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Oklahoma Arts Council News

December 2016

Governor's Arts Awards Presentation December 7

The 41st Annual Governor's Arts Awards will be presented on Wednesday, December 7 at the Oklahoma State Capitol. Open to the public, the ceremony will take place in the 4th floor rotunda from 4:00-5:00 p.m. A reception in the 1st floor rotunda will follow the ceremony.

Award recipients for 2016 include 13 individuals and eight organizations. Josephine Freede and Ann Lacy will receive the prestigious Governor's Award. Awards for business, community service, education, media, public service, and a special recognition will also be presented.

See the list of this year's award recipients.

Included in this year's ceremony will be a special presentation by Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma featuring songs from its recent production of Fiddler on the Roof. The highly acclaimed show incorporated American Sign Language and Deaf Culture. From the Lyric cast, joining the performance at the Governor's Arts Awards will be deaf actor Sandra Mae Frank, who performed in Deaf West Theatre's recent Tony Award-nominated production of Spring Awakening.

Filling in for Governor Mary Fallin to present the awards will be Lt. Governor Todd Lamb.

Join us Wednesday, December 7, to celebrate the work of our 2016 Governor's Arts Awards honorees from across the state.

Leadership Arts Deadline Monday, December 5

Applications for the Oklahoma Arts Council's 2017 Leadership Arts program are due Monday, December 5.

Thirty individuals from across the state will be selected to participate in the program, which provides tools and networking opportunities to equip participants to become leaders for the arts in their communities.

Four two-day spring sessions are held in different Oklahoma communities where class participants learn about the arts' role in impacting local economies, improving education, and creating a high quality of life. Classes included reading assignments, group work, tours of community art spaces, and more. Participants graduate at the Oklahoma Arts Conference in the fall.

Sessions for 2017 will take place:

  • February 22-23 (Chickasaw Retreat & Cultural Center in Sulphur)

  • March 22-23 (Lawton)

  • April 26-27 (Pawhuska)

  • May 24-25 (Tulsa)

  • October 25-26 (2017 Oklahoma Arts Conference in Enid)

The program and curriculum are free but class members do incur costs for food, lodging, and travel.

Apply for the program by the December 5 deadline.

Know someone who should apply for the program? Be sure to forward them this information.

Upcoming Deadline for Allied Arts Spring Cycle Grant

Another grant cycle is approaching for Allied Arts, meaning the application for two grant opportunities will expire. The Educational Outreach program, which provides funding for youth arts education programming for underserved students, and the Capacity Building program, which assists nonprofits arts and cultural organizations with organizational efforts, are designed to benefit communities in central Oklahoma. Applicants must be nonprofit arts organizations in operation for at least five years.

To meet the deadline for the spring cycle, applications must be submitted by January 13.

Learn more about the grants offered by Allied Arts here.

Oklahoma Art Educator Earns National Award

Art educator Sarah Carnes of Fillmore Elementary School in Oklahoma City has been named the Western Region Elementary Art Educator of the Year. Sponsored by the National Art Education Association (NAEA), the recognition will be presented to Carnes during the NAEA's National Convention in March in New York City.

Carnes was also recently named Oklahoma Art Educator of the Year by the Oklahoma Art Education Association.

Our congratulations to Carnes and our thanks for representing Oklahoma on a national level.

Read more about Carnes' efforts.

Norman Artist Named 2016 USA Fellow

Steven Paul Judd of Norman, Oklahoma, has been named a 2016 USA Fellow by United States Artists. A filmmaker, screenwriter, writer of fiction, and visual artist, Judd's work conveys unique perspectives on contemporary Native American culture.

Representing nine disciplines, each USA Fellow receives an unrestricted $50,000 award and recognition as an accomplished and innovative artist.

United States Artists was created in 2006 by the Ford, Rockefeller, Rasmuson, and Prudential foundations to address the lack of unrestricted funding available to artists.

Learn about the USA Fellowship selection process.

Read more about Steven Paul Judd's work.

Apply for National Youth Program Awards

After-school and out-of-school arts and humanities programs sponsored by museums, libraries, performing arts organizations, educational institutions, and other eligible organizations can apply for the 2017 National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Awards through February 8, 2017.

Sponsored by the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services, award-winning programs will earn $10,000 and an invitation to accept their award during a ceremony at the White House.

Learn how to apply for your program.

Nominate a Business that Supports the Arts

Americans for the Arts is currently accepting nominations for its awards honoring businesses that support the arts. Nominations for the BCA 10: Best Businesses Partnering with the Arts in America are due January 13, 2017.

Individuals, organizations, company employees and others can submit nominations. Large and small companies are eligible to be nominated (nonprofits are ineligible).

A 600-word nomination statement is required. The statement should address how the company supports the arts in the areas of leadership, long-term commitment, impact, addressing community needs, and more.

Last year, Oklahoma City's Dunlap Codding earned one of the ten awards.

Learn how to submit a nomination.

Competition for Young Musicians with Disabilities Announced

Young musicians with disabilities, ages 14-25, have the chance to earn $2,000 and an opportunity to perform at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. through the VSA International Young Soloists Competition.

Open to soloists and ensembles of any instrument (including voice) or genre (including rock, hip-hop, and more), the deadline for entries is February 8, 2017.

Visit the Kennedy Center website for application guidelines.

Related: Musicians ages 15-20 can apply for the National Symphony Orchestra Summer Music Institute.

Artist Grants from Pollock-Krasner Foundation

Assisting individuals who have worked as professional artists over a significant period of time, The Pollock-Krasner Foundation provides grants to artists based on artistic merit and a demonstrable financial need, whether professional, personal or both.

The foundation accepts grant applications from visual artists throughout the year. Artists working in painting, sculpting, and works on paper (including printmaking) are eligible. 

Grants are intended for a one-year period of time, and amounts are determined based on the individual circumstances of the artist. 

For grant guidelines, visit The Pollock-Krasner Foundation website.

Performing Artists Sought for Summer Library Programs

The Oklahoma Department of Libraries is requesting information from performing artists who are interested in participating in 2017 and 2018 summer reading programs across the state.

Using a different theme each year, in promoting literacy, the department's summer program features performing artists to engage children, teens and adults. The 2017 theme is Build a Better World.

The program runs June through July for most libraries. 

Complete this form to be considered. Be prepared to include information about your presentation topic, length, intended age group, fees, travel distance, and contact information.