The Back Track to Art

The arts need support in this country, on that we can all agree. But the tough question is how can a community ensure a stable source of support for the arts through the varied and ever-changing winds of politics, the economy, and simple social trends?

One community’s solution? Use a sin tax to support the arts! Apparently Cuyahoga County in Ohio (read: Cleveland an environs) has put in place a 1.5 cent per cigarette tax to fund the arts. Thus far, the tax has generated $500,000 that will be doled out in grants to individual artists by late 2008.

Pass me the smokes, wouldya? It’s for a good cause!

The Guthrie theater is offering free tickets to actors for the December 19-20 performances of Sweet William.

A large-spirited salute to the Bard, Sweet William is part biography, part analysis and part performance. Reflecting on his long international experience as a director and leading actor, and having spend some 20,000+ hours onstage performing Shakespeare, Michael Pennington sets out to celebrate the life and work of the theater icon.

A seasoned actor/director, Pennington’s career has spanned more than 40 years, during which time he has played leading roles for the Royal Shakespeare Company, the National Theatre and his own award-winning English Shakespeare Company, which he co-founded with Michael Bogdanov in 1986. Perhaps best known to younger audiences as Moff Jerjerrod, commander of the Death Star in Star Wars – Return of the Jedi, he has also published three “User’s Guides” to individual Shakespeare plays, and delivered the annual Shakespeare lecture at the prestigious British Academy.

If you are an actor, and you are interested in these tickets, please contact me at michael(at)northfieldartsguild(dot)org.

The Carleton College Advisory Council on College and Community Relations will hold a community gathering on Wednesday, December 12 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in Boliou Hall, room 104, on the Carleton campus. The purpose of the gathering is to provide updates on emerging plans for the development of the former Northfield Middle School and on the construction of a new student residence hall.

For more information, visit the original post on Northfield.org.

Thanks to all who helped with and participated in the Northfield Arts Guild’s ninth annual Festival of Trees. With your help we raised about $5000 at the event. This income will contribute to the quality artistic experiences we provide for the community of Northfield. Below are a handful of photos taken by “citizen journalist” extraordinaire Griff Wigley (you can see more here).

For those of you who missed this year’s event, you should be aware you missed out on a lot of great holiday cheer, food, wine, song, hand-crafted ornaments, and much more! You also missed out on some fantastic holiday steals. Just to name a few, two opera tickets (value $170) sold for just $50; a $100 gift certificate for dance classes sold for $25; two tickets to a Minnesota Orchestra concert (value $136) sold for just $30; and a three-month membership at the Olympus Health Club (value $300) sold for just $80.

If I were you, I’d mark my calendar now for next year’s event, lest you miss out on another chance to commit (legitimately, courtesy of your Northfield Arts Guild) grand holiday larceny!

In the meantime, if you’re still looking for a bargain, I have ONE free movie pass for a December 13 preview screening at the Landmark Lagoon Cinema in Minneapolis of the new movie by Guillermo Del Toro, The Orphanage. You can’t get much cheaper than free!

The first person to contact me at michael(at)northfieldartsguild(dot)org gets the tix.

Did I mention gifts? There’ll be lots and lots and lots of gifts–just perfect for your holiday shopping needs–at this year’s Festival of Trees.

 Here’s the full scoop:

Coinciding with Northfield’s annual Winter Walk, the Northfield Arts Guild will host its ninth annual Festival of Trees beginning Thursday, December 6 and running through Saturday, December 8.

The Northfield Arts Guild’s Festival of Trees is a homegrown holiday tradition that shines with community spirit. Wonderfully whimsical, the Festival of Trees is an excellent opportunity to showcase the outstanding creative and artistic talent of the Northfield community—and to provide holiday shoppers with a fantastic assortment of one-of-a-kind gifts. Attracting up to 1,000 visitors each year over its three-day run, the Festival of Trees also helps the Arts Guild raise essential funds in support of its year-long arts programming. In previous years, the event has raised up to $5,000.

“We deck the halls of our Division Street arts center with specially-decorated trees and wreaths, along with a wide selection of hand-made ornaments and gift items created by area artists and crafters,” explains Northfield Arts Guild executive director Michael Fallon. “Then, beginning with Northfield’s city-wide Winter Walk, the public is invited to stroll through our gallery and take in the beautiful sights of the season. It’s a wonderful way to kick-off the holidays.”

The Festival of Trees culminates with a fun and festive party Saturday evening, December 8 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. At the party, all of the items on display will be available for purchase by way of a silent auction running through 7:30 p.m. and a live auction beginning at 8 p.m. “There will be live music, specially-prepared treats to nibble on—and of course, lots of holiday frivolity,” promises Fallon. In addition to large trees, table-top trees, holiday wreaths and hand-crafted decorations, partygoers will also be able to bid on a wide variety of gift items, gift certificates and services, and tickets for in-demand Twin Cities theater and sporting events. “It’s your chance to find the perfect holiday gift for Uncle Bob and Aunt Helen,” notes Fallon.

Admission to the party is $10 and tickets will be available at the door. Advance tickets can also be purchased at the Arts Guild office. As a special bonus to those attending the Northfield Youth Choirs winter concert also scheduled for December 8, a $3 discount off the party ticket price will be offered for those who bring along their concert program.

The Northfield Arts Guild Center for the Arts is located at 304 Division Street South. Admission to the Festival of Trees display is free. Hours are 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. December 6, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on December 7 and 8. The Festival of Trees party then takes place on December 8 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. with a $10 admission.

The Landmark Cinemas in Edina have passed on to us a couple of free passes (each for two persons) for a movie screening next week.

Movie: Atonement starring Keira Knightley and James McAvoy (and based on the book by Ian McEwan)

Time/Date: 7:30 pm, Wednesday, November 28

Place: Landmark Edina Cinema, 3911 W. 5oth St., Edina, MN

Please contact us if you can make use of these free passes:

Email: michael(at)northfieldartsguild(dot) org or call: 507-645-8877

The passes will be given out on a first-come-first-serve basis. You’ll be able to pick up the tickets here at the Guild next week (as the office will be closed for the holiday weekend).

Happy holidays!

I know, I know… terrible pun. And for it I apologize.

But as with Bravo’s popular Project Runway, the Northfield Arts Guild asks of local artists, “do you have what it takes to be ‘in’?”

And by “in” I mean, “in the 9th annual Northfield Arts Guild’s Festival of Trees (on December 6-8)”?

The Arts Guild is seeking top-notch local designers and artists willing to lend their skills, vision, talent, and time to Project Wreathway–aka the Festival of Trees.

As in other years, artists provide hand-crafted holiday ornaments and hand-decorated holiday trees that then are auctioned off to a hungry local audience. But this year there’s a twist–we’re offering smaller items, lots and lots of them (you guessed it: wreaths, and tabletop trees, and “kissing balls,” as well as all sorts of gift items, tickets to arts events, trinkets for aunt Ellen, gadgets for uncle Bob, and much more!)–all perfect for taking home straight from the event.

So, all you artists and artisans, crafters and craftspeople–join Project Wreathway! Let us know what you’re willing to donate, decorate, or provide. (michael(at)northfieldartsguild(dot)com; 507-645-8877).

A little wine and cheese, conversation and warmth, and art.

Come to the Wine and Cheese for Scholarships event tomorrow (Friday, 11/9) night at 7 pm. Cost is only $28. The money helps us provide scholarships for needy kids who would like to participate in the Arts Guild’s programs. You can also bid on artist-designed wine-glass sets!

For more details, call 645-8877.

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.

The State Arts Board is seeking an Office Manager.

According to the announcement: “This position, and the two program associate positions that we posted earlier, are part of an internal restructuring that is underway.  In an effort to give more attention to programs and services, some routine administrative functions will be outsourced and more staff time will be dedicated to grant programs and program support. The goal of this reorganization is to improve the service we are able to provide to constituents.“ 

Office Coordinator

The Arts Board is seeking qualified candidates for the position of office coordinator. This person will serve as executive assistant to executive director, and will oversee the administrative support functions of the agency. The position requires a person who is highly organized, and skilled in time and workflow management.

More information is available on the employment page of the State Arts Board’s website:  http://www.arts.state.mn.us/about/employment.htm