ArtWell Issue 9: Summer 2023

ARTWELL

MEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

B Y L I L I A G O N Z Á L E S C H Á V E Z

Summer in Fresno is in full swing, and our arts community continues to bring the heat, as well In this issue of ArtWell, we share many current and upcoming opportunities and celebrations for artists and community arts patrons

From public art opportunities to open calls for Fresno Arts Council and City Hall ArtHop galleries, as well as our annual ArtHop logo contest, Fresno Arts Council is proud to share several avenues for artistic expression and professional work in the arts with our community in this issue

We are also happy to announce that several local arts organizations have been awarded significant funding to extend arts experiences to communities in the Central Valley These funds, supplied by the California Arts Council, and coordinated regionally by the Kern Dance Alliance, are part of a pilot program designed to promote community and civic engagement, spread awareness about water and energy conservation, climate change, emergency preparedness, relief and recovery through the arts Fourteen organizations, including KDA, were selected statewide to regrant funds in their region to arts and social service organizations, individual artists, and cultural workers

LOCAL ARTS ORGANIZATIONS RECEIVE CREATIVE CORPS GRANTS

FAC LAUNCHES

INAUGURAL STATE OF THE ARTS EVENT

FRESNO'S CULTURAL ARTS PLAN APPROVAL IMINENT; ARTS ORGANIZATION GRANTS GUIDELINES COMING SOON

OPEN CALLS FOR ARTHOP ARTISTS, ARTHOP LOGO CONTEST, AND PUBLIC ART

Fresno Arts Council launches State of the Arts with Mixer on June 28, 2023

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE, CONTINUED

Additional funding opportunities are on the horizon in the City of Fresno, as well Fresno Arts Council eagerly awaits the adoption of the Cultural Arts Plan, required by Measure P, which will guide the distribution of funds to art programs in Fresno We look forward to the infusion of vital support to our arts community, and we encourage you to reach out to us as guidelines and applications become available

Finally, we invite you to save the date for our inaugural State of the Arts event, held at The Grand 1401 On October 26th Fresno Arts Council will host a special evening celebrating the arts in Fresno County, sharing updates regarding arts funding and opportunities, and presenting the 38th Annual Horizon Awards, which honor those who have made significant contributions to the arts We encourage you to submit your nomination for a deserving arts leader by July 31st The event will also feature visual and performing arts presentations, a silent auction, and a sit-down dinner.

There is always something new and exciting being shared by the Fresno Arts Council, so subscribe to our online e-blasts and connect on social media to stay updated with what’s in the pipeline this year

Revel in the Arts,

Lilia Gonzáles Chávez, Executive Director

FAC seeks submissions for its 2024 Official ArtHop Logo 2023 logo by Jose Juarez

ABOUT US

The Fresno Arts Council (FAC) is a public 501(c) (3) non-profit organization established in 1979 under the name of “Alliance for the Arts" by local artists, art organizations and interested individuals who wished to create a voice for the Central San Joaquin Valley

Today, the FAC serves as the official State-Local partner to the California Arts Council, as designated by the county board of supervisors By Memorandum of Understanding, the FAC serves as the local arts agency for the City of Fresno, tasked to support and promote the arts industry and to Enrich Our Community’s Way of Life Through the Arts, and acts as an umbrella agency for artists and art organizations from all cultures and disciplines through advocacy, education, programs, and services

We are a non-profit organization managed by a volunteer board of directors The FAC solicits support from foundations, government, and corporate funders, membership dues, and private donations.

We are located at 1245 Van Ness Avenue in Downtown Fresno, and the office is open to the public during weekdays from 10:00AM to 2:00PM, and by appointment

FRESNO ARTS COUNCIL STAFF

OUR WORK

The Fresno Arts Council provides and advocates for local arts programming and services as well as employment opportunities for working artists to both teach and create original artworks in the Fresno County area

Fresno Arts Council provides assistance for public arts projects, including murals, sculptural installations, and other design projects We work with individuals, businesses, and community organizations to understand their vision and needs, develop and distribute a call for artist proposals, and guide the selection and contract process from idea to execution. In 2022-3, Fresno Arts Council worked with such agencies as California High Speed Rail, Fresno Yosemite International Airport, and State Center Community College District For more information, contact Program Coordinator, Eric Martinez at eric@fresnoartscouncil org

Fresno Arts Council provides Arts in Education programming for county K-8 schools In March 2023, the program certified several new teaching artists to work with Fresno County students, helping them to meet Common Core and Arts Education standards through arts education programming Each year, Fresno County’s Poetry Out Loud™ contest selects a winning student to represent area high schools at the California State Poetry Out Loud competition For more information, contact Andrea Mele, Program Coordinator at andrea@fresnoartscouncil org

Please visit https://fresnoartscouncil org for updates and announcements

History

In 1980, the FAC received a grant from the California Arts Council (CAC) to provide technical and administrative assistance to various arts groups in Fresno County Within a year, the purpose of the FAC expanded to sponsoring and encouraging cultural education and creative activities, as well as serving as the umbrella unit for all county arts organizations, in such areas as legislation, education, and community awareness of the arts

In addition, the FAC coordinated and disseminated information concerning the arts: Beginning in 1991, with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), the FAC hired folklorist, Amy Kitchener, who developed our program of folk arts locally and created performances and exhibits with local communities The Alliance for California

Traditional Arts (ACTA) was formed under our guidance as its own organization, under the leadership of Kitchener In the mid-1990s, the City of Fresno passed Arts to Zoo, a measure collecting 001% of sales tax for cultural organizations The money was distributed for a year and a half before the tax was declared illegal In 1998, the remaining money was given to the FAC and the Fresno Regional Foundation for distribution In 2010, the FAC completed redistributing those funds annually to arts and cultural organizations In 2015, with support from former Assemblyman Henry T Perea, the FAC established the Rural Access Fund Today, the FAC continues to innovate new grant-making opportunities for local artists, including the Fresno Arts Safety Net Fund (FASNF) and FAC Cares, both in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic that started in Spring 2020

Arts programs and cultural activities attract industry and other businesses to a community, resulting in growth and economic progress but it takes support from private and public sectors, and people like you, to create and foster this creative activity

We rely on individual, organization and business membership dues, as well as event sponsorships as an integral part of our funding. Be an advocate for the arts in Fresno County by becoming a member of the Fresno Arts Council today

Theatre teaching artist, Elizabeth Stoeckle, helps students prepare for their end of the year performance at Terry Elementary in Selma

Fresno Arts Council Launches Inagural State of the Arts, Incorporating Annual Horizon Awards

On Thursday, October 26, 2023, Fresno Arts Council will host its inaugural State of the Arts event at The Grand 1401 in downtown Fresno at 5:00pm In addition to presenting the 38th annual Horizon Awards, this event will celebrate the arts community's achievements over the past year and provide updates and announcements for forthcoming opportunities and grant funding. Fresno Arts Council announced the new event at a launch party in FAC's gallery on June 28th. Arts leaders and patrons got a sneak peek of what the event has in store.

Horizon Award honorees are selected by a committee from a field of nominations submitted on their behalf. Recipients are chosen for their contributions and commitments to the Arts in Fresno County. At State of the Arts, guests will see videos of the artists telling their stories about their passion for, and work in, the arts Honorees are then presented with a custom award created by a local artist

In addition to the Horizon Awards, State of the Arts will feature a sit-down dinner, entertainment by local performing arts groups, an online silent auction, and live painting demonstrations Reserve your tickets via Eventbrite

2023 Horizon Awards Honorees

SSTATE TATE OOF F The Arts

The State of the Arts is an event acknowledging the vibrant work being done in the arts community, from the impact artists are making, to new arts opportunities for the field. We are grateful to all the artists, organizations, leaders, and patrons that support and make the arts come alive. Together we hope to continue to enrich our community through the arts and acknowledge the growing cultural arts scene in Fresno. Each year at the Horizon Awards we take time to recognize individuals, organizations, and businesses that have made significant contributions to Fresno County through excellence in the Arts. This year Fresno Arts Council is expanding its Annual Horizon Awards to showcase The State of the Arts and increase your awareness of new opportunities in the creative community.

Sponsorship Levels

Platinum Supporter of the Arts

$10,000

Full page advertisement inside of program

Company logo or private donor recognition prominently printed on program and all media/TV marketing and sponsorship letter

2 Platinum tables of 10

Premium bottle of wine

20 individual pieces of Artwork for both tables

Acknowledgement at event

Gold Supporter of the Arts

$5,000

Half page advertisement inside of program

Company logo or private donor recognition prominently printed on program and all media/TV marketing and sponsorship letter

1 Gold table of 10

Premium bottle of wine

Acknowledgement at event

Silver Supporter of the Arts

$2,500

Quarter page advertisement inside of program

Company logo or private donor recognition on sponsorship letter

1 Silver table of 10

Premium bottle of wine

Acknowledgement at event

Bronze Supporter of the Arts

$1,500

Quarter page advertisement inside of program

1 table of 10

Acknowledgement at event

Call for Artists

Fresno Arts Council seeks original artwork by fresno county artists to feature at its inaugural

State of the Arts

October 26, 2023

The Grand

1401 Fulton St. Fresno, CA 93721

Donate Art for Silent Auction retain a portion of the sale if desired

Silent Auction benefits FAC programs and individual artists scan qr code for details and guidelines FAC appreciates donations from arts organizations for silent auction: tickets, lessons and workshops, gift cards, art, etc.

Questions? eric@fresnoartscouncil.org

Local Arts Organizations Receive Creative Corps Grants for Community Projects

Several Fresno County based arts organizations have been named recipients of Creative Corps Grant funding, a program of the California Arts Council organized regionally by Kern Dance Alliance (KDA). KDA announced 3.4 million dollars in grant funds would be awarded to 20 individual artists and organizations across the Central Valley. Fresno County recipients include Arts Enrichment for All, Donté McDaniels, Community Media Access Collaborative (CMAC) and Stage View Performing Arts Foundation Arts Enrichment for All, Stage View Performing Arts Foundation, and CMAC were each awarded $255,000 for the year, while Donté McDaniel received $46,800 for African Drum Interactive programming

With support from the KDA Creative Corps, Stage View Performing Arts Foundation will provide: employment to four dance artist educators, hire four professional choreographers, and scholarship 125 dance artists to perform in two free professional shows and four community workshops Their project impacts communities scoring lower than >20% on the Economic and Racial Justice indicators of the Healthy Places Index and is a year-long community engagement campaign that increases exposure to the arts, physical activity, and improved mental health.

With support from the KDA Creative Corps (KDACC), Community Media Access Collaborative will host The Big Tell, a project designed to empower marginalized individuals by providing media resources and training in the art of documentary filmmaking Participants will produce short films highlighting lesser-known people, organizations, or issues impacting the KDACC focus areas. The project aims to improve the quality of life for those living in California’s lowest quartile of the HPI by raising awareness and promoting discussions about issues affecting their community through the powerful medium of documentary storytelling.

FRESNO ARTS COUNCIL SPONSORS

Arts Enrichment for All African Drum Interactive

With support from the KDA Creative Corps, Arts Enrichment For All will develop MIGHTY ME! curriculum in both English and Spanish and implement it in many communities in the Central Valley The MIGHTY ME! curriculum is four weeks of learning aimed at teaching young children, ages 3-8, the value of being healthy in body and mind through their hygiene practices, the food they put in their bodies, how they build relationships and how they care for themselves

With additional support from a two year Artists in the Schools Grant from the California Arts Council and in partnership with the Fresno County Office of Education, Arts Enrichment for All will serve an estimated 12,000 students in the Central Valley, offering their healthy body curriculum through Creative Movement, Dance, and Music modalities tied to developmental and educational standards The program will run for four consecutive weeks at each participating public school site. Arts Enrichment for All is a fiscally sponsored program of the Fresno Arts Council Direct inquiries to Executive Director, Erin Burd, at arts@artsenrichmentforall org

With support from the KDA Creative Corps, Donté McDaniel of African Drum Interactive will provide 20 bi-weekly African Drum Classes and 10 African Drum Circles to engage, promote social justice, improve social conditions, and increase access to culturally centered group drumming in Fresno, California

McDaniel wrote this grant because he wanted to advocate for equitable arts in West Fresno. This will be a community based program that will be free to anyone who wants to enroll in more organized classes This will be an opportunity for people in the community to learn the basics and intermediate level drum techniques involved with traditional West African drumming. At the end of the program, there will be a showcase performance for all community members who took part in the program

Above: Hinds Hospice Fundraiser 2022, community healing song, Donte McDaniel- lead drum circle facilitator, Sharessa McDaniel- assistant drum circle facilitator (middle), Brendel James- drum accompaniment (left) Photo courtesy of Donté McDaniel

FAC OPEN CALLS

FAC GALLERY: IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN BEING AN ARTHOP FEATURED ARTIST IN OUR GALLERY OR AT FRESNO CITY HALL IN 2024, PLEASE VISIT HTTPS://FRESNOARTSCOUNCIL SUBMITTABLE COM/SUBMIT EMAIL QUESTIONS TO ELISA.FLORES@FRESNOARTSCOUNCIL.ORG

2024 ArtHop Logo Official Contest: Accepting Submissions through August 31, 2023

Every year, Fresno Arts Council presents a newly designed ArtHop logo, made by a Fresno artist. Submissions are currently open for the 2024 ArtHop logo. We invite you to review the guidelines and submit your winning design by August 31, 2023 A review panel will judge the entries and the selected design will be announced during October's ArtHop in the Fresno Arts Council gallery The winning artist will receive $600 for their design, and their logo will be included in all marketing materials and displayed at all official ArtHop venues

Submit your logo here

2023 winner Jose Juarez