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| VOLUME 5, NO. 5 | October 11, 2007 |
What's NewThe Alliance Convenes Bay Area Artists
Artists and community organizers convened for the annual Bay Area gathering of the Alliance for California Traditional Arts’ grantees on September 30, 2007, at our San Francisco offices in the Presidio. The afternoon began with each attendee sharing experiences and realizations about the Living Cultures Grant Program projects and Apprenticeships that for some artists were either underway or had just recently been completed. The opportunity to share one’s successes and frustrations gave way to lots of head nodding in recognition and a sense of a mutual support network, even though many people around the table were meeting each other for the very first time. One fertile topic discussed around the table addressed traditional artists as agents of social change. For each participant this theme resonated in different ways. Melody Takata spoke about the participation of her Taiko group in the recent protests against the takeover of San Francisco’s Japantown by investment giants to underscore their concern for the one of the last Japanese historical neighborhoods in California. Friends of Negro Spirituals, co-founded by Sam Edwards and Lyvonne Chrisman, are working to preserve the oral histories of local Negro spiritual singers because they “impart value and linkages with our ancestors who gave us these songs during slavery . . . We want to make sure that connection in our community is not lost.” John Daley of the Croatian American Cultural Center discussed traditional music as a common binding factor in Croatia, and as a common denominator at the Center. He explained that participation in the cultural festivals at the center “helps make everyone more tolerant to other religions and political views.” Colleen Tiffenson of Mas Makers Massive, an organization dedicated to the carnival arts of Trinidad and Tobago, explained how their musical heritage is inherently political. “Calypso is an instrument of social change where the songs send a message – you can tell the events and political commentary through a song about AIDS, or sexuality . . . It provides a strong message for change because it is easily learned; children can sing the Calypso.” Suzy Thompson of Berkeley Old Time Music Convention completed the circle by reflecting, “We create social change by building community; people all over the U.S. come to our festival, one even came from Japan. A lot of people have romantic stereotypes about Appalachian singers and musicians – and coming together helps to humanize people to each other. That’s how social change starts – what was seen as the ‘other’ is humanized.” Read more about this recent gathering on the Alliance’s website. California Traditional Artists Receive New Grants from Fund for Folk Culture and Center for Cultural InnovationThe Alliance for California Traditional Arts would like to congratulate the following California traditional artists on their recent receipt of grants from the Fund for Folk Culture and the Center for Cultural Innovation. Fund for Folk Culture’s Artist Support ProgramThe Fund for Folk Culture awarded 26 grants to traditional artists throughout the U.S through its Artists Support Program, which provides support to individual folk and traditional artists to pursue opportunities that will help them grow artistically and professionally, to better connect with their cultural communities, or to develop new audiences for their work. The following seven California traditional artists were among the grantees:
Read more about the Fund for Fulk Culture grantees on the Alliance's website. Center for Cultural Innovation’s Investing in ArtistsThe Center for Cultural Innovation awarded 27 grants to individual artists through its Investing in Artists program, which is designed to enhance the working lives and creative environment for California artists by funding tools and market strategies that will allow them to create their best work more consistently, and distribute that work more broadly to new audiences. The following 5 traditional artists were among the grantees:
Three California Artists Receive Nation's Highest Honor in Traditional Arts
On September 18, 2007, National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Chairman Dana Goia presented twelve NEA National Heritage Fellowships in a ceremony on Capital Hill in Washington D.C. Three California artists – Haiku poet and historian Violet de Cristoforo, Salinas; Chicano singer, musician, and composer Agustin Lira, Fresno; and Pomo basketweaver Julia Parker, Midpines – were among this year’s honorees. The fellowship is the nation's highest honor in the folk and traditional arts. To read more about these and other 2007 National Heritage Fellows, please visit the NEA’s website. FundingAlliance for California Traditional Arts' Traditional Arts Development ProgramDeadline: Ongoing ACTA’s Traditional Arts Development Program makes contracts up to $1,500 to support consultancies, mentorships, and travel opportunities that foster a new level of growth for individual folk & traditional artists and organizations engaged in this field in California. Requested services may be focused on organizational, program, and/or artistic development goals. Individual artists and cultural practitioners, as well as organizations, whether incorporated or not, may apply. A sampling of past contracts include: Artistic Mentorships Gen Taiko (San Francisco), an organization dedicated to promoting, preserving and presenting Japanese traditional arts including taiko (traditional Japanese drumming), traditional folk dance, and folk song forms. Its artistic director, Melody Takata, was trained by National Heritage Fellow Madame Fujima Kansuma to learn the Nihon Buyo (Japanese classical) dance called Kojo No Tsuki (Moonlit Castle Ruins). Ms. Takata taught the dance to four of her students and performed it at Gen Taiko’s 10th Anniversary Concert in November 2005. Organizational Consultancies: Kwashi Amevuvor (Los Angeles), a master drummer from Ghana, West Africa, worked with consultant Janet P***t, who assisted him with marketing and web design to develop professional promotional materials to publicize the work of the artist and the traditional cultural arts of Ghana. In addition, Ms. P***t’s consultancy supported Mr. Amevuvor’s efforts in organizing a cultural study tour of Ghana. Travel Opportunities The Eszterlánc Hungarian Folk Ensemble (Foster City) traveled to Southern California to perform for an audience of over two thousand at the annual Magyar Sajtónap (Hungarian Press Day) hosted by the newspaper California Hungarians. At this event Eszterlanc dancers had the opportunity to perform with members of the Karpatok Folk Ensemble of Southern California, which is led by Istvan Szabo. Requests for organizational consultancies, artistic mentoring, and travel support may be submitted to ACTA at any time. Download the application and application instructions from ACTA’s website or call (559) 237-9812 to request a copy be mailed to you. ACTA’s Traditional Arts Development Program is supported by grants from the California Arts Council, the Walter and Elise Haas Fund, and the National Endowment for the Arts. The Guitar Center Music FoundationDeadline: Ongoing The Guitar Center Music Foundation’s mission is to aid nonprofit music programs across America that offer music instruction so that more people can experience the joys of making music. The Guitar Center Music Foundation accepts grant applications throughout the year from 501(c)(3) organizations that offer music instruction programs to participants of any age. The applicant program must successfully enhance the state of music education in the United States. The Grant Committee reviews all applications three times yearly, and grant awards range from $500 to $5,000. For more information visit the Guitar Center Music Foundation’s website. Elaine Weissman L.A. Treasures Award Deadline: Monthly The California Traditional Music Society (CTMS) and the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA) have announced the Elaine Weissman L.A. Treasures Awards 2007-2008 deadlines. This program supports folk and traditional performing and visual artists with $1,000 in funds for two public performances, workshops or exhibits - one planned by the award recipient, another chosen by CTMS and DCA. The Awards are named after Elaine Weissman, founder of CTMS and great promoter and supporter of folk and traditional arts, who passed away last year. An average of three L.A. Treasures Awards are given each month. Application deadlines are the first of each month from November 2007 through April 2008. Applications must arrive in the CTMS office no later than these dates. For more information, including guidelines and application forms, visit the California Traditional Music Society's website. If you would like a hard copy of the application sent to you, please contact Lisa Richardson at (818) 817-0094. San Francisco Arts Commission
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FEATURES ABOUT ACTA The Alliance for California Traditional Arts strives to "ensure California's future holds California's past" by providing programs and services to support the state's diverse living cultural heritage. The Alliance cultivates the growth of traditional arts and culture through Stewardship, Services to Artists, and Connection-Making. CONTACT ACTA Website: Staff: Sherwood Chen, Associate Director Lily Kharrazi, Living Cultures Grants Program Manager Suzanne Hildebrand, Administrative Coordinator BOARD OF DIRECTORS Robert Arroyo, V.P. of Finance & Administration Melanie Beene Jo Farb Hernandez, Secretary Joel Jacinto, Sojin Kim, Ph.D. Amy Kitchener (ex officio) Frank LaPena Malcolm Margolin Libby Maynard Chike Nwoffiah, V.P. of External Development Peter Pennekamp, Executive Director Charlie Seemann, Board President Daniel Sheehy, Ph.D. Deborah Wong, Ph.D. Honorary Bess Lomax Hawes FUNDERS
Landscaping America: Beyond the Japanese Garden Evolution of the ‘Ukulele: The Story of Hawaii’s Jumping Flea Ancient Roots/Urban Journeys: Expressions for Dias de los Muertos Kumeyaay: Indigenous People of Southern California 5th Annual Firecracker Festival A Taste of Folk Music: A Free Folk & Bluegrass Music Festival Bunraku: The National Puppet Theatre of Japan Central Valley Dance Conference LIKHA 15th Anniversary Show and Expo Traditional Kathak Solo by Farah Yasmeen Shaikh Honoring the Memories: Dia de los Muertos Fruitvale Festival The 13th Annual California Indian Storytelling Festival
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