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County Executive's Office

CULTURAL AFFAIRS COMMISSION AWARDS $138,420

August 14, 2009
Karen Crossley, Director, 266-5915
County Executive

Fifty-nine grants supporting arts and cultural activities countywide

with public-private funds

The Dane County Cultural Affairs Commission announces the award of fifty-five project grants totaling $127,800 for community arts, cultural, and local history programs, three capital grants totaling $9,620, and one mini grant in the amount of $1,000, serving an estimated 202,080 area citizens and residents.  In the Commission’s second grant cycle of the year, county dollars combined with funds from the American Girl’s Fund for Children, Endres Manufacturing Company Foundation, The Evjue Foundation, Inc., the charitable arm of The Capital Times, Madison Community Foundation’s Arts Access Fund, Overture Foundation, and Pleasant T. Rowland Foundation will be matched by over $1.2  million from other sources.  Capital grants awarded to small arts organizations with funds provided to the Commission by the Overture Foundation are matched dollar-for-dollar by the recipients with dollars from other local sources.  The grant recipients follow.

Visual Arts

Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, $4,500, in support of Signs of the Times:  Robert Rauschenberg’s America, first local solo exhibition presenting three of Rauschenberg’s major print series that reflect a socially and politically tumultuous time, produced between 1968 and 1970. 

Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, $2,500, supporting ArtZone, an initiative providing upper elementary and middle school students participating in after-school programs at neighborhood centers throughout Madison with high quality, visual arts experiences.

Open Art Studios, $5,000, for Open Art Studios 2009 inviting the public into over 100 local artists’ studios to meet artists and directly experience art making.

UW Cinematheque, $3,000, supporting The Kings of Bollywood, a free film series focusing upon two Bollywood superstars:  Amitabh Bachchan and Shay Rukh Khan.

Center for Photography at Madison, $750, in support of Accidental Art:  Collecting Found Photography, an exhibition featuring found photography collections of seven local fine art photographers, along with their own original work.

James Watrous Gallery of the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters, $2,000, for Michael Velliquette and Denis Sargent Solo Exhibitions, side-by-side shows featuring Velliquette’s intricate, brightly-colored cut paper constructions and Sargent’s unstretched canvas pieces than hang loosely on the wall.

Theater

TAPIT/new works, $3,000, for Help Wanted:  A New Multi-Disciplinary Play, a comedy focused upon the search for security, true love or at least a part-time job.

PlayTime Productions, $3,000, for The Little Match Girl, presented to children and families in multiple performance venues countywide.

Madison Theatre Guild, $2,500, in support of Forever Plaid and Souvenir in Combination, two contrasting productions presented on alternating nights on the same stage.

Strollers Theatre, $1,500, supporting production of Cat’s-Paw, a complex, contemporary drama.

Kathie Rasmussen Womens Theater, $1,000, for Smart Women Project, an inaugural project by a new company presenting ten original short plays written by women.

Encore Studio for the Performing Arts, $2,000, in support of Tidings from the Seasonally Affected, a two-act farce incorporating musical intermezzos, performed by actors with disabilities.

Forward Theater Company, $3,000, for All About Eve, a one-night audio broadcast production, inaugural performance by a new, local professional theater company.

Four Seasons Theatre Company, $5,000, supporting Little Women:  The Musical, presenting the musical version of Little Women via a new partnership between Four Seasons and Children’s Theater of Madison. 

Laboratory Theatre, $3,000, for Educating Rita, African-American adaptation of a modern classic, specially targeting high school students.

Mercury Players Theater, $1,000, for preview production of Tearoom Tango, original play by local playwright selected for New York Fringe Festival 2009. 

Music

John Duggleby, $500, supporting Affordable Musical Programs for Seniors/Disabled Adults, concerts of familiar music presented in accessible venues.

Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, $2,500, in support of Masterworks Concert with Violinist Augustin Hadelich and associated programs in several area high schools.

Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, $1,800, in support of Halloween Concert, a family program featuring orchestral music, entertaining guest artists, stage theatrics, and children’s activities.

Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestra, $2,000, for Steenbock Fall 2009 Concerts, WYSO’s inaugural concerts of the season.

con vivo!, $500, for DaCapo!, a chamber music concert with favorite selected works from previous performances.

Wisconsin Union Theater, $4,500, supporting 2009 World Music Festival, celebrating musical traditions from around the world via a multi-day program of free performances and community events. 

Studio Orchestra, $1,250, for Senior Living Establishments Concerts, presenting popular music by a 35-piece orchestra in nursing homes and retirement centers around Dane County.

Madison Bach Musicians, $2,500, supporting Vivaldi & Bach Concerts.

Madison Music Collective, $1,000, for Relationships Old and New, a series of three monthly concerts showcasing local musicians showcasing jazz and improvisation.

Overture Center for the Arts, $2,500, for Overture After Work, a free live-music series featuring a broad range of musical genres by local and regional musicians.

Festival Choir of Madison, $1,200, in support of Shakin’ the Blues Away, a choral presentation of joyful work.

Madison Symphony Orchestra, $3,000, supporting Heartstrings, an interactive musical performance program for people with special needs and disabilities.

Friends of the Arboretum, $2,000, for Oakwood Chamber Players Collaborative Performance, a special nature-themed concert and tours in celebration of the Arboretum’s 75th anniversary and Oakwood Chamber Players’ 25th anniversary.

Monona Terrace Community Events, $3,500, for Tunes at Monona Terrace, a free concert series showcasing a variety of local and regional bands and music.

PeBoGa, $1,500, for Fall Gospel Fest Concert, fifth annual fall gospel fest concert featuring nationally renowned Gospel artists.

Madison Youth Choirs, $1,800, supporting A Night at the Opera, a set of choral musical experiences including study and performance focused upon a classical opera repertoire.

Dance

Kanopy Dance Theatre, $2,000, for Dark Nights, a concert of modern dance including several premiers. 

Dance Wisconsin, $2,000, supporting Nutcracker Fantasy Ballet, an independent variation on Tchaikovsky’s seasonal classic featuring local dancers and guest artists.

Madison Ballet, $4,000, in support of Movement in Your World, presenting a workshop series for young children within over 30 Head Start classrooms throughout Dane County.

Jazzworks Dance Company, $2,500, for A World Without Walls, a collaborative piece celebrating cultural traditions, performed by youth dancers representing multiple local schools and studios. 

Multidisciplinary Arts/Culture

Madison-Camagüey Sister City Association, $1,500, for Cuban Artists in Madison/Celebrating Friendship, a local residency engaging two distinguished artists from Camagüey, Cuba, painter Orestes Larios Zaak and sculptor Perez Escobar.

Wisconsin Youth! Company, $5,000, supporting Celebrating Youth! 2010, a free public extravaganza offering dozens of performance and participatory opportunities including visual arts, dance, theater and music for thousands of area youth and their families.

North/Eastside Senior Coalition, $500, in support of Rejoice in the Wisdom of Women, a musical program, Wearing our Crowns, centered around women and their relationships with Sunday hats.

Sarah White, $1,000, for Remember to Write Fall 2009, a series of reminiscence writing workshops and a public story night for participants of all ages but especially targeting seniors.

Madison Opera, $2,500, supporting Carmen:  Student Matinee, a full production for area high school students.

Madison Opera, $2,000, supporting The Turn of the Screw, presenting Benjamin Britten’s compelling adaptation of Henry James’ ghostly tale.

Africasong Communications, $2,500, for 30th State of Wisconsin Tribute & Ceremony to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., a multi-faceted arts and cultural event presented to the public in the Wisconsin State Capitol Rotunda.

Opera for the Young, $500, for The Elixir of Love public performance at the Stoughton Opera House.

Simpson Street Free Press, $3,000, supporting Art is for Everyone, an initiative including feature stories and editorials focused upon local arts and culture, written by youth.

Wisconsin Humanities Council, $5,000, in support of Wisconsin Book Festival, a free multi-day event including public readings, discussions, workshops and other literary offerings, featuring renowned novelists, poets, historians, and other champions of the written word.

Arts-in-Schools

Emerson Elementary School, $2,000, for Hands on Drumming, for a weeklong residency with master drummer and dancer, Nani Agbeli, from Ghana. 

Children’s Theater of Madison, $3,500, supporting Young Playwrights, a partnership engaging local high school students in the process of creating performance pieces from inception to final production.

Overture Center for the Arts, $2,000, for High School Musical Theatre Program, a new initiative featuring high school musical productions culminating in an awards event recognizing excellence in high school musical theater.

Opera for the Young, $1,000, supporting The Elixir of Love, performed in five Dane County elementary schools. 

James Madison Memorial High School, $1,000, for Drama Education for High School Preparation, a new innovative program empowering young adults to help educate and prepare incoming high school students using theater and drama.

American Players Theatre, $4,000, supporting a new program, Potency of Poetry, offering arts residencies in schools, presented by APT’s teaching artists and focused upon words, language and storytelling.

Madison Symphony Orchestra, $3,000, for Up Close and Musical, a recognized program bringing live classical music into elementary school classrooms and concluding with a symphony performance in Overture Hall.

VSA arts of Wisconsin, $1,000, supporting Artist Residency at Glendale Elementary School, providing an interactive, hands-on visual arts program for students in the school.

Local History

Blue Mounds Area Historical Society, $500, for Mound Fort Marker Restoration, to reinstall first historical marker erected by Wisconsin Historical Society.

Madison Children’s Museum, $2,000, supporting Local Treasures, a partnership with Madison Metropolitan School District engaging students in research associated with 1835 log cabin to be erected and exhibited as part of new museum.

Capital

Verona Area Community Theater, $5,000, for wireless microphones and intercom systems.

Madison Youth Choirs, $4,000, for rehearsal equipment.

Madison Area Concert Handbells, $620, for sound and sight enhancements for bells.

During this year alone, the Dane County Cultural Affairs Commission will award over $450,000 in public-private funds to nonprofit groups, schools, individuals, and municipalities for arts, cultural, and local history programs.  Application deadlines are February 1, June 1, and September 1.  For more information, contact Karen Crossley, Cultural Affairs office, City-County Building, Madison, 608-266-5915, or see www.culturalaffairscommission.com

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