For Immediate Release: February 4, 2010
Contact: Jeff Morgan
Public Relations
515.281.3858
Jeff.Morgan@iowa.gov
Iowa Arts Council Announces January 2010 Mini Grant Awards
(DES MOINES, Iowa) — The Iowa Arts Council has awarded $18,415 in the January 2010 round of Mini Grants to 19 organizations and individuals in Ames, Cedar Falls, Cedar Rapids, Davenport, Des Moines, Fairfield, Grinnell, Indianola, Iowa City, Norwalk, Sioux City, and West Des Moines. IAC received 38 eligible applications with requests totaling more than $37,000.
Mini Grants applicants may request up to $1,000 in funding, which they must match.
“We were essentially awarding two months worth of grants in one month, and we certainly had twice the number of normal applications to show for it,” said Mary Sundet Jones, Iowa Arts Council administrator. “Thankfully, some unexpected savings elsewhere in our budget allowed us to fund about half of the projects. Still, there are so many more great arts activities occurring across Iowa than we can possibly support. The good news is that arts are alive and well in Iowa.”
Mini Grant applications are due the first business day of the month for March and May 2010 for a maximum of $1,000. No Mini Grant applications will be accepted in April 2010, due to state budget cuts. More information and application guidelines and rules can be viewed at www.iowaartscouncil.org.
The Iowa Arts Council is a division of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs and works to enrich the quality of life for Iowans through support of the arts. Funding for the Iowa Arts Council and its programs is provided by the State of Iowa and the National Endowment for the Arts. Please visit www.iowaartscouncil.org for more information.
Iowa Arts Council January 2010 Mini Grant Awards
University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls
“UNI’s African American Read-In 2010”
$1,000
UNI’s College of Education’s African American Read-In will host Jan Spivey Gilchrist, an award winning African American children’s book author/illustrator and UNI alumnus Feb. 22. 2010. IAC grant funding will support the artist as she works with elementary school students from Waterloo and Cedar Falls, along with elementary education and art education majors at UNI.
Poetic Rebound Performance Company, Iowa City
Creation of a New Work by Charlotte Adams
$1,000
Charlotte Adams will use IAC funding to explore the realm of personal memories/histories related to the body in “A Body of Knowledge.” She will translate through dance movement a sense of memory that can broaden understanding of how perceptions of the past translate to present and future. Creation will take place weeknights in February.
University of Iowa, Iowa City
Reviving “Live from Prairie Lights” on KRUI
$1,000
The University of Iowa’s college radio station KRUI 89.7 FM will use IAC grant funding to purchase sound mixing equipment to remotely broadcast events that will re-launch “Live from Prairie Lights,” an ongoing public reading series featuring acclaimed authors.
Kahraman Near East Dance Ensemble, Inc., Iowa City
Café Feenjon with Salaam
$1,000
Kahraman Near East Dance Ensemble, Inc. will use IAC grant funds to host the internationally known musical ensemble, Salaam. Salaam, directed by Dena El Saffar, will present the maqams of Iraq providing an opportunity for community members and musicians to learn the music of Iraq, its involvement in their culture, and its influence on American Jazz composers.
Iowa Composers Forum, Cedar Rapids
New Iowa Choral Music Initiative
$500
The Iowa Composers Forum, in partnership with the Iowa Choral Directors Association, will use IAC grant funding to commission a new choral work from composer Brooke Joyce for use by high school and college choral directors across Iowa.
Des Moines Carousel Foundation, Des Moines
“Carousel Creation”
$940
The IAC will fund “Carousel Creation” a carousel-inspired artwork created by artist Sandra Gustafson working with the children in the Hawthorn Hill New Directions program which provides temporary housing to homeless women and children. The work will take place from March through May 2010. An unveiling will be in June at the Heritage Carousel.
Nora Garda, Iowa City
“Let’s Make Dance”
$1,000
Nora Garda will create choreography with South East Jr. High students to present at Iowa Dance Fest in April 2010. There will be a six-week rehearsal period culminating in a public performance. Two new works will be produced: “Milonga Sentimental,” modern dance to electronic tango and “Carnavalito,” folkloric dance to high beat music from northern Argentina.
Kate Sebeny, Des Moines
“Sweaters”
$1,000
Author Kate Sebeny will produce a polished first half of her novel-in-progress, “Sweaters,” with the assistance of her literary agent, Jacques de Spoelberch.
Judy Bales, Fairfield
“Exploring Fractal Patterns in New Works”
$1,000
Grant funds will enable the applicant to produce 30 new constructions based on fractal patterns and Afro-traditional quilting patterns and to produce an edition of bookstore quality Blurb Books describing the inspiration, influences and process of the new works.
Jennifer Ross Nostrala, Indianola
“Fat Pig” by Neil LaBrute
$1,000
IAC grant funding will support an independently produced theatrical presentation of Neil LaBute’s “Fat Pig.” Jennifer Ross Nostrala will serve as the producer and director for the production. The project will use local designers, technicians and actors. Performances are at the Des Moines Social Club May 27-29.
Amanda Nadelberg, Iowa City
Trip to AWP Conference in Denver
$1,000
This year’s AWP Annual Conference is April 7-10 in Denver. It’s the most important conference of the year for poets active in the national literary community. Poet Amanda Nadelberg was invited to give a reading. She will use IAC grant funds to attend the conference and also meet with her new publisher, Coffee House Press.
Sioux City Community School Music Department, Sioux City
Opera Iowa
$1,000
The Sioux City Community School District will use IAC grant funding to host OPERA IOWA March 9-12, 2010. OPERA IOWA will present workshops in preparation for the performance of “Hansel and Gretel” for the third grade students in the Sioux City Community School District.
Lakewood Elementary, Norwalk
“The Great State History Play”
$975
For a culminating activity to its Iowa History Unit, Lakewood Elementary will use IAC grant funding to hire artist Fax Gilbert to direct “The Great State History Play” for students to perform. This production will help 5th grade students make personal connections to Iowa history through performance.
West Des Moines Community Schools, West Des Moines
Honor Choir Commission
$1,000
West Des Moines Community School District will commission composer Matthew Armstrong to create a piece for the 2010 District Sixth Grade Honor Choir. This will be performed by representatives from all of the districts’ elementary schools at an honor concert Tuesday, May 11, 2010.
Joel Vanderheyden, Iowa City
“Koplant No” Recording Project
$1,000
“Koplant No” is an Iowa City-based modern jazz ensemble featured on Joel Vanderheyden’s recent CD release, “Complete Life,” which has garnered local and national acclaim. IAC grant funding will help support the recording and produce a new album under the “Koplant No” moniker in the spring of 2010.
Grinnell Area Arts Council, Grinnell
Junie B. Jones Children’s Theatre
$1,000
Grinnell Area Arts Council will contract with Theatre Works USA to bring Junie B. Jones Children’s Theatre to Grinnell February 21, 2010. It is partnering with CLIK (Communities for Literate Iowa Kids) and the community library to bring the beloved book series to life through the literary experience as well as the theatrical experience.
River Action, Inc., Davenport
RiverWay Architectural Park Signage
$1,000
An Architectural Park was installed along the Mississippi River trail in 1998-1999 to highlight historic elements of local architecture. The signage detailing the sculptures has been damaged and discolored and now can’t be read. IAC funding will allow new signage to be created so that the sculptures can continue to be enjoyed and understood by residents and tourists.
Maharishi School, Fairfield
Puppet Theatre Project for Multiculturalism
$1,000
IAC grant funding will allow The Eulenspiegel Puppet Theatre (led by Monica Leo) to work with 4th-6th graders to create and present a puppet show, “The Flea,” a Mexican-American folk tale to introduce different cultural customs and traditions to the students. The three-day workshop is scheduled for March, 2010.
Heather Davis, Ames
Attending the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts Conference
$1,000
IAC grant funding will allow ceramic artist Heather Davis to attend the National Conference on Education in the Ceramic Arts in Philadelphia (March 30-April 2, 2010) This will allow the artist to meet others in the ceramics field, to acquire insight about graduate programs, and to discover different kinds of techniques and materials used in contemporary ceramics.
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The Iowa Arts Council is a division of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs and works to enrich the quality of life for Iowans through support of the arts. Funding for the Iowa Arts Council and its programs is provided by the state of Iowa and the National Endowment for the Arts. More information at www.iowaartscouncil.org.