FORECAST PUBLIC ARTWORKS’ annual grant program supports emerging Minnesota artists who wish to research or produce a public art project anywhere (*Blogger Note: Includes Northfield) in the state. Grants given include: (4) $1000 Research & Development Grants, (4) $4500 Project Grants, and (1) $9000 University Avenue Commission.

PUBLIC ART WORKSHOPS — Free and open to all. Workshops cover a brief introduction to public art, civic engagement theories, examples of successful projects, and an application overview.

Saturday, Sept. 29, 1 - 4 pm — Duluth, Arrowhead Regional Arts Council

Wednesday, Oct. 3, 6 - 9 pm — Twin Cities, Forecast Public Artworks

Saturday, Oct. 13, 1 - 4 pm –  Twin Cities, Forecast Public Artworks

Sunday, Oct. 14, 1 - 4 pm — Rochester, Rochester Art Center

Please RSVP for a workshop by calling 651-641-1128 or by emailing melinda(at)forecastART(dot)org.

Application materials are available at the workshops, at www.forecastPUBLICart.org or by phone request.

Do you love art and appreciate the idea of spending your days surrounded by it?

The 48-year-old Northfield Arts Guild is seeking a part-time shop manager and gallery coordinator at our downtown location. The optimal candidate will have good sales skills and wholesale purchasing experience, and be people-oriented and creative. Experience working in a gallery setting or with artists and volunteers is a plus.

Please send a resume and cover letter to:
Northfield Arts Guild
304 Division Street
Northfield, MN 55105

Please reply by September 7, 2007

*Note: This blog post is based on an essay I originally wrote for mnartists.org. **Warning: This post is longer than is typical of most blog postings.

All of us in the arts know by now that the economics of the arts is a tricky negotiation. Though some time ago I traded in the pressures of the artist’s life for those of the critic and administrator, I have continued through the years to study and address the struggles of visual artists.

Unfortunately, though perhaps understandably, public discussions about the welfare of artists often turn into long bellyache festivals, in which the assembled artists spill much personal frustration. For example, at a focus group on the needs of aging artists I ran last year, I met Lyn Foulkes, a long-brilliant seventy-odd-year-old L.A. painter. I was hopeful, since he has exhibited work throughout his career in New York, Paris, and in many major institutions, that he would have insights to offer about how to build a successful artist’s life; instead, Foulkes dashed my hopes by opening the discussion with loud gusts of frustration, blaming his current professional woes on gallery owners, artistic peers, the media, and the public, who, he claimed, prefer hot young artists and fresh new trends over more established artists.

“If I were given the choice now to become an artist,” he said, “I’d probably choose not to become one.”

My interest in finding ways to help artists like Foulkes had led to my escape from Minnesota two years ago to attend the H. John Heinz III School of Public Policy and Management at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. Here, among other activities, I established and led a four-month group research project called “Essential Services for Aging Artists” (ESAA). The ESAA project made use of focus-group discussions of artists in New York, Los Angeles, and Pittsburgh, a survey of more than 1,300 artists currently working nation-wide, a study of existing information about the state of artists and research into what services currently exist for artists, and a group analysis of the data we collected. The project’s goals were to gain a clearer understanding of the problems and needs that visual artists face as they age, to research services that currently exist to address these needs, to pinpoint needs still unaddressed, and to make recommendations for addressing these needs. Our final report on aging artists was comprised of chapters on our findings regarding details about the overall current “state of the artist” and on the needs of artists in eight essential service categories: housing, estate planning, business skills, archiving, legal services, retirement, insurance, and health care.

THE ESSENTIAL SERVICES FOR AGING ARTIST PROJECT uncovered a few general themes. The most important of these was the need for ALL artists, both young and old, to become educatedin the wide range of services available currently to address their needs. ESAA’s survey repeatedly revealed that most artists have limited knowledge about what services are available to assist them with such challenges as finding affordable housing, obtaining business skills, providing for their own retirement, or protecting themselves in the event of a health crisis. In the report, therefore, we suggest that artists of all ages take more initiative in obtaining information about critical needs they will face throughout their careers and about the services to address these needs. We also recommend to providers of services for artists that they implement more effective marketing of their services to what is a rather eccentric interest group.

This suggests another important theme revealed through our research. The practice of visual art typically demands that artists spend long hours alone in a studio in front of their art works and away from other people. This isolation has important ramifications. For instance, ESAA’s survey revealed that 24.3% of respondents felt somewhat set apart from other people, and 7.4% felt very set apart. A 75-year-old female painter who participated in our New York focus group concurred: “In not being joiners, we are holed up in our own studios.” In Pittsburgh, a male painter agreed, responding: “I think [being alone] is a professional hazard.”

While the practice of visual art may create strong, independent, and individualistic thinkers, it also seems to create a broad aversion toward working or cooperating with others. This aversion is particularly troublesome, because, as independent contractors, visual artists typically are forced to take control of such critical career aspects as planning for their retirement, drafting contracts and running a business, obtaining health coverage, and so on. ESAA’s report recommended therefore that individual artists do everything they can to establish a strong support network—become part of a greater community—as early as possible in their careers.

Becoming part of a network of artists, of an artists’ membership organization (NOTE: Like the Northfield Arts Guild!), or of the larger community can have important practical benefits for visual artists. Joining a network not only helps artists find necessary services to address their needs, but it also builds confidence, provides support, and leads to opportunities for networking. Strength in numbers may even allow a group of visual artists to have influence over arts organizations, communities, or local politics and decisions regarding issues important to artists. Artist membership organizations, meanwhile, offer other practical benefits. By joining an organization, visual artists can take advantage of group rates for health insurance, educational workshops, or workspace. Although many membership organizations charge yearly dues, the cost of the dues can be offset by group discounts on art supplies or on other services. In addition, these dues are tax deductible.

Alyson Stanfield, an artist consultant, recommends specifically that visual artists get out of the studio and join up with others not only because of the benefits mentioned above, but because this “builds your confidence, provides emotional and professional support, and opens your eyes to opportunities you never knew existed.” Stanfield suggests that 85-95% of artists get gallery shows because of a recommendation from “another artist, dealer, curator, collector, or other art world type.” Even if no appropriate organization exists, Stanfield suggests that by doing something as simple as holding an “artists’ salon,” or an informal gathering where artists can share work and ideas and can discuss challenges they are facing, everyone can receive significant benefits.

EVEN IF YOU, AS AN ARTIST, BELIEVE IT’S A WASTE OF TIME to do anything other than focusing on creating and exhibiting work, community involvement does not have to interfere with your artistic practice, and the benefits far outweigh any disadvantages. The basic fact is while it is difficult to sustain a career as a visual artist over the long haul, and while it often seems that no one cares about the artist’s struggles and no one is willing to listen to the artist’s complaints, in actuality there are plenty of places in the community that artists can turn to for help. Artists need only be willing to commit to and belong to a community arts organization.

Individual artists should be advised of two upcoming information sessions regarding grants for Minnesota artists.

Artist Grant Information Sessions

The Minnesota State Arts Board and Minnesota’s eleven regional arts councils will hold a series of grant information sessions for artists this summer. If you’d like to learn about the Arts Board’s Artist Initiative programs please plan to attend.

Attendees will learn about the Arts Board’s grant review process, and will get advice on how to prepare a strong grant application. You can also sign up for a one-on-one appointment with an Arts Board program officer to discuss your work and your particular project.

In Southeast Minnesota an information session is scheduled for:

To register for a session, or to sign up for a one-on-one appointment:

.

Bush Artist Fellowship Program — Information Meetings

Regional information meetings will be held in September and October 2007 to review the application materials and selection process, as well as answer questions.

Each meeting will focus on all three programs that make up the 2008 Bush Artist Fellows Program including:

		Bush Artist Fellowships
		Enduring Vision Awards
		Dakota Creative Connections (North Dakota and South Dakota only

In Southeast Minnesota:

Lanesboro, MN
Thursday, September 13, 2007 — 5:30 p.m.
Commonweal Theatre Company
206 Parkway Avenue North

The following information was sent in by Arts Guild member Riki Kolbl Nelson. (She is going to be a presenter at this conference.)

Southeastern Minnesota Creativity and Aging Conference

Join us for a full day of performances, presentations, and artistic participation.

Keynote: “Creativity Matters! Arts and Aging across America”

Friday, September 14, 2007
SE Minnesota Creativity and Aging Conference
Cornerstone Community Church
Redwing, MN
Cost: $30.00 includes lunch

Keynote speaker Susan Perlstein is widely known for her pioneering, award-winning work in arts and ging. She is founder of the Elders Share the Arts (ESTA) in New York City and the founder and Executive director of the National Center for Creative Aging (NCCA). ESTA, founded in 1979, empowers hundreds of older adults each year to transmit the legacy of their stories through literary, visual, or performing arts.

Under Perlstein’s leadership, NCCA has launched a national campaign, “ The Art of Aging: Creativity Matters,” and has equipped artists, educators, and health care and social service professionals across the nation with the know-how and resources to engage older adults in the arts. She will highlight best practices from around the country and describe how involvement in the arts benefits older adults.

The event will also feature teaching artists in Southeastern Minnesota who will describe and demonstrate best practices they are using in their work with older adults. The day will include performances and hands-on activities plus creative conversations.

Sponsored by the Minnesota Creative Arts and Aging Network (MnCAAN)

Mail registration and payment by September 1 to:
Red Wing Senior Center
1407 West Fourth Street, Red Wing, MN 55066

For questions call:
Marie Marvin at (507) 732-7616 or Nancy Swanson at (651) 385-3296
For more information about MnCAAN please contact:
Pat Samples at patsamples@agingandcaregiving.com

The Minnesota Creative Arts and Aging Network (MnCAAN) is a Minnesota citizenled group of individuals committed to MnCAAN’S mission and led by a 20-member volunteer Design Team that meets monthly. It is affiliated with the National Center for Creative Aging and the Vital Aging Network. Among its accomplishments are holding two statewide conferences on arts and aging, sponsoring a visual arts “Art of Aging” project at eight sites around the state, and creating a highly interactive website as an ongoing information and communication center on arts and aging for Minnesotans.

This information just came over the transom. It sounds like these classes offer a fantastic opportunity for theater artists, and since there are many fabulous such people in Northfield this seemed like good information to pass along.

Introducing a new program at the Guthrie Theater - the Master Artist Series. This series of classes, workshops and seminars is presented especially for artists. It will feature the special skills and expertise of a wide range of national and international master artists working with the Guthrie throughout the coming seasons. We look forward to bringing you this informative and inspiring series!

We will begin the series this month with two workshops:

The Actor’s Process: Audition to Opening Night
With Peter Michael Goetz
Thursday, August 16
2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Guthrie Theater – Level Eight
Fee: $20.00

Speaking the Language of Shakespeare
With Andrew Wade
Tuesday, August 21
1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Guthrie Theater – Level Eight
Fee: $30.00

You can register for these workshops online at http://www.guthrietheater.org/learn/classes/for_professional_artists
or by calling the Guthrie Box Office at 612.377.2224.

In keeping with the Northfield Arts Guild’s interest in providing services, resources, and information helpful to artists, here is a resource many visual artists may find useful. (If you’re a writer, musician, theater artist, or practitioner of any other non-visual art form, and you know of similar resources in your field, please let us know.)

Visual Artist Information Hotline

The Visual Artists Information Hotline (1-800-232-2789) is a toll-free information service for visual artists that provides information in all fifty states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. Artists can speak directly to staff between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. EST, Monday-Friday. The hotline provides information on support to artists (national, regional, and state), emergency funding, health and safety, insurance, artist communities and residencies, international opportunities, public art programs, studio space programs, legal information, and publications.

Ok, so, considering recent local news, perhaps N.A.R.C. is not the best name for a new Arts Guild program… Still, I’m hoping the title of this blog-entry may catch the attention of a few people who might not otherwise check on what’s going on at the Guild.

FYI: The N.A.R.C. = the N(orthfield Arts Guid’s) A(rtist) R(esource) C(enter)

In keeping with the Northfield Arts Guild’s dedication to providing artists with useful services that can help them grow their careers and make additional space in their lives for art-making, we at the Guild are working to create a vibrant and useful Resource Center for the use of our artist-members.

The basic idea of the Center is simple. By pooling our collective resources as artists and arts supporters, and by accepting donations from various artists and community members, we can collectively put together a significant and useful resource that benefits all. We are therefore seeking donations of all sorts of materials–books, magazines, catalogs, guides, etc–as well as suggestions about materials you, as an artist, might deem useful.

Since part of my background has been tied to researching the needs of artists around the country–especially as they age–the N.A.R.C. is an initiative I envisioned when I first started working at the Guild. Now, thanks to several recent key donations it looks like the Center will be a reality very soon.

Here’s what we have so far:
Back issues of Art Papers from 2002 to present (donated by the magazine’s publisher)

An ongoing subscription to Art Papers (donated by Michael Fallon)

Back issues of Art in America from 2003 to present (donated by the magazine’s publisher)

An ongoing subscription to Art in America (donated by Michael Fallon)

A copy of The Business of Being an Artist (donated by Jill Ewald)

Sundry books on nonprofit management, arts development, etc (collected over time by the Guild)

You’ll note that, thus far, we have mainly received donations for the visual arts. This is not by design–so far the visual arts are the only area that have responded to our requests. (We’d certainly welcome it if folks from other artistic areas stepped up and donated too!)

Here are some items we’re currently seeking with estimated costs (in case you dig this idea and want to become a, um, “special agent” of the N.A.R.C.) :

• Art News ($40/year)
• American Craft ($50/year)
• Dance ($35/year)
• Symphony ($25/year)
• Poets and Writers ($20/year)
• Playbill ($35/year)
  
• Fiberarts ($25/year)
• Ceramics Monthly ($30/year)
• Guide to Minnesota Grantmakers, 2007 edition ($70)
• Idiot’s Guide to Grantwriting ($17)
• Books on How to Write Grants (any amount)
  
• The Fine Artist’s Career Guide ($1
• Books on how to photograph your art (any amount)
• Books on regional art history (any amount)
• Back Stage Guide to Regional Theater ($16)
• Art Festival Guide ($25)
• Amazon gift certificate (any amount)
• Books on theater techniques(any amount)
• How-to-Audition books (any amount)
• Misc. stage scripts (any amount)
• Books on acting tips (any amount)
• Makeup and theater design books (any amount)
• Books on the business of being an artists–taxes, accounting, law, etc (any amount)

Thank you for considering donating to the N.A.R.C.!

If you have any suggestions about how to make this Resource Center as successful as possible, or if you’d like to suggest any additional materials for us to obtain, please let us know. (michael(at)northfieldartsguild(dot)org)

There has been over the past few years a great deal of discussion locally about whether or not, or to what degree, Northfield is an Art Town. Thus far, as I’ve been learning the ropes and coming up to speed, I’ve kept my own council on this issue.

Certainly, I can say, considering all the myriad art activities this town produces on any given sleepy summer afternoon, that we have–at the very least–the potential for Art Town-dom. If the sheer amount of arts programming–and the continued demand for ever more programming by local audiences–were the only criteria for such designation, then we’d be in like proverbial Flynn. However, if you discount the supply side of the equation, it turns out Northfield is generally missing an entire part of the Art Town equation.

Consider this story last week from the Eugene (Or.) Register-Guard as a case study. According to the reporter, last week “to the applause of arts supporters, the Eugene City Council took a first step Wednesday toward playing a larger role in the city’s arts and culture.” That is, Eugene, Oregon, made the practical decision to become, for all intents and purposes, an “Art Town.”

What does this mean in real terms? Well, to start the city council accepted a consultant’s report that was intended to drive city cultural planning for the next ten years. This all sounds familiar, I’m sure. We’re totally on the right trick, you’re probably thinking. Well, yes, but there’s more to this than the lip service of a consultant’s report.

The city of Eugene also determined, based on report recommendations, to play a broader practical (i.e., financial) role in arts and culture. The city was directed by the report to start an alliance for the arts, fund an endowment, and conduct a “thorough review” of the Hult Center for the Performing Arts, partly to halt its operating losses (wouldn’t that be nice?). The report also calls for the city to take practical steps by contributing $100,000 a year to an arts endowment over 10 years that would provide an abiding way to fulfill community arts programming needs, as well as offering challenge grants to encourage private donations to the endowment. Finally, the reports suggests the city offer a onetime grant of between $15,000 and $50,000 to help start up the arts alliance that would help coordinate community arts activities.

Eugene, Oregon, seems to understand what it takes to support the diverse and complex artistic landscape that creates an Art Town. Perhaps someday so will we.