WSS turns 30!

2016 Art Works for Virginia Conference Speakers and Topics

The 2016 Art Works Conference will be held on January 27th, 2016 at the Greater Richmond Convention Center.
The one day conference titled "Flourish! How the Arts Will Thrive and Grow in the Next Decade" will feature:

• a keynote address,
• plenary panel discussion
• a luncheon with entertainment from a Performing and Touring Roster artist
• 5 repeating break -out sessions
• 3 workshops
• a concluding reception

The entire program will take place in the Convention Center on the 27th. A limited number of rooms are being reserved for our conference at the Hilton Garden Inn across the street.  Please book early to secure the best available rates.

 

NOTE: The online "Early Bird" registration for our conference will be up and live later this month.

 

The list of topics and speakers so far include:

Keynote Speaker, Sheila Johnson, a nationally known business leader, arts patron, education advocate and a musician in her own right. She will speak on the theme in the title: what it will take for arts organizations to thrive and grow over the next ten years.

A Plenary Session Panel will include our 5 break-out session leaders discussing arts sustainability and the challenges for arts organizations over the next ten years. They will be highlighting the areas they will be covering in the afternoon sessions:

Nello Mc Daniel, Director of Arts Action Research: Strategic Planning that serves as a roadmap to success and achievement instead of an impediment to your mission.

Russell Willis Taylor, recently of the Center for Non-Profit Excellence: Building a Sustainable Business Model that works for non-profit arts organizations in an increasingly competitive market.

Margy Waller, Senior Fellow at Topos Partnership and Founder of Arts on the Streets: Partnerships that Work so you can team up with local business and government leaders to create cultural arts destinations and districts in your own area.

Sarah Cunningham, Virginia Commonwealth University: Key Fundraising Strategies and Resources That Get Overlooked to help you secure the dollars and the opportunities that you may not even know about!

Amy Nisenson, Director of the Mary Morton Parsons Foundation: Building the Board You Need for the Next Decade so you can achieve the outcomes to keep your organization successful and growing.

 

Our featured luncheon artist will be Victor Haskins and his trio. Victor is a member of the VCA Performing and Touring Roster.

 

After lunch, each of our 5 presenters will conduct 2 sequential break-out sessions on their respective topics.

 

For our mid -afternoon sessions we will host three concurrent, non-repeating workshops on the following topics:

 

Marketing: How to Attract and Retain a Loyal Following. What are the communication and branding strategies you need to flourish.

Arts Therapy and Community Partnerships for Military and Veterans. What do these populations really need and how can arts organizations help?

Arts Education Beyond the SOL's. How do you leave a lasting impression and a creative imprint with your educational outreach?

 

A final list of participating leaders for the workshops will be announced later in the month.

 

At the conclusion of the day, we hope you will stay and mingle for our social hour and networking reception.

 

Watch for further details and for our Early Bird Online registration later this month. And SAVE THE DATE OF JANUARY 27TH for "Flourish! How the Arts Will Thrive and Grow in the Next Decade".

 

On Columbus Day

If you think that you know early American history (I thought I did), then read A Voyage Long and Strange: Rediscovering the New World by Tony Horwitz and prepare to be left not only open-mouthed but well informed and armed with a spectacular knowledge of early American history seldom discussed in school.

"By the time the Pilgrims came to Plymouth, St. Augustine was up for urban renewal"

- Michael Gannon
Prof. of History
University of Florida

And ahhh... Mr. Damon Young... Columbus did NOT discover "our amazing country", in fact he never set foot in North America... cough, cough...

Art in Embassies Program

Established by the United States Department of State in 1964, the ART In Embassies Program is a global museum that exhibits original works of art by U.S. citizens in the public rooms of approximately 180 American diplomatic residences worldwide.

To submit images to ART staff for consideration in upcoming exhibitions please e-mail .jpg or .gif images of your works no larger than 50k in size, to: artinembassies@state.gov. Website: http://art.state.gov/default.aspx

Welcome to DC to Peter Nesbett: WPA's new CO

As I noted a few days ago, the WPA has a new Commanding Officer - here's their official news release:

Washington Project for the Arts is pleased to announce the appointment of Peter Nesbett as our new Executive Director and the opening of Washington Produced Artists on November 14, 2015. This announcement comes on the eve of our 40-year anniversary and our upcoming move to The JBG Companies' Atlantic Plumbing development at 8th and V street NW, in the U Street Corridor and cultural district.

Peter's proven leadership and more than 20 years of experience with contemporary arts will further solidify WPA's place in the local, national, and international artistic community.

 

Upon taking office on November 2, Peter will enjoy a full immersion into the DC arts community by meeting with more than 100 artists in his first 100 days as Executive Director.

 

Prior to WPA, Peter was the Associate Director for Programs at The Pew Center for Arts & Culture, a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts in Philadelphia. He oversaw the capacity-building and professional development programs, while serving as the visual arts specialist. Peter's interest in programming for artists and arts professionals was originally seeded in the 1990s when he led the Seattle Art Museum's Contemporary Art Council and worked in its education department.

 

"Peter is the complete package. He's well educated, has deep curatorial experience, and he really 'gets' the contemporary and alternative visual arts scenes," says WPA Board of Directors member, Elise Hoffmann. "His compelling vision and commitment to centering WPA within the local arts community is just what we need right now."

Here's a good start for the 100 artists to meet (we'll since this is the DMV, by now around 90, since I am sure that about a dozen or so have already moved!

Lecture on Cuban Artists

The kid yapping about Cuban art at the Latino Art League last night...

Come to this tonight!

A discussion of the realities of Cuban history, life, and culture as viewed through the artwork of Sandra Ramos, Marta Maria Perez Bravo, Cirenaica Moreira, Aimee Garcia Marrero and Maria Magdalena Campos-Pons.

Washington ArtWorks | October 9, 2015 | 6:30 pm - 9 pm

12276 Wilkins Ave, Rockville, MD 20852
(301) 654-1998

Assistant Professor of Photography Wanted

Towson University
Deadline: Ongoing

The College of Fine Arts and Communication invites applications for a tenure-track, 10-month Assistant Professor of Photography in the Department of Art + Design, Art History, Art Education beginning August 2016.

Qualifications: MFA in Studio Art. Qualified applicants will demonstrate expertise in photography as defined broadly to include applied and conceptual issues and practices with experience in both analog and digital photographic processes. Additional experience with video, sound, installation, or other new media is welcome. Applicants should be conversant in the ways that technology is changing the nature of photography and shaping photographic practice. Possess a strong commitment to excellence in teaching and the aptitude to contribute to a collaborative working environment. Willingness to contribute to interdisciplinary initiatives, to incorporate new technologies into the curriculum and ability to work across disciplines is also a necessity. Teaching beyond the graduate teaching assistant level is preferred, while an active record of professional development is essential.

Responsibilities: Teach 4, four credit classes (6-7 course units) per academic year at undergraduate and graduate levels as assigned for the first year. Beginning the second year the workload reverts back to the -standard instructional workload of 5, four credit courses (7-8 course units). Advise majors and work collaboratively with other photo faculty in regard to budget, procurement and scheduling. Help manage the photography studio, darkroom and print center as well as help to maintain and oversee equipment, supplies and software.

Application process and full position listing can be found at: http://www.towson.edu/provost/provost/facultypositions/