WATA Outings

Hi all,
I'm planning to attend Machinal by Sophie Treadwell on March 18, and the Solo Mujeres Exhibition on March 23 (though that date is flexible.) Email me at watabayarea@gmail.com if you're interested in attending with me as a "WATA Field Trip"

Sólo Mujeres Exhibition at the Mission Cultural Center

The Sólo Mujeres (Women Only) exhibition runs February 20-March 27 at the Mission Cultural Center in San Francisco. Entitled "Future Landscapes Designed by Women," was currated by Patricia Rodriguez and includes:

Jenny Badger Sultan
Isabel Barbuzza
Bianca Ana Chavez
Maria Adela Diaz
Amy M Ho
Kate Leffler
Ana de Orbegoso
Alejandra Palos
Anastasia Winter Schipani
Marsha Shaw
Zahava Sherez
The Counter Narrative Project
Linda Vallejo
Michelle Waters
Anais Ye

The exhibit "expresses how women envision our times yet to come, what landscapes women are women designing and how women see themselves in these times of change. The exhibition will feature: installations, paintings, sculpture, mixed media, fiber art, and video."

New Arts Funding in San Francisco

How often do we see NEW organizations devoted to funding the arts in the Bay Area?

The Kenneth Rainin Foundation seeks to further the memory of our founder and fulfill his vision of dramatically improving the human experience through collaborating with others with similar values to create the energy to make positive change. His vision was guided by the belief that improved quality of life is possible through innovation, inquiry, creativity and synergistic interactions.

To that end, the Kenneth Rainin Foundation is pleased to announce the launch of our new grants program to support dance, theater and film in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Dance & Theater Grants

The Foundation supports theaters, companies and service organizations that:

• Exhibit a strong passion for and commitment to the San Francisco Bay Area performing arts community
• Demonstrate a performance history in the San Francisco Bay Area
• Display artistic promise and vision
• Bring vital performances and programs to the public

Grants will be awarded in the spring and the fall of each year. The application period for the first grant cycle opened January 28, 2009. The first stage of the application process is a Letter of Inquiry (LOI) designed to take under an hour to complete online. The final date for LOI submission is February 23, 2009. On March 13, 2009, selected applicants will be invited to submit a full proposal.

Grant awards range in size from $5,000 - $50,000. Introductory grants will be project-based only.

Click here to review guidelines and submit a Letter of Inquiry

Narrative Film Grants

The Kenneth Rainin Foundation, in partnership with The San Francisco Film Society, supports Bay Area filmmakers in the production of narrative features that through plot, character, theme and/or setting significantly explore human and civil rights, anti-discrimination, gender issues, sexual identity and other urgent social justice issues of our time.

Click here for specific eligibility requirements and to submit a Letter of Inquiry

FOR FULL INFORMATION, CHECK OUT THEIR WEBSITE:
http://krfoundation.org/

WATA Monthly Meeting Tonight at Koko Cocktails

Don't forget tonight is WATA's monthly meeting.

We're meeting at Koko Cocktails on Van Ness at 7:30pm.

We're trying something different this month and instead of a formal agenda, WATA members are invited to come and just hang out for a bit. You're invited to get to know your fellow women artists.

See you there!

Second Annual International Support Women Artists Now Day (SWAN)

Support Women Artists Now Day (SWAN), a project of The Fund for Women Artists, will take place on the last Saturday of March. SWAN organizers invite all to participate in this holiday (March 28, 2009).

The goal of SWAN is to focuse attention on the work of women artists thereby "SWAN Day helps people imagine what the world might be like if women’s art and perspectives were fully integrated into all of our lives."

How can you celebrate?

You can host or attend an event. Check out the SWAN website for information on how to participate.

Funding for Arts Restored to House Stimulus Package

Good news!

Today the House of Representatives voted 246 to 183 to pass the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The bill includes $50 million in direct support for arts jobs through the National Endowment for the Arts and language that would have prevented museums, theaters, and arts centers from receiving stimulus funds was removed.
-Americans for the Arts

Many thanks to all those who wrote their congressman in support of the arts. And a special thank-you to those who've been advocating for the arts.

Why the Arts Matter

Like many artists I have a 9-5 job. I work in the philanthropy sector, which has given me some insight into how grantmakers think (especially those who give money to the arts). As the economic crisis has taken hold I have seen its affects on both the arts and philanthropic sector.

Like many artists I have seen what happens during lean times: the arts are first on the chopping block.

So I am very glad to see Jim Canales, the CEO of the James Irvine Foundation (a very big supporter of the arts), making the case for why the arts is an essential part of our communities and our economy.

Last week Jim wrote an article featured in the SF Chronicle. Here are some of the highlights (emphasis mine):

• In the Bay Area, the arts create more than 31,000 jobs and generate $1.2 billion in economic activity every year.
• The arts produce $105 million in local and state tax revenue for the Bay Area (far more than the government spends on the arts).
• Surveys report that 93 percent of parents believe that the arts are essential to a well-rounded education.
• Ten million new jobs in the next decade will be in the "creative class," according to economist Richard Florida. These are jobs that involve imagination and ingenuity which are best developed by experiencing the arts.

Read the full article online.