2021

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Arts Council awards $44,000 to support Evansville youth arts programs

Caze Elementary School students painting birdhouses during the last week of school in May 2021. The program was funded through a Sponsorship of the Arts grant from the Arts Council of Southwestern Indiana.

EVANSVILLE – The Arts Council of Southwestern Indiana awarded $44,000 to 15 local organizations and schools this week.

The grants allow organizations to create and continue unique arts programming for Vanderburgh County students.

The 15 schools and organizations applied for the Arts Council’s annual Sponsorship of the Arts grant this spring. An Arts Council committee selected the organizations over the summer. The funding comes from the Arts Council’s Community Arts Fund.

“Children thrive when provided opportunities for creativity and expression,” said Anne McKim, executive director of The Arts Council of Southwestern Indiana. “The 2021 Sponsorship Grant programs will allow thousands of young people to participate in the arts in their schools and throughout our community, and we’re delighted to be a catalyst for this inspiration and enrichment.”

Organization/SchoolProject Title
AIS Diamond Middle SchoolThe Dream Art Atmosphere
Children’s Center for Dance EducationJoshua Academy Dance Floor
Culver Family Learning CenterCulver Family Learning Art Show
Evansville Lutheran SchoolStudent Gallery
Evansville Philharmonic OrchestraBefore There Was Mozart
F.J. Reitz High School Department of TheatreReitz Theatre’s Bright Future
Highland Elementary SchoolFull STEAM Ahead- Collaborative Courtyard STEAM Project
Koch Family Children’s Museum of Evansville (cMoe)cMoe’s Artist-in-Residence Program
McGary Middle School Evansville-Vanderburgh School CorporationGlimpses of the Galaxy
Memorial Community Development Corp“Fit for Play” Phase 2: Music & Motion
North High SchoolAll Things Glowforge!
Signature SchoolSublimation
University of EvansvilleUE Music Conservatory Music Fundamentals Class for EVSC Students
Washington Middle School/Twymon Art GalleryPath to Education Mural
William Henry Harrison High SchoolAcrylic Painting Unit

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Original Bob Ross paintings coming to the Arts Council

Some “happy little trees” are coming to Downtown Evansville.

A pair of original Bob Ross paintings will be on display at the Arts Council of Southwestern Indiana in July.

The two paintings will be on display in partnership with WNIN’s Ross Fest event on July 17.

Ross Fest VIP participants will have first access to view the paintings on July 17, but the exhibition will be open to the public at the Arts Council’s Bower Suhrheinrich Foundation Gallery from July 20 to July 29 during the gallery’s normal business hours and special gallery hours to be announced later.

Bob Ross is a late American painter who hosted “The Joy of Painting,” a show in which Ross painted serene landscapes while instructing viewers on how they could paint along at home. Ross filmed 403 episodes of the series, the bulk of which were recorded and produced by WIPB in Muncie, Indiana.

The paintings are “A Storm’s a Comin’” from episode 11 of season 26 and “Brown Mountain” from episode 7 of season 2.

As part of the exhibit, the Arts Council asked local artists to create portraits of Ross in their own interpretation. The portraits will hang in the Arts Council gallery along with the original Ross paintings.

WNIN’s Ross Fest presented by Field and Main Bank takes place at WNIN on July 17. The event will feature four painting sessions (two family-friendly and two 21+), a Bob Ross costume contest, food trucks and more. For more information about Ross Fest, visit wnin.org.

The Arts Council of Southwestern Indiana is located at 212 Main St. in Downtown Evansville and is open Tuesday-Friday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. with special viewing hours outside those times to be announced later.

Posted: June 29, 2021

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New ARTSWIN assignment exhibit inspired by famed conceptual artist

Join the Arts Council for an experimental exhibition inspired by the assignments of famed conceptual artist John Baldessari.

In 1970, when Baldessari was a studio art teach at CalArts in California, he developed assignments that were in themselves art. The assignments were anything but traditional, and would range from humorous, abstract, overly-specific, overly-ambiguous, and just plain odd.

With the help of artists, teachers and staff, the Arts Council developed a list of assignments to honor Baldessari, who died in 2020, and to inspire local artists — to quote Baldessari himself — to “not make anymore boring art.”

The list of 12 assignments is included in the form below.

Please read the form completely and provide all info requested. To open this form in a new webpage, please click here.

Calendar

-Registration deadline: April 30
-Artwork drop off: May 28, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. and June 1, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
-Exhibit dates: June 8 – July 9
-Opening reception: June 12, 4 – 6 p.m.
-Artwork pick up: July 10, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Posted April 20, 2021

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High School students can submit their art for the 2021 Congressional Art Competition

High School students can submit their art for the 2021 Congressional Art Competition

Southwestern Indiana high school students who live in the 8th Congressional District have the opportunity for their work to be featured at the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C.

Rep. Larry Bucshon’s office will accept submissions from 8th District high school students for the 2021 Congressional Art Competition until April 16.

The event takes place across the nation, providing an opportunity for members of Congress “to understand, acknowledge and honor the artistic talent of their high school constituents,” according to a news release from Bucshon’s office.  The event is open to all high school students who live in or attend a school in the district, including those in home school.

The winner from the district will have their work displayed for a year in the United States Capitol Complex in Washington D.C.  The artist will also receive an invitation to attend the winners’ reception for the art competition in Washington, D.C. this summer.
 
There are several rules and criteria to enter the show. For more information, please visit this link.

The winner, which is chosen by a panel of local judges, will be notified during a reception at the Arts Council of Southwestern Indiana in Evansville at 4 p.m. CDT on Tuesday, April 27. All artists, teachers, family and friends are welcomed to attend. This reception is subject to change based on the state of the COVID-19 virus. We will host this reception in a socially distanced manner and follow all guidelines from the CDC and directives from Governor Holcomb.

All submissions are due by Friday, April 16.

Due to concerns of COVID-19, art intake will be done by scheduling a time to drop off the artwork at a district office (Terre Haute, Evansville, Jasper, or Vincennes) or by having a staff member pickup artwork at a local high school. Please email Erin Lucas ([email protected]) to coordinate details.

Details on rules, criteria and how to submit available at this link.

Posted: Feb. 26, 2021

Learn how to advocate for the arts in state legislature

Register now! Learn how to effectively advocate for state support of the arts in the current legislative session with Indiana Arts Advocates. Sessions are tonight 5-5:30 p.m. (CST) and tomorrow Tuesday, Feb. 16 1-1:30 p.m. (CST). Register with this link: https://docs.google.com/…/1FAIpQLScVAmP6c68r8C…/viewform

Posted: Feb. 15, 2021