January, 2005

NEWS FROM THE FIELD

Congratulations to Megan White who has been named Director of the State and Local Partnership Program at the New York State Council on the Arts, replacing Michael Unthank.

Welcome to Michele Southgate, Executive Director of Arts & Culture for Oswego County.

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ARTS DAY IN ALBANY and WASHINGTON, DC

Join your colleagues and celebrities in Albany as we work on behalf of the Arts Budget in New York State. Let's work together to stem the cuts to Arts Funding experienced by our field over the past two years. Bring your community, staffs, artists and board members. Arts Day is a grass roots groundswell of constituents endorsing public funding for the arts in NYS. This year we have reserved "THE WELL" in the legislative office building in Albany and we will be working to enhance Arts Day with attractive performances and exhibits from every corner of the State. DETAILS WILL FOLLOW BY EMAIL.
National Arts Advocacy Day is scheduled for March 15-16 in Washington DC.

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REMINDER...MEMBER SURVEY: PLEASE RETURN BY January 30, 2005

In November we emailed a link to the Annual Member Survey. So far the responses have been slow. We need your help. Now that the holidays have passed, please take a moment to fill it in now. We have designed it to be relatively SHORT and simple to complete. The data informs the field and enables the Alliance to provide information to members on financial, salary and benefit comparisons. THIS INFORMATION IS FREQUENTLY REQUESTED. We'd like to have 100% participation. Please take a moment to help us reach this goal by January 30, 2005.

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FROM THE UPSTATE OFFICE: Martha Strodel, Director Rural Arts Program

Happy New Year! My wish is that 2005 will bring new financial stability to all of you in the field. You've done wonders with shrinking financial support these past three years; finally, the stock market is showing some steady growth and the economy seems to be
strengthening. There are possibilities with new leadership anticipated at the New York State Council on the Arts, and Megan White has been appointed Director of the NYSCA State & Local Partnership Program. (Congratulations, Megan!)

We have work to do to build the NYSCA budget and Local Assistance support to the field. As indicated in this Memo, Arts Day in Albany is scheduled for Tuesday, March 22nd. Please plan to attend and bring board members, staff, art supporters, volunteers. A solid showing at Arts Day helps us make a case for increased NYSCA support.

Along with working to increase our support through NYSCA, we also need to keep building the momentum of local support for our programs and services. Many of you have done some outstanding work along these lines. Starting this month, I'll be using the Alliance Rurals list serv to share some best practices from the field. In the near future, these postings will focus on building new membership and member renewals; annual donor campaigns and board fundraising efforts. If you have a success story to share about any of these topics, please let me know: mstrodel@nycap.rr.com

COMMUNITY ACTION TEAMS

The Alliance is pleased to announce that it has received an NEA grant supporting "COMMUNITY ACTION TEAMS (CAT)", which will be comprised of "circuit riding" professionals with expertise in all areas of community development. Each team will be specifically tailored to local needs and will work in communities selected through a competitive process. The CAT Teams will include consultants who specialize in economic and organizational development, public/private sector partnership and fundraising necessary to implement the resulting community plans. Watch for application details in the Spring of 2005.

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NYSCA NEWS UPDATE AND GRANTING SEMINAR SCHEDULE

NYSCA is gearing up for the FY2005-2006 grant cycle. In the coming weeks
the NYSCA website, www.nysca.org will have a new look and the updated
funding guidelines will be posted. Registration for FY06 grants begins the first week in January. Organizations seeking Council support, even those with multi-year
grants, are required to register grant requests by March 1, 2005. Grant application seminars are scheduled around the state beginning December 15 and continuing into February. The 2-hour seminars are designed for new applicants and individuals who are newly responsible for their organization's NYSCA grant application. Two additional
sessions are being offered for artists seeking NYSCA support, as
sponsored projects. Visit the NYSCA website for details on the locations
and to rsvp.
Remaining Seminars are:
Wed. January 12, 2005, 10:30 am at the Cinema Arts Centre, Huntington
Thurs. January 13, 2005, 1:30 pm at the Columbia-Greene Community
College, Hudson
Fri. January 14, 2005, 10:30 am at the Lower Adirondack Regional Arts
Council, Glens Falls
Tues. January 18, 2005 1 pm at the Buffalo & Erie Co. Historical
Society, Buffalo (Artists Seminar at 3 pm)
Wed. January 26, 2005, 2 pm at the Rochester Museum & Science
Center, Rochester
Tues. February 1, 2005, 2 pm at The Red House, Syracuse
Thurs. February 3, 2005, 11 am at the Brooklyn Museum, (Artists Seminar,
1pm)
Thurs. February 10, 2005, 10:30 am at the New York Public Library, Fifth
Ave & 42nd St

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OPPORTUNTITIES

DOWNTOWN NYC CAPITAL GRANTS
Lower Manhattan Cultural Council has announced a new round of capital grants for cultural activity below Canal Street. To see if your group is eligible, go to the following link http://www.lmcc.net/ServicesandResources/GrantandFundin g_Info/Regrant_Programs/Cultural_Capital_main.html

WESTCHESTER ARTS COUNCIL ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS FOR ARTS AWARD 2005
Westchester Arts Council is accepting nomination for its 2005 Arts Award to be presented at the Arts Award Luncheon on Friday April 8, 2005 at the Rye Town Hilton. Nomination forms may be obtained by calling (914) 428-4220, ext. 225 or by visiting www.westarts.com. Entries must be received on or before Tuesday, February 4, 2005.

BAM LOCAL DEVELOPMENT CORP REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST RFEI
The BAM Local Development Corporation, in cooperation with the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA), is pleased to issue a Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEI) to nonprofit cultural organizations interested in expanding within, locating to, or otherwise being part of the cultural and mixed-use facilities on BAM Cultural District's North Site. The BAM LDC is an independent nonprofit organization whose mission is to create the BAM Cultural District - a vibrant, mixed-use multicultural arts district in Downtown Brooklyn that will be a resource for the arts, the local community, the borough of Brooklyn and the City as a whole. When fully developed, the North Site of the Cultural District will contain a diverse mix of culture, mixed-income housing, retail, open space and below-grade parking. It will be a place where new, emerging and more established arts organizations will create and present work, where collaboration and sharing will take place and where the public will be welcome. Detailed submission guidelines and requirements are outlined in the RFEI, available as of December 6, 2004, which can be downloaded at www.bamculturaldistrict.org. For more information, please email info@bamldc.org or call 718-907-4403.

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JOB BOARD

Administrative Assistant needed at The Chenango County Council of the Arts in Norwich, NY. Job duties will include, but are not limited to, the following: performance and event coordination, internet ticket sales management, membership database management, receptionist, administrative/clerical tasks and general office management. Qualified person should possess excellent oral and written communication skills, be highly organized and posses strong customer service skills. S/he should be a team player and perform well under deadlines. Knowledge of Microsoft Word and Microsoft Outlook preferred. Please no phone calls. Send resume to: Chenango County Council of the Arts. 27 West Main Street.Norwich, NY 13815.

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The Alliance of New York State Arts Organizations has a 30-year history as New York’s service association for arts and cultural organizations. The Alliance provides leadership and vision, and delivers services, resources and tools that strengthen cultural organizations. The Alliance informs the field on statewide and national issues affecting the arts and assists local arts agencies in building community support.

P.O. Box 96
Mattituck, NY 11952-0096
Phone (631) 298-1234 / Fax (631) 298-1101