Louisiana is rebuilding. Slowly and surely things are beginning to return to a new normal. Grants programs help strengthen the infrastructure and capacity of our cultural industries. The Office of Cultural Development is working closely with the Louisiana Cultural Economy Foundation as they administer a grants program targeting artists, arts businesses and organizations to recover losses. Among the numerous agencies across the country gathering and dispersing resources for the cultural communities in the Gulf Coast is New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA). We urge you to check the offerings at the NYFA website regularly. Division of the Arts, Archaeology and Historic Preservation grants and resources will be featured and accessible as available.
In late December of 2005, the Cultural Economy Foundation announced its Relief Grant Program and made applications (Individual Artist and Cultural Economy Small Business, and Non-profit) and Guidelines available online. Over three hundred and fifty applications were received before the April 3, 2006 deadline.
Grant Outcomes
So many artists suffered tremendous loss as a result of the hurricanes. It is an overwhelming feat to attempt to assess the damage and loss. Though data is still being collected, the following statistics represent Fall 2005 findings:
Damage to Louisiana Artists--
- 10,000 artists and cultural workers are jobless
- 10,000 have left home and are displaced across country
- 2,000 have lost artwork and equipment
- 2,000 have lost their workspace
- 30% residences uninhabitable
- 200-300 have serious health needs
As of June 30, 2006 the Louisiana Cultural Economy Foundation (LCEF) review committee has completed Rounds 1-3 application evaluations and is about to finalize its recommendations for Rounds 4 and 5. Of the grants that have already been received and/or funded by LCEF:
- Round One, 62.5% were individual artists, 18.8% small businesses, and 18.8% non-profit organizations. $85,750 was awarded.
- Round Two, 72% were individual artists, 9% small businesses, and 19% non-profit organizations. $81,500 was awarded.
- Round Three, 51% were individual artists, 22.2% small businesses, and 27% non-profit organizations. $101,400 was awarded.
- Round Four, 56% were individual artists, 16% small businesses, and 28% non-profit organizations. This round is still awaiting board approval for funding.
- Round Five, 63% were individual artists, 15% small businesses, and 22% non-profit organizations. This round is still awaiting board approval for funding.
- There are 75 pending applicaitons for Round Six, 73% of which are individual artists, 11% small businesses, and 16% non-profit organizations.
- There have been 357 applications received.
It is anticipated that future grant opportunities made available by the Foundation will focus on rebuilding the industries and workforce within our cultural economy. Check this site regularly for updates.
Notice to all applicants: grant applications to restore historic properties in Louisiana damaged by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita were due for receipt by the Division of Historic Preservation 5:00 PM Friday December 15, 2006. Applications submitted after that time will not be accepted. The Division will notify all applicants in writing as to the status of their applications no later than February 6, 2007. Meantime the Division staff would like to convey its appreciation to all applicants for their dedication in pursuit of Louisiana's full recovery. If you would like to learn more about the Division, or about Historic Preservation in General, please feel free to visit our website Louisianhp.org.
The Road Home program – the largest single housing recovery program in U.S. history – was developed by Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco to help our residents get back into a home or apartment as quickly and fairly as possible.
Through The Road Home, eligible homeowners have three compensation options:
- Stay
- Buyout and relocate in Louisiana
- Sell
The Road Home program is currently taking applications. It does not cost anything to apply. Eligible homeowners affected by Hurricane Rita or Katrina may receive up to $150,000 in compensation for losses to get back into their homes. To find out more about the program and apply, please visit their website: www.road2la.org.
The Gallery of Art & Design at NC State University announces the inaugural Southeastern Photography Triennial (SPoT!), a juried photography exhibition open to artists throughout the Southeast. The exhibition will run August 23-October 7, 2007, at the Gallery of Art & Design, located in the Talley Student Center on the NC State University campus.
The competition is open to all photographers currently living in the Southeastern United States (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia). Images chosen for inclusion in the exhibition will be published in a catalogue. In addition, the juror will choose several works for special recognition, with a cash award of $3000 going to the image named Best in Show and other cash awards going to second and third place winners. Friends of the Gallery and other sponsoring agencies will be making Purchase Awards in excess of $10,000 from among images included in the show.
Photographers wishing to submit work for consideration in SPoT should prepare a digital file of each image, limit three images per photographer. Images are to be submitted as files on disks, mailed in appropriate packing, to the Gallery of Art and Design by February 1, 2007. The entry fee, to cover administrative costs of the competition, will be $25 per artist. Those whose work will be included in the show will be notified via email by April 1, 2007.
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
Entry must contain the following:
Entry form. Forms may be obtained by visiting the Gallery of Art & Design website: http://gad.ncsu.edu.
CD of images for consideration. No more than 3 images per photographer. Images can originate in any format, but must be submitted digitally on CD. (No e-mail submission of images will be accepted.) Images should be in jpeg format, saved at the highest jpeg setting, and sized at 72 dpi with the longest side of the image set at 16 inches. Each jpeg should be titled with the photographer's last name, photographer's first name (abbreviated as needed), and image number, for example: doe_john_01.jpg. Color images should be in RGB Color mode. Compact disc and case must be clearly labeled with the photographer's full name.
Museums and museum employees can apply to one of the following funds:
SEMC GENERAL ASSISTANCE FUND - Awards up to $5,000 per museum may be used to subsidize loss of revenue in general operating and/or program support due to Hurricane Katrina. Click here to download a PDF of the guidelines and applications.
SEMC MUSEUM EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE FUND - In the amount of $1,000 per individual, it may be used for living expenses and other costs associated with loss of income due to Hurricane Katrina. Please click here to download a PDF of the guidelines and application.
SEMC ASSESSMENT NEEDS FUND - In the amount of $500 per southeastern museum, it is available for museums to hire certified conservators to evaluate and, if possible, to stabilize or give immediate attention to works in collections damaged by Hurricane Katrina. Click here to download a PDF of the guidelines and application.
On December 22, 2005, President Bush signed House Resolution 4440, the Gulf Opportunity Zone Act of 2005. Known as the GO Zone legislation, this resolution provided for economic development incentives for the areas of the country that were devastated by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
Among the benefits offered in the legislation, provisions were made to increase current tax benefits for the rehabilitation of historic buildings, and non-residential buildings that were built before 1936. For the 31 parishes located in the GO Zone, this means that the Federal 20% Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit will be increased to 26% for costs incurred from August 28, 2005 through January 1, 2009. The 10% Credit for income-producing buildings built prior to 1936 will be increased to 13% for the same period.
All previous requirements of the above-listed programs are still in effect.
For more information about federal historic preservation tax incentives, click here.
In response to the devasting effcts of Hurricane Katrina, A Studio in the Woods, is offering eight four-week residencies from February 2 through December 31, 2006 for New Orleans visual artists, musicians, writers, and performers who have lost their homes and studios in the hurricane, and are displaced in other cities and communities.
Residencies provide lodging, food, studio space, and uninterrupted time in the rustic, natural setting on the Westbank of New Orleans. Also provided are transportation costs to and from New Orleans and within the city, a $2000 stipend and funding for materials.
For more information and application guidelines, please visit www.astudiointhewoods.org, or email: info@astudiointhewoods.org, or call 504-392-5359.
Mercy Corps has officially launched is Gulf Coast Youth Program Recovery Program. Grants awards of up to $20,000 are available. Please find the attached documents for more information.
The Fund targets the following agencies and programs:
- Licensed day care providers and their services
- Schools (pre-school to grade 12) and their sports, arts/culture/music, and psychosocial programs and/or services
- After-school agencies/non-profits and their youth programs (academic support, sports, arts/culture/music, life skills, etc.)
The U.S. Fund for UNICEF and Mercy Corps have jointly funded an initial pot of $600,000, targeted as follows:
- Orleans Parish, LA - $200,000
- Jefferson, St. Tammany and St. Bernard Parishes, LA: $200,000.
- Hancock and Harrison Counties, MS: $200,000.
For more information contact:
Rachel Hien
Grants Development and Program Impact Manager
Mercy Corps Gulf Coast Hurricane Recovery Program
The Shaw Center for the Arts, Room B248
100 Lafayette St.
Baton Rouge, LA 70801
Land: 225.383.0210
Cell: 225.326.0195
At a May 31st conference sponsored by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and Tulane University in New Orleans, First Lady Laura Bush announced two new grant initiatives that will provide funding to institutions that have suffered a major disaster. The Institute of Museum and Library Services is reserving $1.5 million of the grant money it will award over the next year for projects related to the Gulf Coast and other regions affected by major disasters. Read more about this program at www.imls.gov/news/2006/060106.shtm. The National Endowment for the Humanities will award an additional $750,000 in stabilization grants to cultural and historical institutions along the Gulf Coast. Details of the program can be found at www.neh.gov/news/archive/20060602.html.
Call to artists for a MailArt postcard size show in Louisville, Kentucky that will be displayed next March 2007 at the Days Espresso and Coffee House and Friday, April 6th, 2007 at the Expressions Gallery in downtown Louisville, Kentucky.
Send in an original postcard sized (4"x6" or smaller) piece of artwork to be donated to the show. 100% of sales will go toward the Wayside Christian Mission in Louisville, Kentucky. It is a local charity that is a homeless shelter and addiction recovery center. There is no limit to the number of entries of original art submitted as long as there is no hatred towards others or erotica implied or displayed. Postmark deadline of December 31, 2006.
More information about submissions and the exhibit can be found at http://coffeemailart.websiteanimal.com or mail original art postcards to:
COFFEE - How does it make you feel?P.O. Box 991093
Louisville, Kentucky 40269-1093
The Louisiana Folklore Society is seeking papers that deal with the emergence of community, carnival, and expressive culture in Louisiana in the re-building of the region. We are particularly interested in papers and presentations that deal with carnival, in its many manifestations, across the state, nation, and in global contexts. As Louisiana and the South represent historically entrenched trans-national zones of encounter, we also invite papers that deal with the larger issues of Caribbean connections and Atlantic cultures as expressed in the many aspects of the cultural production of carnival.
Areas of focus especially welcome are studies dealing with broad understandings of the intersection of music, regionalism, and spirituality in the performance of carnival in the Atlantic World.
Folk artists and those researching any cultural group or tradition in Louisiana are encouraged to present as well.
Please submit 250-word abstracts via e-mail to, solimar@lsu.edu, by December 15th, 2006.
Applications for the 2007 Artist-in-Residence program at Acadia National Park will be accepted until January 5, 2007. This program offers professional writers, musicians, composers, and visual and performing artists the opportunity to pursue their particular art form while being surrounded by the inspiring landscape of Acadia National Park.
The park will provide housing for selected participants for periods of two to four weeks in the spring, summer, or fall of 2007. Spring residencies will be on Mount Desert Island. Summer and fall residencies will be on Schoodic Peninsula. In return, each artist must agree to present one public program per week of their residency. Presentations may be in the form of a talk, demonstration, workshop or walk. Spring programs may be for either students or adults. Fall presentations will be for fifth through eighth grade students attending Acadia's residential camp. Artists must also donate one piece of their work to Acadia within six months. The work will become part of a permanent collection of art that will be used in exhibits and for educational purposes to advance the concepts of protection, preservation and appreciation of wilderness and national parks.
Applications must be received by January 5, 2007 for consideration for the 2007 season. Notification will be made by March 1, 2007. A $25 non-refundable application fee is required.
For more information and to request the application guidelines, call 207-288-3338, extension 0, or go to the website at: www.nps.gov/acad/supportyourpark/artistinresidence.htm. To receive the guidelines by mail, send your request to the following address:
Artist-in-Residence Program
Acadia National Park
PO Box 177
Bar Harbor, ME 04609
