaces. Come network with hundreds of your peers and share in the vision of a united Oklahoma arts and cultural industry!
2011 Oklahoma Arts Conference
Greater than the Sum: Sharing a United Vision for the Arts
October 26 & 27
Hyatt Regency
Tulsa, OK
$50 (made possible by the National Endowment for the Arts)
*The Oklahoma Arts Conference is sponsored by the Oklahoma Arts Council with support from Oklahomans for the Arts.
New Law Affects Oklahoma Nonprofits
A new state law, titled The Oklahoma Solicitation of Charitable Contributions Act requires all Oklahoma nonprofit organizations to register with the Secretary of State's office and pay a yearly fee.
Designed to enhance the accountability and transparency of the solicitation process, the law is intended to minimize fraud and increase professionalism in the nonprofit sector. The Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits recently held two seminars about the new requirements. Seminars covered details of the new law, including:
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All charitable organizations are required to file annually with the Secretary of State's office.
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The fee for filing is $15 for organizations with anticipated solicitations under $10,000 and $65 for those over 10,000. Organizations must attach the most recent copy of their IRS form 990.
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Professional solicitors and professional fundraisers must also file their own forms.
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Professional solicitors must pay a $25 fee annually. Professional fundraisers must pay a $215 fee annually.
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Nonprofit staff members working in development are NOT considered professional fundraisers in this context and do not need to file on their own.
For more information, contact Sarah Chancy at the Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits at 1.800.338.1798 or schancy@oklahomacenterfornonprofits.org.
New Contemporary Artwork at the Betty Price Gallery
Two new paintings acquired by the Oklahoma Arts Council for the State Art Collection are now on exhibit in the Betty Price Gallery at the State Capitol.
The Banker, by the late D.J. Lafon (1929-2011) greets visitors as they enter the gallery. The piece was recently gifted to the state by Ken and Mary Ann Fergeson, Tom Gray, and Bob Sullivan . From the artist’s long running series investigating people of power, generals, popes, business leaders, and politicians,The Banker represents Lafon’s lifelong exploration and fascination with the complex relationship between self-identity and occupation, and the often captivating and perplexing nature of people in positions of power.
Also on exhibit is Steppeland Summer by Jean Richardson, gifted by the artist and through the generosity of Joanna Champlin. Known for her large, abstract paintings of horses, Richardson has had a lifelong interest in Western "myth." Though she uses the contemporary vocabulary of modern painting, she finds deep connections to the frontier west.
Click here for more information about the two new State Art Collection acquisitions.
NEA 'Our Town' Grants Announced – Oklahoma Misses Out
Recently announced Our Town grants from the National Endowment for the Arts will benefit communities around the U.S. The new category provides grants ranging from $25,000 to $250,000 for creative placemaking projects that contribute toward the livability of communities and help transform them into lively, beautiful, and sustainable places with the arts at their core.
Unfortunately no Oklahoma organization or community made the list on this first round of Our Town grants. Because of the sizeable amount of each grant, funding can provide significant help developing your community through the arts. The Oklahoma Arts Council highly encourages arts and cultural organizations to learn more about the grant and consider applying. Our staff is available to advise should you choose to apply.
Learn about projects supported by Our Town grants.
For more information or assistance please contact our Director of Cultural Development and Public Policy, Kim McCoy at (405) 521-2013 or kim.mccoy@arts.ok.gov.
Quality Arts Education for All Students - Why It's Important
by Michael Eddens
Prompted by ongoing national and statewide conversations on the economy, budget cuts, and government programs, along with an emphasis on student test scores and decreased attention given arts education, I've been thinking about the impact (and potential impact) of arts education on Oklahoma students.
As director of arts education programs for the Council, my work involves evaluating arts education programs funded by the Oklahoma Arts Council in schools around the state. From music and theatre camps to visual art programs and innovative arts integration projects, I've been impressed by arts education's power to unlock learning and greatness in young people.
Recently I was greeted by a wonderful email that speaks directly to what's been on my mind:
Dear Michael,
My daughter, Emily is the 2011 recipient of the 2011 VSA (Very Special Arts) Playwright Discovery Award, a very prestigious honor culminating in a professional production of her original work at the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington DC.