THE BLUE MOON

KAC HOME | PUBLICATIONS   VOL. 10 NO. 6 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2003
   

In This Issue
2003 in Review

Around Kentucky

On the National Front
Arts Council News
Craft Marketing News
Focus on Folklife
Resources and Reports
Hot Dates

The Kentucky Arts Council

The Blue Moon is published bi-monthly by the Kentucky Arts Council. Please send comments, questions and information to The Blue Moon, Kentucky Arts Council, Old Capitol Annex, 300 West Broadway, Frankfort, KY 40601-1980 or call 502/564-3757V/TDD Toll Free: 1-888-833-2787
E-mail: kyarts@ky.gov

For other Kentucky
Government sites visit the KY home page

  

2003 in Review

You won't find many words in this final edition of Blue Moon for 2003. That is, unless you go by the old adage that "a picture is worth a thousand words". We present to you, our faithful readers, a photo album of events that have filled the Arts Council's calendar over the past ten months. We've also asked arts organizations and performing arts centers from across Kentucky to submit a piece of news and possibly a photo or two to wrap up the year. Visually speaking, we're only talking about 130,000 words. Enjoy!

Best wishes for a successful 2004.

February 27- March 2 Kentucky Crafted: The Market

March 4 Presentation of the 2002 Governor's Awards in the Arts

April 24 Kentucky Poet Laureate Induction

May 3 Governor's Derby Celebration Activities Folklife Program Participation Kentucky Visions Kentucky Crafted Retail Sales

July 20-23 Artist in Residence and Community Residence Orientation a.k.a. Faubush

July 25-26 Kentucky Craft Marketing Program and Kentucky Museum of Arts + Design Annual Workshop Weekend

July 30 Kentucky Tourism Development Cabinet's Grand Opening of the Kentucky Artisan Center at Berea

August 27 Craft Marketing Program's Opening of The Kentucky Collection Showroom

September 6 In Performance at the Governor's Mansion 'On the Road' - Celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the Governor's Awards in the Arts

September 25-27 Kentucky Folklife Festival

October 7-8 Setting the Stage and Kentucky on Stage

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Around Kentucky

Bowling Green

Bowling Green Chamber Orchestra "Changing lives... one note at a time" is the mission of the Bowling Green Chamber Orchestra, organized in June, 2000, and now beginning its fourth season. The orchestra has achieved incredible growth in several areas in that short period of time. This is the third year for season ticket sales and sales are up over 90% from last season.. The board attributes this to the innovative programming of Maestro Jeffrey Reed, Music Director and Conductor, and to creative marketing.

Thinking Outside the Bachs describes the programming for this season. The orchestra received a START grant to help fund the first concert entitled Our Towns. This concert featured an original work by five Bowling Green composers, each writing one movement based on a folk song representing an ethnic group in Bowling Green. To reach into those ethnic groups in the Bowling Green community, the Bowling Green Chamber Orchestra distributed 100 complimentary tickets to encourage attendance by people who might not usually attend a concert. Other concerts this season include a history of Bluegrass music beginning with Vivaldi and ending with Curtis Burch and Friends, music by Bach, Rutter, Pachelbel, Gershwin, Ives, Copland, Foster, and a collaboration with Horse Cave Theatre in the musical, I Do, I Do.

In January 2003, the Bowling Green Chamber Orchestra opened the Bowling Green String Academy to provide private and group string instruction for children and adults, including fiddling. The first lessons were taught on January 23, 2003, with one teacher and five students. The Academy now has seven teachers and ninety students. The Academy is housed in an historic building in downtown Bowling Green which also serves as the headquarters for the orchestra.

Harlan

Artist's Attic Artists' Attic in Harlan County was founded in January 2000 as a project of "Pleasant Mountains Performing Arts and Artists Association". Local artist, Rose Cohelia, and music teacher, Clara Atkins-Pope, saw a great need for a venue for artists to exhibit their work, meet together , and to teach classes. Since that beginning, the organization has grown to include over 50 members. With gallery and studio space in the Village Center Mall, they present monthly exhibits, host meetings and seminars, and teach painting classes. Over 400 local students and adults, from ages 7 to 70, have attended painting classes at the Attic.

Appalshop's traveling exhibit, Images From the Mountains, opened the 2003 calendar at Artists' Attic. In February, Black History Month was celebrated with work by local black artists, along with singing and speakers from several local churches. March saw the popular Van Gogh Project, which featured a 4' X 6' recreation of Starry Night and 31 other interpretations of Vincent's works, all done by Holy Trinity Elementary School. In April, MSU OperaWorks visited to present scenes from the opera Carmen. After a variety of shows throughout the summer and fall, the Attic will culminate the year with their Member Holiday Show and Sale during the Festival of the Mountain Masters which opens Thanksgiving weekend. Original art, prints and hand-thrown pottery will all be on sale for holiday gift giving.

Plans for 2004 include the search for a larger space to expand programs, exhibits and classes.

Harrodsburg

The Ragged Edge Community Theatre The Ragged Edge Community Theater will be celebrating its 20th anniversary with a very special event, "Celebrating 20 Years on the Edge," Sat., Oct. 11, 2003, featuring entertainer Kevin Cole, Chicago, at the piano along with several "stars" from past RECT musicals. The event will highlight the success of the organization, honor several outstanding volunteers, and pay tribute to the founder, Mary Chelf Jones.

RECT has presented several successful musicals including Kiss Me, Kate, The Music Man, Camelot, The King and I, The Sound of Music, Mame, The Fantasticks, Oklahoma, Shenandoah, Annie Get Your Gun, South Pacific, and this November will present Nunsense.

Other productions scheduled for the 2003-2004 season include a comedy, The Cemetery Club, and the musical Guys and Dolls. Plans are being made for another successful season in 2004-2005.

Perhaps the best news we have is the commitment of a community citizen to finance the building of a 30x60 addition to the back of the theater space including new dressing rooms, restrooms, green room, costume area, and multi-purpose area. In addition, the stage will undergo a complete renovation, adding a proscenium and footlights.

Beginning July 1, 2003, the organization named Phyllis Campbell, a founding board member, as the Operations Officer. Mrs. Campbell will oversee the daily business operations of the theater.

Henderson

Henderson Area Arts Alliance The Henderson Area Arts Alliance is celebrating its 10th anniversary season in 2003-2004. In honor of this we have finally created a website at http://www.haaa.org/ It's a huge accomplishment. We are also starting an endowment.

Last season we had a community musical in our season. We presented Hello, Dolly and had so much success that we had to do two shows! We had a cast of 53 people plus a 15 piece orchestra, tech crew, ushers, directors, the works! I highly recommend it to other presenting organizations!

Hopkinsville

Pennyroyal Arts Council The Pennyroyal Arts Council is celebrating the 75th anniversary of the historic Alhambra Theatre in 2003! Opened in 1928, the Alhambra has served four generations as a movie theatre and performing arts center for Hopkinsville and the surrounding area. The celebration includes special events throughout the year, replacement of the electrical system, and the remodeling of the dressing rooms and green room. In addition, the Pennyroyal Arts Council is proud to be partnering with the Kentucky Center for the Arts for ArtsReach Kentucky, a statewide expansion of the very successful ArtsReach Louisville program. Through ArtsReach Kentucky, we are working with our local 4-H, YMCA, and Walnut Street Community Center to bring artists into their centers for workshops, residencies, and hands on participation activities.

And finally, after years of sharing office space with another local organization, the Pennyroyal Arts Council is now the sole occupant of the historic L & N Depot train station. With the expanded space, our staff has their own offices, we have a board meeting room, and space for rotating exhibits by members of the Hopkinsville Art Guild. For further information, call (270) 887-4295.

Lexington

Lexington Philharmonic

The Lexington Philharmonic's presentation of HORSETAILS in May, 2003 proved a success. Most people do not know that the bows used on string instruments are made of horse hair. So, one could argue that without the horse, there would be no orchestra!!! Playing off this idea, and the fact that Kentucky is the Horse Capital of the World, the Philharmonic presented HORSETAILS, a collaboration of local artists, the equine community, and music lovers. Presented with a concert of horse related music and an auction consisting of small violin forms with actual horse hair strung into bows from some of Kentucky's most famous horses, HORSETAILS was the first of its kind in the world. The success of HORSETAILS and the reaction from the community and media was so positive that the Philharmonic will present Horsetails II April 22, 2004 at the Kentucky Horse Park. New artwork, horse hair, artists, and music are already on track for this event to reach post time!

Singletary Center for the Arts Known as the primary performance facility for the University of Kentucky and surrounding communities, the Singletary Center for the Arts hosts an average of 400 events annually, accommodating over 123,000 patrons! Each year the Center presents 175 performances by the School of Music faculty and students, in addition to providing housing for several community organizations such as the Lexington Philharmonic, the Chamber Music Society, and the Central Kentucky Youth Orchestra. The Center also present four in-house series of it's own: Corner on Classics Series, Turning the Corner Series, World Rhythms Series, and the Arts Education Outreach Series.

For the last twenty-four years, the Corner on Classics Series has been featuring five classical concerts by world-renowned musicians annually. This year's season opens with Russia's Krasnoyarsk National Dance Company of Siberia. This performance will celebrate the implementation of the Center's new lighting system. The Turing the Corner Series, a series created by students for students, will enter its sophomore year, having sold out every performance last season. Popular music band Maroon 5 will rock out the Center this fall. This year marks the inaugural season of the new World Rhythms Series that will bring the finest of African, Hispanic, and Asian culture to the Center. Latin sensation Sofrito! will debut the new series. Lastly, part of the mission of the Singletary Center is to continue to educate the youth of Kentucky in the arts. This year the Center is presenting six arts education outreach performances as part of their Kennedy Center Partners in Education program. Students will get the opportunity to see such talents such as the Lewis and Clark Musical Theatre and the Chinese Golden Dragon Acrobats.

Louisville

Actors Theatre of Louisville

The joint was jumpin' when Actors Theatre of Louisville launched its 40th Anniversary Season mid-August with the Fats Waller musical Ain't Misbehavin'. The season-long celebration is distinguished by the company's popular trademark: great theatrical variety. In his October production of Shakespeare's As You Like It, Artistic Director Marc Masterson found inspiration for the play's Forest of Arden setting from the rolling hills of the Kentucky countryside. Amadeus, the epic drama about composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, is set for November, and 2004 includes Arthur Miller's All My Sons as well as Blues for an Alabama Sky, Pearl Cleage's story of 1930s Harlem Renaissance.

Actors landmark season includes the internationally renowned Humana Festival of New American Plays February 29 - April 10. The highly regarded new play festival is once again represented in New York City with the current Off-Broadway offering Omnium-Gatherium, which premiered in Louisville during the 2003 festival. The play, inspired by the events surrounding September 11, 2001, should enjoy a lengthy Off-Broadway engagement based on its enthusiastic reviews and strong ticket sales.

Kentucky Museum of Arts + Design

WHAT'S INSIDE KENTUCKY'S NEWEST MUSEUM? Opening of New Facility Kicks off New Era The Kentucky Art and Craft Foundation is now the Kentucky Museum of Arts + Design

In March, the Kentucky Art and Craft Foundation announced that it was changing its name to the Kentucky Museum of Arts + Design, effective April 3, 2003 when it moved its headquarters from 609 West Main Street to 715 West Main Street. The new name more accurately reflects the interdisciplinary nature of the organization's Permanent Collection and programming.

With the new name came a new visual identity, by Louisville graphic designer and illustrator, Marilyn Motsch of Stellar Design. The new logo serves to tie the past traditions of the Kentucky Art and Craft Foundation with the future vision of the Kentucky Museum of Arts + Design, and is reflected as well by a new mission statement. The mission of the Kentucky Museum of Arts + Design is to promote excellence in the art and craft heritage of Kentucky, and to support artists and educate the public through programming and exhibits.

The opening activities of the new facility included both a private and public opening, and two exciting glass exhibitions. The Grand Opening was held on Thursday, April 3, 2003, and consisted of artist demonstrations, live music and delicious appetizers, as well as two long-awaited glass exhibitions, The Glass Vessel: An International Invitational and Rick Beck: Sculpture. This event was by invitation only for donors and members of the organization. The public opening was held on Friday, April 4, 2003, in conjunction with the First Friday Gallery Hop.

The newly renovated property at 715 West Main Street serves as the organization's new home and it more than triples the space available for education. It also provides space for the organization's growing Permanent Collection of Kentucky art.

The Kentucky Center

The Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts had a banner year in 2003 and looks forward to an exciting 20th Anniversary Season for 2004. We installed a new President when Arthur Jacobus came to us after a very successful tenure as CEO of the San Francisco Ballet. And we just celebrated our 20th Anniversary with a huge festival that included a Gala Premiere of Disney's The Lion King presented by PNC Bank Broadway in Louisville, along with the finals of our statewide National City Great Kentucky Gospel Shout Out.

And our 2004 Season will feature some wonderful highlights, as well. On February 10, the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra will swing into Whitney Hall under the phenomenal leadership of Wynton Marsalis. And just two weeks later, February 20-22, we'll host Dance Theatre of Harlem and their production of Saint Louis Woman. It's one of their most thrilling ballets and it's been receiving raves everywhere it has played. This will be their only appearance in the region, so you won't want to miss it.

Louisville Ballet The Louisville Ballet celebrated its Golden Anniversary in March of 2003. The company commemorated fifty years of dance with a month long exhibit at the Louisville Free Public Library, a week-end of performances which highlighted some of the important pieces in the repertoire, and a fantastic black tie gala fundraiser to end the festivities. As the State Ballet of Kentucky, the Louisville Ballet cherishes the five decades of artists, students and dance enthusiasts who have made its continued existence and growth possible.

The 2002-2003 season marked Artistic Director, Bruce Simpson's inaugural year with the Company.

With the close of 2003, the Company now welcomes a new Executive Director, Jack R. Lemmon. Mr. Lemmon comes to Louisville after serving as the Executive Director with Ballet Idaho since 2002. Prior to joining Ballet Idaho, Mr. Lemmon was the Executive Director of the Joffrey Ballet of Chicago, Executive Director of Tulsa Ballet and General Manager of Ohio Ballet in Akron, Ohio. He has also served as Program Administrator of the Dance Program of the National Endowment for the Arts in Washington, D.C. He worked with the Dance Program for nearly seven years, first as an Arts Administration Fellow, and subsequently as Program Specialist and Program Administrator.

The Louisville Ballet welcomes Jack R. Lemmon to our organization and our community!

Louisville Chorus Celebrating 2003-2004 "65th" Anniversary Season

The Louisville Chorus, established in 1939, is the longest-thriving choral arts agency in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Within the realm of major arts agencies, it is only two years younger than The Louisville Orchestra. The Louisville Chorus not only celebrates its prosperity during this "65th" Anniversary Season, but it also boasts the expertise of Artistic Director S. Timothy Glasscock. The Louisville Chorus is known for programming varietal repertoire from the broadest spectrum, ranging from Gregorian Chant and choral masterworks with orchestra to recent sacred & secular works and top of the chart pops. With a full season of major concerts, the Opus 4 Education/Outreach ensemble also offers programs for any level education institution and provides entertainment for private, community, and corporate functions.

Stage One

Stage One has been busy at work on stage and off. Behind the scenes our executive positions have seen much transformation, while on stage the performances continue to dazzle audiences!

In June 2002, J. Daniel Herring took the reins as Artistic Director, and Beth Conn took on the role of Managing Director. Herring and Conn, both long term Stage One employees, guided the theatre through its leadership transition with retired Producing Director of 25 years, Moses Goldberg. Under the new leadership, Stage One will continue its mission to contribute to the creative and social development of young people. In addition, Herring has committed Stage One to developing and presenting new plays for young audiences each season, as well as a new Celebrate Black History Series. The Stage One season has just begun, and many captivating performances that are new and refreshing await our audiences!

Owensboro

Owensboro Dance Theatre With record attendance Owensboro Dance Theatre's 2002-2003 Nutcracker and In Concert featuring Grease & More, Owensboro Dance Theatre finished its highly successful season with a trip to New York where 10 dancers competed in the Jazz Dance World Congress choreography competition August 4th -8th. The ODT 2003-2004 Season will begin on December 6th with 2 Nutcracker performances and finish on March 20th with In Concert featuring Beauty & the Beast. Both concerts are preceded by 2 school performances, through the RiverPark Center's Arts Teach Kids program. Owensboro Dance Theatre will feature works by renown choreographers & dancers including Randy Duncan choreographer of Paramount Pictures Save the Last Dance,and David Reuille, company member of Parsons Dance Company in New York City.

Owensboro Museum of Fine Art

On June 6, 2003, the Owensboro Museum of Fine Art sustained extensive damage as a result of a fire which began while having a roof replaced on the John Hampden Smith Decorative Arts Wing. The museum's three exhibition wings, permanent collection, offices, library and gift shop were affected by the incident and since June 6 the galleries have remained closed to the public. The John Hampden Smith Decorative Arts Wing, a Civil War era building, sustained the greatest structural damage and is not expected to reopen until September 2004.

Grand reopening of two exhibition wings will be Sunday, March 14, 2004 with ART OF THE AMERICAN FRONTIER TO 1850, an exhibition of more than 200 historical and contemporary objects. The exhibition, curated by William R. Young, III, a doctoral candidate in art history at the University of St. Andrews, Scotland, presents the connection between modern culture and the past by pairing examples of frontier art with objects created in the same media by contemporary artists and craftsmen. Featured will be objects made for the hunt, field, home and personal adornment including firearms, knives, powder horns, leather work, beaded garments, tools, cooking utensils, furniture and toys.

RiverPark Center In August, RiverPark Center announced that Zev Buffman from La Quinta, California has been named President/CEO of the Center. Earlier in the year RiverPark lost both the President of the Center's Foundation and the Executive Director. This provided RiverPark's board and trustees an opportunity to restructure and led to a combined top executive position of President /CEO of RiverPark Center, serving both operations and the Foundation.

Zev has produced more than 40 Broadway Shows, including Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Elizabeth Taylor's Broadway debut in The Little Foxes, Dustin Hoffman's first broadway appearance in Jimmy Shine and Peter Pan with Sandy Duncan. Buffman has also planned and managed the following performing arts centers and theaters: Jackie Gleason Performing Arts Center in Miami, Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, and The Saenger Theatre in New Orleans. Zev was the founder and President/CEO of Blockbuster Outdoor Amphitheaters in Phoenix, Charlotte, San Bernadino, and West Palm Beach. Also added to Zev's credentials is founding general partner of the NBA's Miami Heat.

Paducah

Paducah Symphony Orchestra Jeff Voigt was recently appointed Executive Director of the Paducah Symphony Orchestra. Prior to his August 4 appointment at the Paducah Symphony, Jeff spent the past seven years with The Nashville Symphony, where he was formerly Director of Operations, Orchestra Manager and Director of Artistic Planning & Education. Jeff holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Eastern Illinois University and a Master of Music from West Chester University of Pennsylvania. Jeff began his orchestra management career as Operations Manager with the Delaware Symphony in 1995.

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On the National Front

House-Senate Conferees Give National Endowment for the Arts Additional $6.7 Million

Members of the House-Senate conference committee who've been negotiating the 2004 Interior Appropriations bill agreed last night to increase the budget of the National Endowment for the Arts by nearly seven million dollars. This raises the budget for the nation's leading annual funder of the arts to $122.5 million. "This special budget increase marks a new era at the NEA," said Dana Gioia, Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts. "Congress's action was not merely a budget vote. It was a vote of confidence in the value and the vision of the agency."

The funding will support the agency's Challenge America initiative, which is designed to make the arts more widely available in underserved communities across the country. Extending the reach of the Arts Endowment to such communities has been a priority for Chairman Gioia.

"These new funds will be invested across all fifty states," added Chairman Gioia. "We will both support local arts groups as well as expand our national Shakespeare and Jazz Masters programs to reach more schools and communities." The increase stems from a bipartisan amendment passed by the House, which initially provided a $10-million increase for the Arts Endowment, in addition to President George W. Bush's FY 2004 budget request of $117.480 million. The Slaughter-Shays-Dicks-Leach amendment was sponsored by Representatives Louise Slaughter (D-NY) and Chris Shays (R-CT), co-chairs of the Congressional Arts Caucus, Norm Dicks (D-WA), Ranking Minority Member on the Interior Appropriations Subcommittee and Jim Leach (R-IA). The conference committee reconciled the House and Senate bills last night.

This latest Congressional action comes just weeks after passage of the 2004 Defense Appropriations bill that included a $1-million earmark for the National Endowment for the Arts to bring its Shakespeare in American Communities program to U.S. military bases.

House Vote Restores Transportation Enhancements Funding

On September 4, the House of Representatives voted by an overwhelming majority--327-90--to restore federal Transportation Enhancements (TE) funding, which the House Appropriations Committee had eliminated from the FY 2004 Transportation-Treasury Appropriations Bill. The appropriations panel had approved a provision to "discontinue the mandatory 10 percent set-aside from the surface transportation program for the Transportation Enhancements program."

In support of a floor amendment offered by Reps. Thomas Petri (R-WI) and John Olver (D-MA), the House moved to retain the $600 million in transportation funds set aside for states to spend on highway design, public art, bicycling, trails, historic preservation and other "enhancements" to the nation's transportation system. The Transportation Enhancements program accounts for just two percent of the overall funding of the federal highway program.

Department of Education Arts Education Money Outcome Pending

The first order of business on the Senate floor following the August recess was the FY 2004 Labor, HHS and Education Appropriations Bill, which passed on September 10 with an increased appropriation for arts education, totaling $35.279 million. Both the companion measure passed by the House in July and the president's budget request zeroed out the Department of Education's arts education program, which was funded in 2003 at $33.779 million. The Senate's increase of $1.5 million was spearheaded by Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MS). The final funding level for the program will be worked out by a House-Senate conference committee.

The Bush administration has each year asked Congress to eliminate funds for the arts education program in the Department of Education's budget. The House has gone along with the president's request, and the Senate has always restored the funding with increases, thanks to Cochran's leadership and advocacy.

Action Still Pending on Artists' Fair-Market Value Charitable Deduction

On September 17, the House of Representatives passed H.R.7, the Charitable Giving Act of 2003. The bill provides tax incentives for charitable giving that include

  • a charitable deduction for non-itemizers that allows those who take the standard deduction to deduct their charitable contributions of more than $250 but no more than $500; and
  • allowing gifts to charity made directly from Individual Retirement Accounts without incurring penalties by taxpayers who are at least 70-1/2 years of age.

Advocates were unable to persuade the House Ways and Means Committee chair, Rep. Bill Thomas (R-CA), to add the provisions of H.R.806, the Artists' Contribution to American Heritage Act of 2003, to H.R.7, despite the urging of the bill's sponsor, Rep. Amo Houghton (R-NY). The Houghton bill would allow artists the full fair-market value deduction for the charitable donation of their own works. Thomas was unwilling to adopt the artists' charitable giving provision at this point in the legislative process, but left open the possibility of an accommodation as the bill goes to a House-Senate conference committee. The Senate's version of the bill, the CARE Act, already includes the full fair-market value charitable deduction for artists. Current tax law allows artists to deduct only the cost of materials, thus ignoring the true value of the work. Advocates are hopeful that a compromise can be worked out in conference committee.

Cultural Heritage Tourism Alliance Forum- November 12-15

The Sixth Annual Cultural Heritage Tourism Alliance Forum will take place in San Francisco, November 12-15, and will bring together cultural and heritage tourism practitioners. The meeting is an opportunity to share information and resources, develop products for visitors, discuss relevant issues, network and meet new friends and colleagues. A preconference for statewide cultural and heritage tourism managers will be held in conjunction with this meeting. For more information, contact Geraldine O'Brien, arts & tourism manager, San Francisco Convention & Visitors Bureau, at 415/227-2659 or e-mail gobrien@sfcvb.org.

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Arts Council News

PERFORMING ARTS ON TOUR

The application deadline for the Performing Arts on Tour Grant Program is coming up, December 15, 2003, with the intent to apply due on November 15, 2003. This program helps make quality public performing arts events available to the people of the commonwealth. It provides presenters with partial fee support for booking artists, ensembles and companies included in the Kentucky Arts Council 2004-2005 Performing Arts Directory or for artists included in the adjudicated performing arts directory of any state arts agency in the Southern Arts Federation (Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina and South Carolina.) The Performing Arts on Tour Program does not provide fee support for artists, ensembles and companies not included in the aforementioned directories, or for performances outside the state. This application covers performance bookings that will occur between July 1, 2004 and June 30, 2005.

The goals of the Performing Arts on Tour Program are to foster an appreciation for the cultural and community background of the presented artists and to increase public participation in performing arts opportunities. Kentucky not-for-profit organizations with tax-exempt status may apply. Government agencies, schools, colleges and universities are eligible if the project primarily serves a broad community audience.

Applicants may request up to 50% of contracted Artist fees for booking any of the performing artists, ensembles and companies included in the Kentucky Arts Council 2004-2005 Performing Arts Directory or for artists included in the adjudicated performing arts directory of any state arts agency in the Southern Arts Federation. Artist fee must be primarily for public performance, but may be inclusive of workshop or master class. Applicants may apply for a grant to support multiple bookings in one application. Grants may be for up to $7,500 for a single booking or $5,000 for multiple bookings. Applicants wishing to provide a cultural interpreter for the performance may include this honorarium as part of the grant request. Applicants are responsible for providing the balance of artists' fees and all other costs associated with bookings.

Requirements:

  • Performance expectations will include the identification, interests and needs of the target audience for activity(ies) and the promotion of the activity(ies) to target audience; collaborations and partnerships between the artist and organization; quality presentation; and the the self-assessment, artist assessment, feedback and documentation of the activity.
  • Performances must be open to the public and take place in Kentucky.
  • All bookings supported by this program must present the artist(s) for whom funding is being sought as the primary performer and not as "backup" for other performers.
  • This program is intended to support tour performances outside the artists' home bases, and new touring opportunities receive preference over existing performance opportunities.
  • Performances at schools must be open to, and convenient for, a community audience.

Restrictions:

Arts on Tour Grant funds may not be used for the following:

  • Any expenses other than one-half of the performance fee

Kentucky Arts Council funds may not be used for the following purposes:

  • Projects that are eligible for support in other Arts Council programs
  • Separate applications for components of the same arts activity or program (e.g. several concerts or performances marketed in the same performing-arts series)
  • Purchase of equipment, property, library holdings or acquisitions
  • Capital improvements, facility construction, structural renovation and restorations
  • Publications or recordings for commercial purposes
  • Scholarships or other activities related to academic credit or degrees
  • Activities intended primarily for fundraising
  • Food, beverages or other refreshments
  • Requests designed to reduce or eliminate existing deficits
  • Interest on loans, fines, penalties and/or litigation costs
  • Expenses incurred before the starting date of the period covered in the grant request
  • Investments of any kind
  • Performances not available to the general public
  • Programs that have sectarian purposes
  • Indirect costs

Grant Timeline

  • Intent to Apply deadline November 15, 2003
  • Application deadline December 15, 2003
  • Review of grant application by panel February, 2004
  • KAC board reviews panel recommendations March, 2004
  • Notice to applicants of funding decision ASAP after board approval
  • Funded projects may begin July 1, 2004
  • Projects must conclude June 30, 2005
  • Final Reports due 30 days after completion of project

For More Information
The Kentucky Arts Council welcomes all questions regarding this program and application. For more information, please contact:

Amber Luallen Community
Arts Director
Kentucky Arts Council
300 West Broadway
Frankfort, KY 40601-1980
Toll-free: 888-833-2787 ext. 4809
Fax: 502-564-2839
E-mail: amber.luallen@ky.gov

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Craft Marketing News

Kentucky Craft Marketing Program Provides Year-round Buying Opportunity for State Retailers

Selected retailers from around the state recently had the opportunity to refresh their shelves with new Kentucky made products by visiting the Kentucky Craft Marketing wholesale showroom on the first floor of the Old Capitol Annex in downtown historic Frankfort. The Kentucky Collection, an assortment of the state's crafts, foods, visual arts, books and music, is a pilot project of the KCMP and is designed to provide retailers with readily available Kentucky products and ancillary services to promote and sell. Partners on the project include the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, the Kentucky Arts Council and the Kentucky Book Fair.

The showroom was designed to provide pilot retailers a way to purchase Kentucky products on a year-round basis. The KCMP presents Kentucky Crafted: The Market, the only state organized wholesale and retail craft market, each spring in Louisville at the Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center. Because The Market only happens once a year, gift shop managers often find it necessary to replenish their stock with fine Kentucky made products just prior to the mad rush of holiday shopping. The open showroom features moderately priced products designed specifically for Kentucky retailers.

"The showroom is a like an exclusive boutique showing of Kentucky products," said Josephine Richardson, owner of the Cozy Corner, Whitesburg. The Cozy Corner is one of eleven Kentucky Collection pilot stores located around the state; a complete listing of all the pilot stores can be found on the KCMP website at http://www.kycrafts.ky.gov/.

Because of the success of the showroom with the pilot stores, the KCMP will have it available for other retailers interested in purchasing Kentucky products who can't wait until the 2004 Market (Feb. 26-29, 2004). To schedule a visit, call Vallorie Henderson at the Kentucky Craft Marketing Program office, (888) 592-7238, ext. 4811.

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Focus on Folklife

Kentucky Folklife Conference

November 14-15, 2003
Western Kentucky University campus

From Appalachia to the Mississippi, from old time fiddle tunes to hiphop, from barbeque to sushi, Kentucky is home to a diverse array of folk traditions. What is nearly as vibrant are the many folklorists and community scholars who have, throughout the years, worked to document and bring recognition to these traditions, communities and artists.

The Folk Studies Program at Western Kentucky University and the Kentucky Folklife Program have partnered for the planning of the Kentucky Folklife Conference, November 14-15, 2003. This conference will bring together those interested in researching, presenting and promoting the traditional arts in Kentucky. Activities will include workshops on community documentation, presentation of folk artists and the development of archives and community scholars programs. There will also be musical performances and tours of the Kentucky Museum and of the Shake Rag district, an historic African-American neighborhood in Bowling Green. In addition to workshops and tours, the purpose of the conference will be to build a foundation for future conferences and to explore the formation of a Kentucky Folklife Association.

The conference will take place at the Kentucky Building on the Western Kentucky University campus. Conference registration is $30, which includes an information packet, two lunches and snacks.

Accommodations are available at the Bowling Green Holiday Inn (University Plaza), at the special WKU rate of $79/night for a single/double. A block of rooms has been reserved for the conference. Individual reservations need to be made by 10/14/03 (you will need to mention the conference). The Holiday Inn is located at 1021 Wilkinson Trace, Bowling Green, KY 42103. The phone number is (270) 745-0088.

If you have questions about the conference please contact Jill.Breit@wku.edu, or call (270) 745-5897. For more information, including a tentative schedule, visit www.wku.edu/folkstudies/Pages/conferences.html.

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Resources and Reports

Opportunity Doesn't Knock, It Clicks...

Click on your mouse button and connect with the arts community; visit http://www.artsopportunites.org/. This free classifieds database--launched in April 2003 by the Southern Arts Federation and the Center for Arts Management & Technology at Carnegie Mellon University--connects arts organizations with performing and visual artists, musicians, writers, and art administrators. Posted on this site are opportunities for employment, internships, volunteer work, residencies, artist calls, festivals, exhibits, contests, workshops, and more. ArtsOpportunity.org eases the impact of an overall federal funding decrease among state arts agencies of $92.9 million since 2001 because it serves as an efficient, economical search method, as well as a centralized source of information. It's time arts community members recognize the sound of opportunity when they hear it... Click.

Age Gap in Arts Attendance Rates Widens

How do arts participation rates compare among different age groups? Previous National Endowment for the Arts surveys of public participation in the arts showed that attendance rates are relatively low among young adults, then tend to rise for people in their mid 30s to early 60s, and fall off sharply among individuals over age 65. The recently released 2002 survey results confirm those trends.

Relative to their portion of the overall adult population (13 percent), young adults ages 18-24 represent a small segment of arts attendees. In contrast, baby boomers are much more active arts participants. Older boomers in particular (ages 45-54) make up about 19 percent of the adult population, but consistently represent more than 22 percent of arts attendees. Seniors 75 and over make up 7.5 percent of the U.S. population, and that portion is growing. However, seniors participate in the arts at even lower rates than do young adults, and represent less than five percent of arts attendees overall.

The full report Demographic Characteristics of Arts Attendance, 2003 published by the National Endowment for the Arts, July, 2003 is now available online.

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