Newsletter Excerpts: November 2006

GFAC members receive our monthly newsletter in the mail -- to read the full edition for September 2006, you can become a member by printing the form here or call 810-238-ARTS (2787) for more information.

ARTS COUNCIL 101

Definition: Arts Council: A service agency established to foster the health and growth of arts and cultural programming within their defined service area. All disciplines of the arts are included: Music, Dance, Literature, Theater and Visual Arts.

Greetings! For the past few years GFAC has been involved in a capacity building program called BEST (Building Equity Sustainability and Trust). BEST has assisted us in evaluating ourselves, allowing others to evaluate us, improving our technology, strategic planning and assessing our capacity to grow.

One of the recurring themes from our research is that most people have a high opinion of GFAC, but they do not fully understand our mission. We have created this column to educate our members and others who may read this publication, so you may be our ambassadors.

Let’s see, “...as their canoe rounded a corner in the Colorado River a shout was heard from the top of a steep embankment...”

It is the responsibility of an Arts Council to respond to the emerging needs of the community. In the early 1990’s GFAC strategic planners identified four areas where arts programming and support were needed. Some re-affirmed those identified at the Where’s Art Conferences a decade earlier. These areas would become the recipe for the next decade of successful programming for GFAC. They continue to be a vital part of program planning today.
1) Support for Local Artists
2) Support for Local Arts Agencies
3) Arts Education
4) Marketing

For the next few months I will be breaking down each of the 4 areas shown above and relating which GFAC services and events fit within them.

1) Support for Local Artists. During the Where’s Art conferences of the early 1980’s and more recently during the Community Cultural Planning process, artists have stepped forward and identified how important it is for the community for their needs to be met. All artistic
and cultural programming depends on having talented professional artists residing in our community. Artists need to be able to make a living. They need avenues of communication with other artists and they need venues to share their work with the public.

Greater Flint Arts Council has many programs which pay artists a living wage. We pay performing artists to showcase their talents at many GFAC produced events. We also provide sales and commissions to visual artists. Our education programs pay artists to teach their various disciplines in K–12 learning centers.

GFAC provides avenues of communication for artists and venues for self expression. We program a 4,000 square foot gallery. We also program other gallery spaces exclusively and in collaboration with other agencies. We produce many events including Artwalk, Flint July 4
Festival, Tunes at Noon Festival, Flint Jazz Festival and Flint Festival of Quilts.

GFAC provides an information and referral service which introduces local artists with individuals and organizations who are in need of their particular services. As an incubator, we also share our resources with artists who are developing new programs.

Through the years hundreds of professional artists have participated in GFAC programs and services. Many artists had their first professional experiences working with GFAC and we were the foundation on which they were able to build a career.

Keep an eye out for the December issue of Where’s Art where the GFAC story will continue.

- Greg Fiedler

EMPTY BOWLS

Artists have crafted their original works of clay and donated them to Greater Flint Arts Council. We will sell them at the University Pavilion for $12 each, December 5, 6, 7, 11:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily. Proceeds will benefit the Shelter of Flint and the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan. Come... help us fill the empty bowls in our community this holiday season. We thank our partners for their help with the Empty Bowls project. Flint Institute of Arts, Guy Adamec and his students Kearsley High School University of Michigan-Flint and University Pavilion Merchants The Shelter of Flint The Food Bank of Eastern Michigan Runyan’s Pottery Supply, Clio, Michigan.

What is the most exciting date you could bring someone to? 2nd Friday Artwalk, of course! Spend an evening with striking art, talented artists, excellent food and live music. Best of all, it’s free & open to the public in beautiful downtown Flint.

Greater Flint Arts Council is anticipating the upcoming holiday season by scheduling exhibits in the months of November and December that give you the opportunity to do your holiday shopping with us. In this age of mass-produced plastic debris, give something beautiful, something unexpected, something wrought by hand, by a dedicated and impassioned artisan. Help Greater Flint Arts Council support the arts and artists in our community by attending the Second Friday Artwalks, Michigan Clay Artists’ Invitational in November and the Michigan Glass Artists’ Invitational in December... and bring your list!

Greater Flint Arts Council’s October 13, 2006 Artwalk featured the work of four area artists: Sue Lehman McKee, Mary Lou Ackerman and Joan horcha, all of Fenton, and Jan Rolison of holly. The October, 2006 Artwalk also included an exhibit in the lobby of the Masonic Temple of recent work by artists from Art at the Market Gallery located on the second floor of the Flint Farmers Market. The Creative Alliance hosted a Guerilla Art Show for the evening at a location on S. Saginaw St. and also participated in a show at Good Beans CafÈ on Grand Traverse Ave. Buckham Gallery opened their exhibit Art Rate: The Artistic Pulse of Post- Industrial Michigan. Pages Bookstore hosted a cookout for Artwalkers and the Temple Dining Room served refreshments as well. We started the fall season off with another fabulous event! Won’t you bring a friend to the next 2nd Friday Artwalk? Greater Flint Arts Council would like to thank the following volunteers for helping make this event possible: Rosemarie Bader, GFACs new intern, Katie Rothley, Carole Hickey and Stan Simmons

Flint Festival of Quilts
The 12th Annual Flint Festival of Quilts (formerly Quilts at the Crossroads) was held September 6–9, 2006. Over 400 Traditional and Contemporary Quilts were exhibited at seven sites: Greater Flint Arts Council, Mott Community College, Whaley historical house, Sloan Museum, Longway Planetarium, Flint
Institute of Music and the Flint Public Library. In addition, Wearable Art was featured by regional quilters, united Way’s Bridges to the Future students and Community Cultural Plan Mini-Grant Recipient– Haskell Renaissance Project. New this year, the Event Kick-off, included a Fashion Show of Wearable Arts and a presentation by Linda Lee Vivian of Linda Lee Originals. Other events included: an exhibitor’s reception at the Longway Planetarium and a presentation by national speaker and quilter, Sharon Smith, at the Flint Public Library and our own Artwalk. Next year’s event will be held September 6–9, 2007. Theme: International Story Quilts Competition. Quilters will have the opportunity to enter story quilts from around the world.

Community Cultural Plan Update
Phase IV of the Community Cultural Plan is well underway. Our first major event is a presentation by Ed Sengstack of Artsopolis Marketing Partnership.
Artsopolis.com is the leading online resource for Arts and Cultural information for the Silicon Valley region. It offers the largest database of Silicon Valley Arts and Cultural events, as well as additional listings of classes and workshops, jobs, auditions, organizations, venues, public art, and individual artists. The public is invited to join us for a reception at 6:00 p.m. on November 9, 2006 in the Greater Flint Arts Council Gallery. A presentation describing the Artsopolis concept, its history and how the website can impact the Greater Flint Community will follow at 6:30 p.m. For further information, contact GFAC 810.238.ARTS.

Gallery for Rent
The Greater Flint Arts Council Gallery is available for rent. Consider the gallery and kitchen facilities the next time you are planning an event. Our space is
perfect for up to 150 people. The Gallery is a fabulous setting for a wedding reception, bridal or baby shower, birthday, office party or organization fundraiser. The warm wood floors, intimate seating areas and dramatic art all around lend themselves to a comfortable, welcoming occasion. Call Phyllis at 810.238.2787 from 12–4 p.m. for information.

GFAC LONG ART HALLWAY
Seasons change and winter fast approaches. Add a fresh spark to your surroundings to get you through the long cold spell ahead. For less than you think possible you can own a piece of original art. The GFAC Long hallway is full of exciting works by area artists. Stop by and see what we have for you.

Spotlight on Events
• Growing Together
• MI Artists Invitational
• MI Clay Artists Invitational

What's Going On?
• This Months News
• In the Theatres
• Concerts
• Film Going
• Galleries
• Writers
• Opportunities
• Other ART Links

A Closer Look at:
• Area Arts Organizations
• GFAC Artists Gallery

The GFAC
• Membership
• Sponsors
• Volunteer
• MCACA Minigrant

Our Programs
• Information & Referral
• Arts Education
• Networking & Outreach
• Community Service
• Arts Incubator
• Marketing
• Funding
• Exhibitions
• Arts Brokerage