Lifelines

The ARTS Council of the Southern Finger Lakes (TheARTS), is one of the key local arts councils serving New York State. TheArts serves as a "catalyst" for art, and administers a number of grant programs for teaching artists, and their allies, including NYFA's Strategic Opportunity Stipend, which has an upcoming deadline at the end of the month.

Thanks to Lynn Dates, TheARTS' Community Arts Development Director, for the heads up.

Details are below:

Strategic Opportunity Stipends (SOS)
New York Foundation for the Arts Strategic Opportunity Stipends <>Deadline: January 27, 2010

Strategic Opportunity Stipends (SOS) provides grants designed to help individual artists of all disciplines take advantage of specific, unique opportunities that will significantly benefit their work or career. These are $100-$600 grants for forthcoming opportunities (not necessarily projects) that are distinct from an artist's ongoing work. Deadlines are three times a year.
A panel of community members will evaluate applications. Applications should clearly articulate an opportunity that is new in relation to an artist's career thus far, and should clearly explain the benefits of participation in the opportunity.

Only residents in New York State (excluding NYC) are eligible to apply. To learn more about SOS and download an application, visit the New York Foundation for the Arts' website at www.nyfa.org/sos.

QuickARTS: Community Arts Money in a Jiffy!
QuickARTS awards are for individuals, artists, volunteer groups and organizations residing in Chemung, Schuyler and Steuben counties of New York.

Deadlines: February 3, June 2 and October 1, 2010, 5 pm (for postmark and hand delivery) This mini-grant program is designed to fund a broad range of arts and cultural projects through a process tailored to the unique needs of individuals and organizations in Chemung, Schuyler and Steuben counties.

QuickARTS is administered by The ARTS Council of the Southern Finger Lakes and funded by The Community Foundation of Elmira-Corning and the Finger Lakes, Inc. Individuals and organizations may submit proposals to The ARTS three times a year. Grants ranging from $50 to $500 will be awarded to community-based arts and cultural projects that are accessible to the general public and marketed in a way to grow audience participation in and around Chemung County.

QuickArts is a competitive grant-making process and applicants are encouraged to submit the strongest proposal possible. TheARTS provides technical assistance where applicants may discuss proposal ideas. The panel process involves an optional applicant interview where applicants can verbally strengthen their proposals by an informal interview with the review panelists. To request an application or for more information contact Lynn Dates by calling 607-962-5871 x226 or emailing TheARTS@eARTS.org.

Learn more about TheARTS' opportunities for artists, organizations and schools.

Also: If it's Friday, this must be Facebook.

Story: Iroquois Creation Story @ the Smithsonian with text and streaming audio narration along with a searchable database of learning standards for the related exhibition. Spectacular.

Countless generations ago there existed beings who inhabited the Sky World. One day a great tree was uprooted in this world, creating a hole through which a pregnant woman fell. As she fell, the woman's descent was broken by a flock of water fowl, who then placed her on the back of a great sea turtle. The water animals retrieved some earth from the bottom of the sea and placed it on the turtle's back. As the woman walked about, the earth began to grow, forming Turtle Island.

In time the woman gave birth to a daughter. When the daughter reached womanhood, a spirit placed two arrows across her abdomen and she became pregnant with twins. The mother died during childbirth, and the twins argued incessantly as they grew to be young men. One twin created things of beauty, while the other twin created mischief. Eventually the twins fought, and the victorious brother turned to a final task. He formed a figure from the earth and gave it life. This being was the first of our people.