The Back Track to Art

…who help themselves.

This idea, which I believe strongly, was posited in a recent article in the Mankato Free Press, called “A career in art means marketing yourself.” This article describes the typically gloomy-doomy atmosphere that most artists inhabit.

The [recently published] ‘Economic Impact of Minnesota’s Individual Artists’ showed artists in southwest Minnesota have difficulty finding a market to sell their work.

While 26 percent of the artists in the Twin Cities work full time on their craft, only 6 percent do so in south-central Minnesota.

When the study was released, Kevin Kroeber of Mankato said he’s one of those struggling artists. He said he worked four part-time jobs to help support his family and had little time to paint. Even if he did have more time to paint and show his work more often, he doubts it would make much of a difference in this market.

“There’s not a big enough clientele in Mankato,” he said. “I just think it’s the rural mentality. Most of the artists that can support themselves off their art live in the metropolitan area.”

Brenda Flintrop, executive director for Prairie Lakes Regional Arts Council, said Kroeber is not alone. Many artists in southern Minnesota struggle not only to sell their work, but also to find places to show it.

Still, despite the difficult local art market a number of Mankato artists have found ways to make a niche for themselves. The key? According to the story, artists simply have to be willing to get out there and do the work themselves to establish a market and an audience.

I’ve written here on this blog a number of times about the Northfield Arts Guild’s commitment to helping artists help themselves. The main initiative that I have started here at the Guild to address artists’ needs is the Artists Resource Center. In coming days, I’ll be writing about some of the recent developments with the A.R.C. and about some recent donations that will be of help to artists.

I’ll also be soliciting artists–yet again–to do something to contribute to their own welfare by contributing to the A.R.C. Stay tuned!

I read with interest the comments of Beth Benson regarding the upcoming production of “Sex with Seven Women” at the NAG theater. Allow me to respond wearing my NAG director’s hat:

The mission of the Northfield Arts Guild is to “stimulate artistic activity in the greater Northfield area.” The Northfield Arts Guild strives to “organize, support, and promote the efforts of the community in expressing, developing and appreciating art.”

Part of the reason we decided to produce “Sex with Seven Women” was because it fit in well with our mission. It was written by a talented local writer, whose growing skill has been increasingly lauded by the community (Brendon Etter is the writer, among other things, of the popular Jesse Jane Jamboree productions). It is also being acted by local actors, developed by local theater talent, performed in a local venue, and, above all else, its subject is relevant to a large portion of the community, many of whom are men and women who are familiar with sex and sexual issues.

That said, the Guild recognizes the right of adults to avoid attending productions that make them uncomfortable or that they find objectionable. That is why we included strong disclaimers–that this show was for mature audiences only–in all of our advertising for the show, a likely reason the newspaper was asking that question of Brendon in the first place. It’s a delicate line. There is so much in the play that isn’t objectionable, yet we still have to make the disclaimer for the small bits that might make small portions of the audience uncomfortable–and of course it all gets blown out of proportion.

The Guild recognizes the right of any individual to voice objections to material that may make them uncomfortable or that they may deem objectionable–even when they haven’t seen the materials. Still, owing to our mission, the Guild is of the opinion that all art–whether it be uplifting, depressing, shocking, soothing, challenging, enlivening, or objectionable–will always find the audience it was meant to find.

The Northfield Arts Guild hopes that while you may not want to attend, for your own personal reasons, a performance of “SWSW,” you may still consider attending future NAG productions that are geared toward other audiences. In coming months, we will be producing the musical “The Pajama Game,” the post-war comedy “The Lady’s Not for Burning,” the children’s tale “Holes,” and Shakespeare’s “Merry Wives of Windsor.” And I’m not even mentioning the 10 art exhibitions we put on every year, the wonderful art by local artists that we sell in our shop, the dance classes for kids and adults, the CVRO concerts, etc etc.

As per our mission, there’s truly something for everyone at the Northfield Arts Guild!

Now, if I may, for just a moment, remove my director’s hat and comment as a citizen commenter:

I read a chunk of “Sex with Seven Women” when it came through the office (though I was careful not to read all of it–because I didn’t want to spoil my seeing it), and I have to say, it’s funny. And really good. While the situations are mature, Brendon’s writing is, as always, spot on–clever, witty, and full of sharp, unexpected observations about a subject that we all (may think we) know something about.

In the end, “Sex with Seven Women” has something for every mature adult to think about, chuckle over, and ponder–even as they might be grasping their armchairs to keep from falling out of their seat from laughter!

College students, by any chance do you sometimes wonder what our fair state of Minnesota has to offer in the way of arts activities and experiences for young, arts curious people like you?

Well, wonder no more!

The Northfield Arts Guild has helped create a new state-wide program designed for the arts curious college student (i.e., you!). It’s called LINK.

link-flyer.pdf

Through Link, you can tap into a whole world of art in Minnesota. All you have to do is get a discounted student membership at any arts organization in Minnesota participating in LINK, and you’ll get member benefits at any other LINK organization.

To learn more, just stop by Northfield’s community art center–the Northfield Arts Guild–located at 301 Division Street in downtown Northfield. Or call us at (507) 645-8877, or email us at office(at)northfieldartsguild(dot)org.

Make no bones about it, the Northfield Arts Guild needs your support. Without the generous support of members, donors, business supporters, institutions, and other funders, we simply cannot continue offering all that we offer to Northfield in the way of arts activities, events, classes, and entertainment.

Before you decide once and for all how much you’re willing to support the arts in Northfield, please consider the following six key reasons that supporting the Northfield Arts Guild is a good thing:

1. History: The Northfield Arts Guild has long been an important part of Northfield’s culture. We’ve been here, in fact, for nearly fifty years–though not always in our current prominent location on Division Street downtown. The Guild was founded in 1959 and presented its first event that year, a successful stage production of Eugene O’Neill’s “Ah Wilderness.” In the early 1960s, the Guild was able to buy its first building, a church on West 3rd Street (where it still houses the Guild Theater), and in the early 1980s, the Guild was offered the opportunity to purchase its present building, which had formerly been used as a library, as City Hall, and as a YMCA. The Guild has been the place were thousands upon thousands of Northfielders, current and former, got their first taste of art. For instance, a list of Guild members from the mid-1960s included many prominent community members of the time, such as the Schjeldahl family, whose son, Peter Schjeldahl, grew up and moved to New York to become perhaps the most prominent art critic of our time. In 1967, the Minnesota State Arts Council (the precursor to the State Arts Board), in a survey of regional arts centers, held up the Northfield Arts Guild as a model for providing diverse activities to the community on a minimal budget (which, in my opinion, we still do). You can’t think of the culture of Northfield without also thinking of the role the Arts Guild has played and continues to play here. Supporting the Northfield Arts Guild helps us continue this history.

2. Artistry: The Northfield Arts Guild has always been all about providing a quality arts experience for the community. This dedication to excellence begins with early-childhood arts classes–in visual art, theater, dance, and so on–and continues into its many programs for artistic adolescents and adult artists. The Northfield Arts Guild theater offers the opportunity for local performers of all ages to get up on stage in high-quality productions of every sort–from comedy to drama, from musicals to kid’s theater. The dance program presents age-appropriate, non-competitive (but highly artistic) classes in dance for both kids and adults. The Cannon Valley Regional Orchestra presents four or five yearly concerts each year, giving regional musicians an opportunity to play together for their communities. And the gallery and shop at the Guild’s Center for the Arts on Division Street offers local and regional artists numerous opportunities each year to display and sell their work. Supporting the Northfield Arts Guild means you are supporting great arts and artists.

3. Stability and consistency: The Arts Guild has been a centerpiece of arts activity this town for an amazingly long stretch of time, and it will continue to be so for many years to come. This consistency is indeed our strength. While we may not offer the most novel or trendy types of arts activities, you can always know we’ll be here doing what we do year after year after year. We will present six or more regular theater productions each year, as well as a number of smaller, more lively, and more locally created theater events. We will teach hundreds of kids each year the joys of theater, dance, music, and art. We will exhibit more than twenty unique art shows each year in our gallery spaces. We will sell beautiful art objects in our shop and support working artists. We will support the work of a regional community symphony in producing 4-5 concerts each year, and we will have a hand in helping to organize local arts festivals and events that the entire community can enjoy. In our constantly changing, ever mutating world, isn’t it nice to know there’s someone you can always count on? Supporting the Northfield Arts Guild helps us continue providing consistently great arts programs in Northfield.

4. Community: The arts are important to communities—not only for the effect they have on life-quality, but also because they provide economic benefits. A 2006 report, The Arts: A Driving Force in Minnesota’s Economy, provides strong evidence that the nonprofit arts and culture industry are a significant economic incubator across the state. Further, due to the nonprofit and community focus of these organizations, the vast majority of this economic activity filters directly back into the communities—providing pay for working artists, purchasing ads in community publications, buying materials and supplies from community businesses, paying local workers for services, and so on. Supporting nonprofit art organizations epitomizes the economic idea that a “rising tide lifts all boats.” When we support the arts we not only enhance our community’s quality of life, we invest in our own and our neighbors’ overall economic well being. The Northfield Arts Guild is a downtown anchor, providing programs and services, and developing support and appreciation of the arts, and spreading arts-related economic activity throughout the community. For these reasons, the Northfield Arts Guild is a key contributor to the quality of life and economic vitality of the community of Northfield. For nearly fifty years, the Northfield Arts Guild has been a place where community members committed to and interested in the arts come together. Supporting the Northfield Arts Guild means supporting the community of Northfield.

5. Opportunity(s): With all of the Northfield Arts Guild’s history and its consistent production of quality arts programs, the organization has long had time and space to offer opportunities for artists to try new things, give a project or program a whirl, and get themselves involved in something creative. In recent years, the Guild has supported the production of new programs and projects like the Very Short Play Festival and the Under Construction workshops for playwrights. Guild artists are showing art work in a new venue, the local Allina clinic, and we are always bringing new artists and art into our shop. The Guild is your place to try out new things in the arts. Supporting the Northfield Arts Guild supports new arts projects in Northfield.

6. Fun and frivolity: While all of the above reasons make a lot of statistical sense, we can’t forget the idea that, even though there’s no way to quantify it, the arts are fun! In some respects, there’s no other reason to support the arts in Northfield. The arts make people happy, and who can’t use a little extra happiness in their lives? Plays are fun events to watch, symphony concerts are fun events to listen to. It’s fun to walk the town and stop by our gallery during an Art Crawl. It’s fun for children and adults of all ages to dance in our studio. Supporting the Northfield Arts Guild means you are a supporter of fun and happiness in your town!

OK, so that’s probably not a very historically accurate quote. But I’m sure it’s what Jesse James would yell today if he were to come to Northfield while the festival named after him was going on.

That’s because I’m guessing Jesse James  probably wouldn’t much care to watch a reenactment of his defeat. Nor would he likely care much for Dippin’ Dots and deepfried brats. If Jesse James came to town today he’d probably pass his time looking at the lovely arts and crafts items on display down by the Cannon River at the Riverfront Fine Arts and Crafts Festival.

This Festival, a tradition in Northfield for more 40 years, will be held rain or shine, 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Saturday and Sunday, September 8 & 9, 2007.

More than 75 artists and fine craft artisans will show their work on the stone walkways hugging both sides of the Cannon River. Find wonderful photography, pottery, paintings, fiber art, jewelry and more by artists from all over Minnesota and the region.

“Get yourself down to the river!”

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)

This blog is just finding its web-feet, so it has yet to be linked anywhere–neither to the Northfield Arts Guild’s own website nor to either of the local community discourse clearing houses. But this will happen. Soon. Mark my word…

Meanwhile, as a preview, here are a few things you can look forward to reading about in coming weeks on The Back Track to Art:

• A new NAG web-feature: Artist Links. A page of web-links from artists around the Northfield community.
• A new NAG artist program: ARC. The Artist Resource Center, an effort by the Guild to get crucial services and information to artists who need it.
• A new NAG initiative: The Generation Next Initiative. An effort to engage and involve college students in community arts programming, which will have–if all goes well–two complete programs in place by this fall.
• A new community initiative: Arts and Culture Collaborative. An effort by organizations to join together to share resources and work together for the greater good of the community.

Of course, these programs are in addition to all the great ongoing programs, classes, projects and shows you’ve all come to expect from your fabulous Arts Guild!

With all the focus on and talk about Northfield’s youth of late, I thought I’d point out something about how the arts, and the integrative use of the arts in school curricula, can affect our kids in a positive way. According to this article from the Tucson Citizen, which is based on a Harvard study of a program called “Opening Minds through the Arts (OMA),” the arts help improve student skills in the “three R’s,” and the use of the arts in a school curriculum correlates to significantly higher test scores among students.

According to the article, the OMA program integrates instrumental music, opera, dance, theater and visual arts in the curriculum in teaching reading, writing, math and science to children in Tucson area grade schools. An arts integration specialist and a team of seven artists work alongside classroom teachers to adapt lessons to “support teaching of core skills and knowledge,” and the program employs a list of more than 50 Arizona artists to teach residency courses in the schools. The results of these efforts, according to the article, are clear across the board in terms of teacher, student, and parent satisfaction and increased student performance. Meaning, the arts are a forgotten key component in any effort to advance the education of our kids.

Now, before I go on, let me issue a PROPAGANDA ALERT. Warning: What you are about to read may be interpreted by some as a bit horn-tooty.

The Northfield Arts Guild has a long and proud history of involvement with the schools and students of Northfield–producing student theater, teaching classes to children, exhibiting student art work, and, in the past, organizing artist residencies for local schools. And, for the reasons listed above, we are dedicated to finding the means to expand these efforts.

With that in mind, we have been working these past few months to resurrect and expand the school artist residency program, which was lost in the Northfield school budget cuts of 2003, but to be honest it has been difficult thus far to find funding sources.

We will keep trying, though–for we at the Guild do believe in the power of the arts to make education, and the world, better.