Artists' Pipeline #28 - June 7, 2001

Renate Lien of St. Paul and Helene Oppenheimer of Woodbury have been accepted to paint one of the Charlie Brown statues for Peanuts on Parade by the city of St. Paul! Their version will feature DeafArt and will be sponsored by Hamline University.

Eric Peterson of Minneapolis received an Excellence in Directing award at the Minnesota Association of Community Theatres State Play Festival, held in St. Cloud in March. He directed and performed in an original play, Whenever Frances Looks Up, by Carol Hough of Detroit Lakes. The show will be remounted at the Minnesota Fringe Festival, August 3-12 in Minneapolis. Eric is a past president of VSA arts of Minnesota.

The visual artists team of Anne Krocak of Minneapolis and Marilyn Summers. Cool was awarded a WARM/Jerome Scholarship of $1000 to take part in its 2001-02 Mentor Program. The WARM program supports emerging women artists. Anne was a 2000 winner of the VSA arts of Minnesota Artist Recognition Award.

The Sister Kenny Rehabilitation Services, 39th Annual International Art Show by Artists with Disabilities was held April 19 to May 16 in Minneapolis. Mary Carol Peterson of Pelican Rapids won the Best of Show award. Other First Place award winners from Minnesota were:
Dennis M. Behr, Minneapolis: Mixed Media Red Birds;
Grace Lund, Shoreview: Watercolor On Wings of Joy;
Melissa McLean, Saint Paul: Sculpture Bring Your Own Lampshade;
Elizabeth Plummer, Saint Paul: Photography Missouri Clydesdale.

In celebration of the life and work of Access Press founder, publisher and editor, Charlie Smith, ACCESS Press will sponsor a memorial program on Sunday, June 3 featuring speeches, songs and memories of Charlie. The public is invited to pay their respects at Phalen Park Pavilion, 1530 Phalen Drive, Saint Paul, from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. After the program, an informal party sponsored by Charlie's friends will offer refreshments until 9:00 pm. You are encouraged to bring your own food and beverage. Sign language interpreters and PCAs will be provided. For more information, contact Tim Benjamin at 651-644-2133 or Lolly Lijewski at 651-603-2022(v) or 651-603-2001(tty). Memorial donations can be made either to ACCESS Press or to the Smith Family Cancer Fund. Donations to the latter fund are not tax-deductible.

The VSA arts Young Soloists Award seeks to recognize outstanding young musicians with disabilities. Musically talented students or professionals, ages 25 & under (on November 1, 2001), can earn scholarships and a trip to perform in Washington, D.C. at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Sponsored annually by Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company, the award is for vocalists or instrumentalists who have a disability.
Applications are due November 1, 2001. For application materials, call (800) 933-8721 or (202) 737-0645 (TTY), send e-mail to soloists@vsarts.org, or write to VSA Young Soloists Award, 1300 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 700, Washington, DC 20036.

SONIC CIRCUITS, an International Festival of Electronic Music, offers:

• Composers opportunities to be on a CD of tape-works, broadcast around the world; have their score realized by new performers; and have their video art seen across the US and abroad;
• Performers the opportunity to be on a roster and receive invitations to perform live; and
• Presenters a way to produce their own festival event by using Sonic Circuits programming.

Any musical works or acts which involve electronic technology (e.g., works for electro-acoustic tape, live performance with electronics, video art, new media art, sound art...) may be submitted for program consideration. Entries are curated in four categories: Tape, Video, Score, Live Acts. The 20-30 selected works are offered to more than 70 venues across the globe and the CD of tape works is sent to numerous radio stations. Over 230 composers and artists have been programmed since 1993.
Sonic Circuits IX Application Forms are due by July 1, 2001. For more information, contact VSA arts of Minnesota, or go to Sonic Circuits (www.SonicCircuits.com), or contact Philip Blackburn, ACF-SC, (651) 228-1407 ext. 23, e-mail: pblackburn@composersforum.org.

The Composers Commissioning Program (CCP), funded by the Jerome Foundation, supports the creation of new musical works by emerging composers, composer/performers, improvisers, and sound artists. CCP helps toward the cost of the creator's commissioning fee. A composer applies in conjunction with a performing organization (any soloist or group, not necessarily a non-profit organization), or the composer/performer/improvisers who play in their own work apply in conjunction with a venue or presenter (e.g., school, theater, gallery, festival...).
Applications are welcomed in all musical genres, including jazz, experimental, classical, improvised, sound-art and international styles, especially those that seek to expand new-music culture beyond the usual settings. Selected CCP projects will be eligible for further funding:
Performance Outreach Grants will support performers, expenses in presenting an outreach event.
Only emerging composers may apply. Composers residing in Minnesota or in New York City may apply with performers based anywhere in the world.
Composers residing elsewhere must work with Minnesota-based partners and present the work in Minnesota. All applicants may also consider forming a consortium to include Minnesota participants. No formal musical training is required. Works must be in the early stages of composing at the time of application: works to premiere before November, 2001, will not be considered.
CCP will grant up to $8,000 towards the composer's commission fee.
Application materials are due by August 4, 2001. For more information, contact VSA arts of Minnesota or Philip Blackburn, CCP; American Composers Forum, 332 Minnesota Street, E-145, St. Paul, MN 55101-1300.

Poets and Writers supports organizations and individuals who wish to present poetry or fiction readings, workshops, or performance pieces by paying a share of the writer's fee. Applications are only considered from sponsoring organizations. However, a writer who wishes to give a reading or a workshop may contact a sponsoring organization to initiate an application.
Priority is given to sponsors whose activities are open to the entire community, whose programs serve culturally diverse communities, who feature a variety of writers in their literary programs, and who present literary programs in rural or traditionally underserved areas. For information, contact: Poets & Writers, 72 Spring Street, New York, NY 10012; 212-226-3586; Poets & Writers (www.pw.org).

The Salt Lake Organizing Committee (SLOC) in Salt Lake City, Utah, is looking for thousands of volunteer performers and performance groups to take part in the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Winter Games of 2002 and in 17 days of Olympic competition and 9 days of the Paralympic Winter Games.
"Whether you are a band playing at the Olympic Medals Plaza, a dance class performing in the Paralympic Closing Ceremony or a performance artist appearing at one of ten competition venues throughout the Games, there may be a role for you as a 2002 Cast Member," SLOC states.
Performers interested in being a part of the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games of 2002 are invited to visit the website at Olympic Winter Games of 2002 in Salt Lake City (http://www.saltlake2002.com). Click on "APPLY TO BE A VOLUNTEER CAST MEMBER" link to learn more about the audition process.

Moundstock 2001, a new community event for St. Paul's East Side on Saturday, June 30, seeks artists in clay, fiber, metal, glass, wood, leather, paper and mixed media to sell their work at an all-day event. Deadline rapidly approaching. For more info, call 651-772-8674.

Intermedia Arts in Minneapolis is taking over the formerly named Lyn-Lake Street Fair and putting its own crazy spin on the day. They will need artists, musicians, street performers, etc, to pack the Greenway Parade of Arts on July 4th from noon to 8 p.m. with activity and noise, sights and smells, art and music, food and bands and fun.
The Greenway Parade of Arts emphasizes the transportation use of the Midtown Greenway/ Lake Street Corridor (from James Avenue to 5th Avenue - old 29th Street railway corridor, now a bike path) and connects with Wheels As Art, by programming activities that are in motion or easily portable and highlight movement, mingling, and movement through a variety of communities in South Minneapolis.
Intermedia Arts is working with a tiny budget, and cannot pay, but encourages artists to pass the hat or simply do it for the good time and self-promotion. Volunteers who just want to help are invited, too. To participate in this summer's event, call Theresa Shultz, Phone: 612-874-2813.

An Introduction to Literature of the Deaf is being taught this summer at the Loft Literary Center, at the Open Book in Minneapolis (10th and Washington). The workshop is subtitled A Swift Series of Designs because, in The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter, Carson McCullers describes the language of her deaf character John Singer by saying: "His hands shaped the words in a swift series of designs. Imagine if John Singer had been a writer. What might his "writing look like? This brief overview of literature by deaf people introduces the difference between deaf literature " work written in English by deaf people " and ASL literature " work generated in American Sign Language (ASL) by members of the Deaf community. We will read/see examples of each. Facilitated by poet and ASL interpreter Morgan Grayce Willow, author of Crossing That Bridge: A Guide to Making Literary Events Accessible to Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing, this workshop provides nonsigners a unique glimpse at ASL poetry.
The course will be offered Saturday, June 16, 10:00 noon, $20; $18 Loft members. To register, call 612-379-8999 or Loft Literary Center (www.loft.org). The program qualifies for .2 CEUs at the Introductory Level through SLICES, an approved sponsor of the RID Certification Maintenance Program (612-827-1885 v/tty).

The Loft Literary Center in Minneapolis summer sessions of writing workshops will begin June 12 and later. For a catalog, call 612-379-8999 or go to Loft Literary Center in Minneapolis (www.loft.org).
Resources & Counseling for the Arts in St. Paul offers workshops for artists and for arts organizations. For their summer listings, call 651-292-4381, TTY 651-292-3218, e-mail info@rc4arts.org, or go to Springboard for the Arts (www.rc4arts.org).
Summer classes at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design will begin as early as June 4. For a catalog, call 612-874-3727, 874-3765, TTY 612-874-3800, or go to Minneapolis College of Art and Design (www.mcad.edu).

REFLECTIONS, published in May 2001, was written and illustrated by Minnesota students with disabilities in order to reflect on and teach others about their history and culture. The theme of Volume 1 focuses on several key questions: How do you see yourself? How do you think others see you? How would you like others to see you? How would you want the world to be? What part does disability play in how you view yourself, how others view you, and how the world views you? The 13 selections, primarily poems and essays, were edited by students in Allison Konkols' English class at Columbia Heights Alternative School. Linda Larson, the creator and editor, plans to continue this project annually.

Joseph Anthony Lambert is one of nine writers featured. Here is one of his poems:

Do Children Fade Away:
By Joseph Anthony Lambert
Do Children have a place in heaven where they can play all day?
Do they have perfect wings of gold?
Do they grow old?
Do they mold the stars?
Do they sleep in flowers?
Does God come and play with them everyday?
Do children ever fade away?
Do they?

Copies are $5 each for 1-9 copies and $3 each for 10 or more copies. To order, send check to VSA arts of Minnesota, 528 Hennepin Ave, # 305, Minneapolis, MN 55403. For more information, call Linda Larson at 763-788-8064, or e-mail craig@vsaartsmn.org. Order now!

The Nathan Cummings Foundation Arts Program supports arts programs in diverse communities. Its goals are to promote inclusiveness and diversity in the arts by sustaining community-based and culturally specific arts organizations, supporting arts education programs and artistic endeavors that enhance understanding of the Foundation's themes of health, environment
and Jewish life. For guidelines and application information, visit Nathan Cummings Foundation (www.ncf.org).

Weekly announcements of theatre auditions, jobs, performances, classes and other news are provided via e-mail, phone and web site by the Minnesota Association of Community Theatres (MACT). To receive the weekly listings, e-mail mactfactor@aol.com, go to Minnesota Association of Community Theatres (MACT) (www.mact.net), or call the MACT Hotline at 763-521-5692 or, in greater Minnesota, 1-800-290-2428.
For national theatre news, go to American Association of Community Theatre (www.aact.org), the American Association of Community Theatre.

Minnetonka Center for the Arts has a position open in Desktop Publishing & Marketing. Part-time, days. Varied duties: ads, pubs and PR to clerical.
Quark essential. Send resume and salary req. to Dev. Dir., Minnetonka Center for the Arts, 2240 North Shore Drive, Wayzata, MN 55391.