Skip navigation

Oklahoma Arts Council News

March 2015

Attend The Arts and Social Practice Symposium in Norman on March 7

A special symposium taking place this Saturday, March 7 will focus on the importance of arts engagement in social services and communities. Topics will include access for at-risk youth, art engagement for children with illness, empowering artists experiencing homelessness, healthy aging, and more.

The Arts and Social Practice Symposium will take place March 7, from 8:00 a.m ? 2:30 p.m at the University of Oklahoma's Anne and Henry Zarrow School of Social Work located at 700 Elm Avenue in Norman.

Among the speakers for the event are Oklahoma Arts Council Arts Learning in Communities Director Chandra Boyd, Community Arts Director Joshua Lunsford, and Director of Cultural Development Molly O'Connor. Norman Hammon, nonprofit consultant and Director of Development for Jazz in June, will give the keynote presentation, titled Falling in Among Artists...A Tale of Social Work.

Continuing education units are available. Registration is $40 for professionals, $10 for students, and $10 for guests not seeking licensure credit.

Click here for details and to register for the symposium.

March is National Youth Art Month

Each year during March, the National Art Education Association and its state affiliates across the U.S. celebrate Youth Art Month, bringing recognition to the importance of arts education for all children and encouraging support for quality school art programs.

As part of the monthlong celebration, the Oklahoma Art Education Association (OAEA) is organizing exhibitions of student artwork including a display at Tulsa's Zarrow Art Center, March 6 ? March 15, and a display at the Lightwell Gallery at the University of Oklahoma School of Art & Art History, March 9 ? March 28. In addition to the student exhibitions, Youth Arts Day at the Oklahoma State Capitol will take place March 10. The month long celebration culminates in April with an awards ceremony that will recognize winners of the State Superintendent Awards for Arts Excellence.

Keep up with Youth Art Month events in Oklahoma through OAEA's website.

Oklahoma Community Theatre Association Offering Youth Workshop

Two days of intensive theatrical training is available to young Oklahoma actors through the Oklahoma Community Theatre Association's Spring Break 2015 Youth Workshop. Open to youth who are 12 years old through seniors in high school, the workshop is scheduled March 20-21 on the campus of Oklahoma State University in Stillwater.

A wide range of sessions will be offered, including:

  • Stage combat

  • Audition preparation

  • Stage etiquette

  • Stage make-up

  • Improv

  • And more

Students are encouraged to register by March 9 to guarantee a spot. Register for the full event by March 9 for $70, Register for Saturday only by March 9 for $40. Scholarships are available.

Click here for more information about featured presenters and to access the registration form.

NEA Partners with National Park Service on "Imagine Your Parks" Funding

During 2015, as part of the National Endowment for the Arts' (NEA) 50th anniversary, the organization has teamed up with the National Park Service to encourage grant applications for projects related to the United States' national park system.

Through the NEA's Art Works grant category, eligible organizations can apply for funding for projects that include the commissioning and presentation of new work in or near a national park setting, festivals in such settings, and more.

National park park service areas include monuments, battlefields, military parks, historical parks, historic sites, lakeshores, seashores, recreation areas, and scenic rivers and trails. Collaborative partnerships with the selected park area are encouraged.

Details and guidelines for the "Imagine Your Parks" initiative are available on the NEA website.

Southern Exposure Initiative Offers Support for Presenting Latin American Artists

Nonprofit organizations and units of state or local governments across the United States may qualify for funding to present exemplary Latin American performing artists through Southern Exposure: Performing Artists of Latin America.

Presenters must book artists from Southern Exposure's curated roster, which changes annually. Programs must include at least one public performance and one complementary activity that provides the public with opportunities for direct interaction with the visiting artists.

Funding is now available for programs that will take place between July 1, 2015 and June 30, 2016. There is no application process involved for Southern Exposure: Performing Arts of Latin America, but grants are available only as long as limited funds will allow. Funds can be used toward contracted artist fees, travel-related expenses, complementary activity fees, and visa preparation services.

Read the booking guidelines for Southern Exposure: Performing Artists of Latin America.

Amphion Foundation Grant Program for Performing Ensembles

Established in 1987 to encourage the performance of contemporary concert music, The Amphion Foundation is accepting grant applications from performing ensembles through April 1. Eligible ensemble types include ballet/dance, chamber groups, choral, opera, and orchestra. Select groups may be eligible to apply for general operating support or project support. Orchestras and opera companies, other than contemporary music specialists, may apply only for project support.

In general, grants will range between $1,000 and $7,500. Click here for additional details or to begin the application process.

National Endowment for the Arts Releases 2015 Guide

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) has released its 2015 guide, offering an overview of its many grants, programs, and partnerships as well as providing background information on the organization's 50 year history. Easy to read and visually engaging, the guide is a useful tool for Oklahoma organizations and individuals who are interested in applying for funding or learning how to take advantage of NEA programs.

The guide includes information about:

  • Grants and fellowships

  • Deadlines

  • Lifetime honors

  • List of publications

  • And more

Consider downloading the NEA's 2015 guide here, and save it as a resource for your work to bring the arts and arts education to your community.

Related: During its 50th anniversary in 2015, the NEA wants you to "share your story" about the importance of the arts.

April is National Poetry Month

As National Poetry Month, April is the perfect time to encourage students and others in your community to read and learn about poetry's valuable place in our culture.

Founded by the Academy of American Poets in 1996, National Poetry Month is celebrated by millions of readers, students, teachers, librarians, booksellers, publishers, bloggers, poets, and others. Throughout the month, Oklahomans are encouraged to participate and celebrate. Here are few suggestions:

  • Bring Oklahoma's State Poet Laureate, Dr. Benjamin Myers, to perform in your community or provide a workshop for your school.

  • Keep up with thousands of National Poetry Month celebrations taking place using #npm15 on Twitter.

  • Use the National Poetry Month logo to promote your events.

  • Order a free National Poetry Month poster.

  • Learn about the extraordinary legacies of American poets, including Oklahoma's N. Scott Momaday.

Click here to view additional suggestions.

Related: The 2015 Oklahoma Poetry Out Loud finals take place March 7 in Tulsa.