House Appropriations Hearing Arts Testimony Today!

Dear Friends and Arts Supporters,

Louisiana Citizens for the Arts (formerly Louisiana Partnership for Arts Advocacy), urges you to request Members of House Appropriations Committee to Vote FOR a restoration of Arts Funding - Contact these Legislators NOW!

Please take 3 minutes to contact Committee Members NOW.  It's as easy as 1. .  2. . 3 . . just go to http://louisianacitizensforthearts.org

Here's How - Under the Take Action box:

“Click Here to Write Your Legislators” and you will be taken to the ALERT page.
Under Louisiana, click Take Action.  You'll see the action alert at the top of the page and as you scroll down, you will see the MESSAGE to the members of the House Appropriations Committee.  Feel free to personalize the beginning to share your passion.

Scroll down to the Sender Information. If you have never sent a CapWiz message, you will need to complete the information requested.  Once this is done, just hit "send message" and you're done! 

Don't forget to forward this message on to all your friends and other arts advocates.  Remember, with your help we were able to have the arts funding reinstated last year.  We NEED everyone's help again this year to do it again! 

Below is a detailed explanation of the current situation.    

What’s happening?

Both the Decentralized Arts Funding (DAF) and the Statewide Arts Grants (SAG) programs have been targeted with crippling cuts.  In the current bill all that’s remaining for DAF is $1 million and only $959,000 remains for SAG which represents a 60% reduction in funding levels from Fiscal Year 2009.  When fully funded, each program received approximately $2.5 million in state general fund dollars.   It is extremely important that you contact the members of the House Appropriations NOW to show your support.  

Louisiana Citizens for the Arts is urging an addition of $1 Million of funding to the DAF program and an additional $1 million to the SAG program, which would place each at or near the $2 million level. The DAF program supports organizations in EVERY parish on a per capita basis.  The SAG program provides stabilization, capacity building and arts in education grants to our major arts organizations and local arts agencies. Studies show that arts grants actually GENERATE  seven new dollars for the state's tax coffers for every one dollar spent.

How are YOU affected?

If these cuts come to pass, the cultural-economic engine and tourism industry of Louisiana will experience a severe ripple effect--potentially devastating for many. These cuts affect artists, teachers, non-profit organizations, festivals, libraries, museums and theaters alike. No community will remain untouched and the economic loss will rank second only to the loss in social profit, community and quality of life. Culture is Louisiana’s finest natural resource. We need to nurture and protect it for it to flourish.

How can you help?

If you have ever applied for arts grants, work for a cultural non-profit, are one of the thousands of artists or one of the hundreds of thousands who enjoy Louisiana's arts and cultural events, we need YOU need to help us to help you.  The House Appropriations Committee will be meeting on April 16th & 17th so, now is the time for you to have a voice!

Make your voice heard!  Send a message today asking the House Appropriations Committee members to support our request for the increase in funding.  Go to www. http://louisianacitizensforthearts.org
and TAKE ACTION NOW!

Christie Weeks, Chair

Gerd Wuestemann, Vice-chair for Advocacy

Tommy Usrey, Past Chair

LOUISIANA CITIZENS FOR THE ARTS 
                       
To become a contributing member of LCA, go to http://louisianacitizensforthearts.org

LCA is supported solely by donations from citizens, businesses, and organizations who believe the arts are essential to our Louisiana economy, identity and way of life..  You can help at www.LouisianaCitizensfortheArts.org    

Spring Art Walk Map Revealed!

Our annual Spring Art Walk is almost here! Join us tomorrow, Friday, April 13th, from 5 pm to 9 pm to experience all that our downtown area has to offer! Cafes, coffee houses, businesses, and even vacant buildings are transformed into art galleries for the evening, and this year over 100 local artists will take the spotlight. To make it even sweeter, we are bringing back our wildly popular Art Battle in the parking lot next to the Charleston Hotel, so come by 6 pm to 7 pm to see ten teams of artists battle it out to create a new piece of art in only an hour! They will rely on you to choose the winner, and the winning team is determined by how many tips are in their tip jar with $1 equaling one vote. Show your support for our community's artists, and make an evening out of the Spring Art Walk! Our map of participating venues can be found http://artsandhumanitiesswla.org/events/whats-happening-now/spring-art-walk/, and maps will be available at all listed locations. Call 439-ARTS for further information.

Getting Ready for Lake Charles Centennial Celebrations!

Central School

Our area's centennial celebrations are getting closer! We have much to rejoice for in 2012 with Louisiana's 200 year anniversary of its statehood at the top of the list. In concert with other agencies and organizations across the city, we are taking part in facilitating a series of collaborative open house events that will draw the public into buildings to experience their rich history and unique Lake Charles architecture. 


On Saturday, April 28th, the public is invited to travel to and from several historic landmarks across Lake Charles from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. to join in celebrating their centennial anniversaries. Current participating locations include Central School Arts & Humanities Center (809 Kirby St.), the Calcasieu Parish Courthouse (1000 Ryan St.), the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (935 Bilbo St.), the Lundy Building (501 Broad St.), 1911 City Hall Arts & Cultural Center (1001 Ryan St.), and Temple Sinai (713 Hodges St.).

1911 City Hall

Friends of Central School, a non-profit organization devoted to preserving the historic elementary school, and the Arts Council are coordinating efforts with these buildings to educate the public on the significant weight these facilities carry in Lake Charles history. As with many pre-20th century buildings in Lake Charles, several of these important structures were lost in the Great Fire of 1910, and shortly after, a renaissance of development blossomed in the area which yielded the current incarnations of some of these history sites. Many of the buildings will offer historical tours of their facilities with special emphasis on its history, architecture, and what role the building plays in the city's past and present.


Along with hosting historical tours, Central School will also display an exhibit featuring one hundred years worth of memorabilia from the center's past. The exhibit will display class and faculty photos, images of the old classrooms, report cards, and yearbooks which will allow those who went to school in the facility to re-experience Central School. Friends of Central School will also dedicate the Central School theatre to the late Benjamin W. Mount, who was integral to the preservation of the facility.

Calcasieu Parish Courthouse

Each building will offer its own centennial anniversary event and can be contacted individually for additional information. For more information about these centennial celebrations, contact Central School at 439-2787 or visit www.artsandhumanitiesswla.org.

Regional Arts Network Luncheon

Every other month the Arts & Humanities Council of Southwest Louisiana hosts the Regional Arts Network luncheon, and the next edition of this seminar series will be held tomorrow, Tuesday, April 19th, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Room 108 at Central School. The Regional Arts Network (RAN) luncheons are designed for those working in the arts to come together to network, promote their events and programs, and to establish working relationships with other artists and arts organizations.

Attending the RAN luncheon will be state officials and Christie Weeks, Chair of Louisiana Citizens for the Arts (LCA), who will discuss the upcoming legislative session in regards to the future of arts funding. LCA is an organization that provides advocacy services for the arts in Louisiana and plays a direct role in advocating for increased arts funding to Louisiana legislators.

The success of LCA is more important than ever with the state's Decentralized Arts Funding grant program facing a 33% decrease from last year's fiscal year's funding which adds to a 60% decrease in funding from 2009's levels. The RAN luncheon is a great opportunity for artists and arts organizations to find out more about what LCA does for the arts and the impact the arts have on our state's economy.

With the Arts Council's annual Spring Art Walk on Friday, April 13th, the RAN luncheon will also discuss all that the event has to offer, including information on which artists will be at the participating locations throughout downtown and what can be expected at the second annual Art Battle. A presentation will also be given about the upcoming series of centennial celebrations held by several prominent historic buildings, including Central School, the Cathedral, and the Courthouse.

Lunch is served at 11;30 a.m. for $5 with the seminar to begin at noon. An RSVP is required. For more information or to RSVP, contact the Arts Council at (337) 439-ARTS. To find out more information about LCA, visit www.louisianacitizensforthearts.org.

The Battle is Set!

Tracy LeMieux

We are so excited about our Spring Art Walk! Each year we turn downtown Lake Charles into a concentrated and multifaceted experience of our local art scene as restaurants, coffee houses, businesses, and even vacant buildings are transformed into galleries from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. This year, over 20 venues are opening their doors to show the best of Southwest Louisiana art and to show the value the arts have in our economy and culture.

Studio 347

Last year we brought a new element to the Spring Art Walk; our first annual Art Battle was attended by more than 300 people who watched ten teams of artists compete against each other to create a new piece of art in only an hour. We listened to the community, so we are bringing the battle back for a second year! This year, the battle arena will be in the parking lot just south of the Charleston Hotel near the corner of Pujo St. and Ryan St., and Fusion Five, the area's premiere young professionals organization, is helping us make this battle even bigger than last year. 


With art battles taking larger cities by storm, we wanted Lake Charles to share in this artistic endeavor, and we've found that they draw a huge variety of artists and styles and also generate fresh ideas for what art can accomplish within a competitive framework. 

John Martel

The winning team is determined by the number of tips that are put into the team's tip jar, and 50% of these tips go right back to the artists. The winning piece of art is put on display as public art at Central School Arts & Humanities Center for 30 days, and to make it even better, the public can even purchase the murals created during the battle. All of the murals will be featured in a silent auction during the evening, and 70% of the proceeds go back to the artists as well.


The battle will feature all mediums, all materials, and all themes, and it's not often that you get to see a piece of art created from scratch, so this is not an event to be missed! The battle begins promptly at 6 p.m. and will end at 7 p.m. with voting from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The winning team will be announced at 8 p.m., and the silent auction will be from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. 


For more information, contact the Arts Council office at 439-2787 or visit www.artsandhumanitiesswla.org.

Arts Council Accepting Tourism Marketing Initiative Grant Applications

The Arts and Humanities Council of Southwest Louisiana is currently accepting applications for the 2013 Tourism Marketing Initiative Grant.  This year the Southwest Louisiana Convention and Visitors Bureau appropriated $45,000 to distribute for special projects and events staged in Calcasieu Parish. The Tourism Marketing Initiative Grants Program works to initiate and sustain the growth of cultural tourism in Calcasieu Parish.

As well as greatly improving the quality of life for the parish residents, one of the grant’s main goals is to ensure the stabilization of arts and humanities organizations through increased attendance and engagement of community members in local projects. The grant specifically funds the necessary marketing tools for local artists, organizations, and events.

Last year, a total of eighteen organizations in Calcasieu Parish were awarded funding, including Bayou Writers Group; Louisiana Theatre Festival by The Children’s Theatre; Lake Charles Symphony; Louisiana Choral Foundation; Mardi Gras Museum; Bulber Youth Orchestra; Common Ground; and Artists Civic Theatre & Studio (ACTS) just to name a few.

Applicants may submit one request, not to exceed $2,000 per year. All projects must take place between June 15, 2012 and June 14, 2013. It is important to note applicants compete only with other organizations in Calcasieu Parish, so decisions about cultural priorities are made locally.  

Applications may be obtained at www.artsandhumanitiesswla.org or in the Arts and Humanities Council office, located at 809 Kirby Street, Suite 202 in Lake Charles.  The deadline to apply is May 4, 2012.

For more information on this grant or other grant related opportunities, contact the Arts and Humanities Council at (337) 439-2787. 

Spring Art Walk Venues and Artists Announced!

While the event’s counterpart, September’s Gallery Promenade, focuses on the art space itself, the Spring Art Walk exposes the artist by concentrating Southwest Louisiana talent into a few square blocks across the Charleston Cultural District for a Friday evening in April. Coffee shops, businesses, restaurants, and even vacant buildings are transformed into trendy art galleries for the evening.

On Friday, April 13th, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., residents and visitors will be able to tour historic downtown properties and businesses while enjoying a tour of the best Southwest Louisiana art. Live music echoes throughout downtown, venues serve cocktails hors d'oeuvres, and this past year the Spring Art Walk hosted its first-ever Art Battle where teams of artists competed to create a mural live in front of an audience in only an hour. Art Walk participants can not only see the competition between local artists first hand in real time but also are able to choose the winners.

The Spring Art Walk is a great opportunity for artists and businesses alike, and this partnership between the arts and businesses has the potential to better sustain the downtown community through reinforcing its image as a gravitational center for arts, culture, and revenue.

2012 Spring Art Walk Venues and Artists Include

Gallery By the Lake
106 W. Pryce Street
Associated Louisiana Artists
Downtown Crawfish Festival Poster Entries

Sweets & Treats
411 Ryan Street
Linda Ritchie, Fred Stark

Sha Sha's of Creole
609 Ryan Street
Marc LeFevre

Muller's Lofts
624 Ryan Street
Richard Buckley, Paris Duhon, Stephanie Smith, C. Paul Phelps Correctional Center, Erin Casteel, Devin Heard, Kenneth and Trina Green, Joseph Suire, Molly Reed

Cedar Chest Antiques
210 Division Street
Steve Wilson

Formerly Social Denim
706 Ryan Street
Art du Lac: Monica Hebert, Rex Alexander, Valerie Smith, Tracy Friberg, Lyd Faquhaur, Heather Ryan Kelley, Jacqueline Segura, Lisa Myers, Erin Bee

Luna Bar & Grill
719 Ryan Street
Donald Williams, Carol Ann Loman

Luna Live
710 Ryan Street
Atomic Heart Tattoo: Christy Scothorn, Zach Brown, Maura Cole, Casey Page, Dreek Owen

Downtown Properties
721 Ryan Street
Ben Von Duke

Formerly the Fat Cat Cafe
723 Ryan Street
Zander Lampkin

Salon Lindsay
725 Ryan Street
Julie Arabie, Ali Hay

The Children's Museum
327 Broad Street
Jacob Dugas, Jeremy Price, Kelly Keith Royal, Cassandra Read, Kasey Prudhomme

Stellar Beans Coffee House
319 Broad Street
Beth Fontenot

505 Bazaar
314 Broad Street
Vickie Singletary

The Charleston Hotel Lobby
900 Ryan Street
Marilyn Wheeldon, Yelena Koehn, Cheri Cowen

Pujo Street Cafe
901 Ryan Street
Julie Dallas, Candice Alexander

Le Petit Cadeau
318 Pujo Street
Vickie Singletary

Historic 1911 City Hall Arts & Cultural Center
1001 Ryan Street
First Floor: Artisan's Gallery Group Show
Second Floor: Reflections on Water in American Painting
Third Floor: Monumental Detail: The Drawings of Gerry Wubben

Central School Arts & Humanities Center
809 Kirby Street
Second Floor: Alan Flattmann at Art Associates Gallery with lecture in theatre
Third Floor: Studio 347 Group Show

The Frame House & Gallery
1640 Ryan Street
Sean Hicks, Isable Coleman