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SAN MATEO COUNTY’S 10 CALIFORNIA ARTS SCHOLARS HONORED
Ten of San Mateo County’s most
artistically talented high school students have been selected to
participate in the California State Summer School for the Arts (also known
as InnerSpark), a month-long intensive summer program led by top creative
professionals. The 10 students were honored in special ceremonies June 4
in The Lodge in Belmont’s Twin Pines Park. Ceremonies throughout the state
were sponsored by Union Bank of California.
Congratulations to the 2004
California Arts Scholars from San Mateo County: Tyler Leon of Burlingame,
Mallory La Bro, Jasmine Moser and Tiare Tavake Gordon of Daly City, Myra
Messner of El Granada, Jessica Hemingway and Mallory Ortberg of Menlo
Park, Sean Monaghan of San Bruno and Justine Drennan and Jason Hendardy of
San Mateo.
High school-age students were
required to meet rigorous application requirements, including submission
of either audition tapes, writing samples, portfolios of their work,
slides, film clips and storyboards. Applications were judged by
distinguished artists, educators and representatives of the California
State Summer School for the Arts faculty. More than 1,200 applications
were received for the 520 available spot at the summer program.
In recognition of these gifted high
school artists, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger designated June 4, 2004, as
California Arts Scholars Day. At the Belmont reception hosted by ARTshare,
the young artists were presented with medallions embossed with the state
seal. ARTshare Executive Director Sharon Prager opened the proceedings,
praising the students for their achievements and noting how students with
arts degrees are valued most highly by business these days. Assemblyman
Gene Mullin and San Mateo County Arts Commissioner Brian Douglas presented
the medallions and numerous certificates of recognition from our national
and state representatives and the County Board of Supervisors.
The students will study from July 10
through August 7, 2004, on the campus of the California Institute of the
Arts in Valencia, California. InnerSpark offers instruction in the fields
of animation, music, dance, film and video, theatre, creative writing and
the visual arts. It provides a unique opportunity to spend four weeks
studying and working with professional artists, writers and performers of
national stature.
CALIFORNIA ARTS COUNCIL BUDGET
After many years of service,
California Arts Council Executive Director Barry Hessenius, who spoke so
eloquently about the crisis in arts funding at ARTshare’s Diamond Awards
Luncheon in March, offered his resignation to Governor Arnold
Schwarzenegger and his new administration. Juan Carrillo has been
appointed as Interim Director by the Governor.
Mr. Carrillo brings 26 years of
experience to the position. He states that it is now his responsibility
“to steer this agency through the next few months” until the Governor
announces the next Director.
He reports that both the Senate
Budget Subcommittee #4 and the Assembly Budget Subcommittee #4 have
approved the Governor’s recommended state funding of $1.075 million for
the California Arts Council. However, Assemblymember Sarah Reyes has
proposed an additional $10 million for the CAC budget. As a next step, the
Joint Budget Conference Committee will begin its work.
You may not be aware that the
slashing of the CAC budget to just over $1 million (from the former
allocation of $18 million) has eliminated all of the funding for the Local
Arts Partners – including ARTshare, which is the Local Arts Partner for
San Mateo County. This means that a major portion of the ARTshare budget
has disappeared.
Also eliminated throughout the state
are such important programs as Artists in the Schools--with individual and
multiple artist residencies, Arts Partnerships in Education, the
Demonstration Project Program in K-12 public schools, and the Exemplary
Arts Education Program. The State of California is now ranked last in the
nation in per capita support for the arts. California spends a mere 3
cents per person to support the arts, while the national average is $1.15.
In contrast, New York spends more than $2.75 per person.
For updated information on the
California Arts Council, visit the website at
www.cac.ca.gov.
EDUCATORS WORKSHOP
A three-day hands-on workshop for
classroom teachers and youth developers interested in learning the basics
of integrating art into the classroom and community setting with be held
from August 17 through August 19 at the Museum of Children’s Art in
Oakland. The workshop also is appropriate for artists interested in
developing their teaching skills and linking their practice to classroom
environments, and for art teachers wishing to learn new techniques and
explore new ideas for their curriculum. No art experience is necessary. It
will be taught by Arlene Shmaeff, M.A.
It will include activities with a
wide variety of visual media, learning about the California Visual and
Performing Arts Framework, and learning how to use visual art as a
learning tool and point of entry for core curriculum. Space is limited;
the registration deadline is August 10. The cost is $250. For more
information, visit call the registrar at (510) 465-8770, extension 311, or
visit the web site at:
www.mocha.org/teachertrainingparented/index.html#educators.
JUNE AS FUNDING FOR ARTS MONTH
The Foundation Center is celebrating
June as Funding for Arts Month. Visual or performing artists, filmmakers,
writers, researchers, and musicians can take advantage of a free one-week
subscription to “Foundation Grants to Individuals Online” during June.
It’s the only online resource devoted exclusively to foundations that
award grants to individuals, providing information on more than 6,100
foundation and public charity programs. To find out more, visit
www.fdncenter.org.
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