Mark Your Calendars!

For those interested in creating community arts projects, mark your calendars for the first ever Amnesty International Human Rights Arts Festival! Scheduled for April 23-25 in Silver Spring, Maryland (right outside D.C.), this is a rare opportunity to view work by over 90 artists and 50 arts organizations in theater, film, dance, visual arts, and music who all are presenting work related to human rights.

You really must check out the list of participants, as many of the organizations and artists are well known for their socially-minded art. Who is up for caravaning to D.C. for the event?

Social Innovation Fund: Matching Grants

The Social Innovation Fund, a new public-private collaboration created by the 2009 Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, is designed to create new knowledge about how to solve social challenges in the areas of economic opportunity, youth development and school support, and healthy futures, and to improve our nation’s problem-solving infrastructure in low-income communities.

Community organizations will receive financial support from intermediaries on the order of no less than $100,000 per year for three to five years, as well as strategic support in areas such as management, and evaluation. Community organizations must also provide a 1:1 cash match for the total amount—Federal and private dollars—they receive from the intermediaries.

The Notice of Funds Available is scheduled to release in February 2010.

What an excellent opportunity to venture into a well-funded project that solves community issues through the arts. Not too many details are available right now on the Corporation for National & Community Service website, but be sure to check back in February.

Piedmont Interfaith Council Activities

Piedmont Interfaith Council invites students to join the Children's Tapestry Chorus any time. Rehearsals just started January 5th. However, you can't miss out on "Loving God--Loving Neighbors," the once-a-year observance of World Religion Day, which will be held this Sunday at 3 PM. Check out the above links for more details.

World Religion Day 2009 by Sharon Hodgson

Artist As Entrepreneur: E4C Follow Up

Artist Betsy Renfrew spent 2009 refocusing her skills towards community involvement and refugee issues. The link below is her YouTube report to the E4C group, a workshop for arts entrepreneurship sponsored by United Arts Council and Piedmont Triad Partnership

http://mdaexchange.blogspot.com/2010/01/betsy-renfrew-projects-2009.html

GUMBO To Be Held Weekly at Central Library

In the last edition of The Chronicle, local artist Derrick Monk was profiled for his many socially entreprenerial activities across the Triad. Derrick has a number of programs to his name, including United Creations Support Services, the Come-Unity Mural program, Greensboro public art, etc.

Coming up next: Derrick's GUMBO program (Group Unification Movement while Bridging Opportunities), which partners an artist painting live while local musicians, poets, or other artists perform simultaenously, will be held weekly at the Central Library in Winston-Salem. Check with the library for more information.

UC Support Services at the 2008 Juneteenth Festival. From UC Support Services website, 1/4/10.