Arts Midwest and the National Endowment for the Arts Partner to Invest in

For more than 25 years, Arts Midwest and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), in partnership with the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs, have provided enriching cultural opportunities to Iowa artists, arts organizations, and audiences—fostering and sustaining vibrant, diverse communities throughout the state.

Federal Funding for the Arts Publically-funded arts organizations such as the NEA, the Regional Arts Organizations, and State Arts Agencies are uniquely situated to ensure that all Americans— regardless of geographic location, economic situation, or educational background—have access to the arts.

Federal funding for the NEA not only supports national programs that provide services throughout the country, but also supports targeted programming provided by State Arts Agencies. These Agencies have a deep understanding of the specific needs of their communities Service at a Glance and have the capacity and insight to increase access to the arts in areas where arts opportunities can be scarce. ■ Arts Midwest Touring Fund: awarded

$26,392 to 14 Iowa performing arts Thanks to this structure, arts organizations across Iowa organizations receive grants that allow them to reach more audiences, ■ Arts Midwest World Fest: $50,000 in maintain their significant role in local economies, support services per year for two years of artist artists at livable wages, and provide your constituents residencies in Red Oak access to valuable arts experiences in their communities. ■ Arts Midwest Conference: provided

business, learning, and networking About Arts Midwest opportunities to 29 individuals from 21 Arts Midwest is one of six Regional Arts Organizations in Iowa organizations in 2012 the United States, created by the State Arts Agencies ■ Leadership: continued professional and the NEA to transcend state boundaries and give development and networking citizens access to a broad variety of arts experiences. opportunities for state arts agency staff and leaders We serve more than one million people annually through performing, visual, and literary arts and leadership Learn more by visiting development programs, as well as a series of national www.artsmidwest.org. initiatives, managed on behalf of the NEA and the U.S. Department of State. Our programs reach across our nine member states of , , Iowa, , , , , , and , and are an integral part of our position as an essential cultural resource for the entire Midwest and beyond.

Arts Midwest Touring Fund

Arts Midwest Touring Fund encourages performing arts touring by providing financial support to arts presenting organizations in the Midwest.

Arts Midwest Touring Fund provides fee support up to $4,000 to performing arts organizations to bring dance, theater, and music to audiences across Arts Midwest’s region. Each engagement includes in-depth educational activities and public performances, and aims to reach underserved audiences.

Through the FY13 Arts Midwest Touring Fund cycle (2012–2013 performance season), Arts Midwest awarded $26,392 to 14 performing arts organizations in Iowa.

Grantee City Artist Grant

Indian Hills Community College Ottumwa Rosario Andino $1,725

Ames Town & Gown Chamber Music Ames Trio Settecento $1,570 Association

Central College Pella Taikoproject $1,600

Civic Music Association Des Moines Matt Haimovitz and Christopher O'Riley $2,600

Des Moines Social Club Des Moines Max Wellman $1,250

Dubuque County Historical Society Dubuque Doug Allen and the Chicago Mob $760

The Road Company's production of George Daily Auditorium Oskaloosa $3,000 "Monty Python's Spamalot"

Grand Opera House Dubuque Switchback $1,000

It Gets Better with the Gay Men's Hancher Auditorium at University of Iowa Iowa City $4,000 Chorus of Los Angeles

Iowa State Center Ames Ballet Folklorico de Amalia Hernandez $3,700

Pearson Lakes Art Center Okoboji Michael Kelsey $400

Marshalltown Community Concert Association Marshalltown Dallas Brass $2,137

Orange City Arts Council Orange City Contempo Physical Dance $950

Galvin Fine Arts Center at Saint Ambrose Davenport Griffin Theatre Company $1,700 University Arts Midwest World Fest

Arts Midwest World Fest connects small and mid-sized Midwestern communities to world cultures through week-long residencies with global performers.

Arts Midwest World Fest’s mission is to instill appreciation for diversity and acceptance of other cultures. Over a two-year cycle, four global “The professional quality of the Yamma musical ensembles conduct week-long residencies in Midwestern Ensemble, and Tarim, Uygur Song and communities. Residencies include public concerts, K-12 school Dance Ensemble has been outstanding. Their willingness to interact with the workshops, and community outreach activities such as family and audiences of children during our senior citizen workshops and master classes. The program is students sessions, and the adults who committed to reaching communities that lack access to high-quality come to our evening performances, has international arts and education programming. Arts Midwest invests demonstrated a real commitment to approximately $100,000 to bring this program to Iowa for the two-year expanding the dialog from musical cycle, and local communities are only responsible for school busing, performance to people to people hall rental, and hospitality costs. friendship, understanding, and cultural interaction.”

The current 2011–2013 Arts Midwest World Fest cycle features -Kara Sherman Yamma Ensemble (Israel), Tarim: Uygur Song and Dance (People’s Executive Director Republic of China), Qawal Najmuddin Saifuddin & Brothers (Pakistan), The Wilson Performing Arts Center and Çudamani (Indonesia).

The fall 2011 tour featured Yamma Ensemble. During their week-long stay in Red Oak, the artists conducted 13 educational and performance events and reached more than 2,330 residents, including more than 1,950 youth.

Location City Description Youth Adults Wilson Performing Arts Center Red Oak Workshop with K-1st grade students 200 15 Workshop with 2nd and 3rd grade Wilson Performing Arts Center Red Oak 200 15 students Workshop with 4th and 5th grade Wilson Performing Arts Center Red Oak 175 15 students Wilson Performing Arts Center Red Oak Community Welcome Reception 8 20

Red Oak High School Red Oak Workshop with 9th-12th grade students 400 50 Workshop with high school band and Red Oak High School Red Oak 100 3 choir students Presentation and workshop open to the First Congregational Church Red Oak 25 30 community Wilson Performing Arts Center Red Oak Workshop with elementary students 240 20

Wilson Performing Arts Center Red Oak Workshop with elementary students 150 15 Workshop with 6th-8th grade band Red Oak Middle School Red Oak 100 5 students Community presentation open to the Montgomery County YMCA Red Oak 15 40 public Wilson Performing Arts Center Red Oak Public Concert 45 125 The spring 2012 tour featured Tarim: Uygur Song and Dance. During their residency in Red Oak, the artists conducted 12 educational and performance events, reaching more than 1,930 residents, including approximately 1,495 youth.

Location City Description Youth Adults

The Wilson Performing Arts Center Red Oak Community welcome reception 10 30

The Wilson Performing Arts Center Red Oak Presentation for Senior citizens 75

The Wilson Performing Arts Center Red Oak Workshop with K-1st grade students 200 15

The Wilson Performing Arts Center Red Oak Workshop with 2nd - 3rd grade students 200 15

The Wilson Performing Arts Center Red Oak Workshop with 4th - 5th grade students 175 15

Workshop with High School band & choir Red Oak High School Red Oak 100 4 students Workshop for High School students & Red Oak High School Red Oak 400 50 staff

Corning High School Corning Presentation open to the public 20 50

Workshop with 6th-8th grade band The Wilson Performing Arts Center Red Oak 100 5 students Workshop for Middle School students & The Wilson Performing Arts Center Red Oak 250 30 staff

Montgomery County YMCA Red Oak Presentation open to the public 10 25

The Wilson Performing Arts Center Red Oak Public Concert 30 125

The fall 2012 tour featured Qawal Najmuddin Saifuddin & Brothers. During their tour, the artists conducted seven educational and performance events, reaching almost 1,800 residents, including more than 1,500 youth.

Location City Description Youth Adults

Wilson Performing Arts Center Red Oak Public welcome reception 15 20

Wilson Performing Arts Center Red Oak Workshop with Elementary students 200 20

Wilson Performing Arts Center Red Oak 3 workshops with Elementary students 600 60

Red Oak High School Red Oak 2 Workshops with High School students 400 50

Corning Opera House Corning Community Workshop 10 20

2 Workshops with Middle School Red Oak Middle School Red Oak 300 40 students

Wilson Performing Arts Center Red Oak Public Concert 4 60

Since the program’s inception in 2003, we have brought international performers to five communities across Iowa: Ames, Knoxville, Red Oak, Sioux City, and Waterloo. Learn more at www.artsmidwesworldfest.org. Arts Midwest Conference

The preeminent annual booking and education conference for the Midwest performing arts industry.

The only meeting of its kind in the Midwest, our Conference attracts top presenters from across the United States and around the world. The goals of the Arts Midwest Conference are to connect arts administrators, foster and sustain the dynamic performing arts industry, and promote the vibrant local arts scene in the Conference city.

In 2012, 905 arts professionals convened in Grand Rapids, Michigan from September 12 –15 to network, conduct business, engage in in-depth professional development sessions, experience live performance showcases, and gain new insights into the world of performing arts touring and presenting. Representatives from Iowa included 29 individuals from 21 different arts organizations.

The 2013 Arts Midwest Conference will take place September 9–12 in Austin, Texas and we expect to serve a broad sector of Iowa artists, presenters and arts organizations at the event. Flamenco Vivo performs at the 2012 Conference. Photo by Joshua Feist.

2012 Attendees City Burlington Capitol Theater Burlington Central College Pella Civic Center of Greater Des Moines Des Moines Civic Music Association Des Moines Dow Artists Inc Russell Dubuque Arts Council Dubuque Ferrone & Associates LLC Ankeny Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center Cedar Falls Galvin Fine Arts Center Davenport Gems Inc. Green Earth Magic Show Janesville George Daily Auditorium Oskaloosa Grinnell College Grinnell Hancher Auditorium Iowa City Iowa State Center Ames Legion Arts Cedar Rapids Luther College Decorah Pearson Lakes Art Center Okoboji

The Englert Theatre Iowa City University of Dubuque Dubuque VenuWorks Ames Williams Center for the Arts Oelwein Leadership

Twice annually, Arts Midwest convenes a summit of the state arts agency executive directors representing Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. Through this effort, Mary Cownie, the Executive Director of the Iowa Arts Council, participates in leadership development and knowledge sharing with key professionals in the public art sector.

Iowa continues to be strongly represented on Arts Midwest’s Board of Directors and governance committees through Matthew Harris and Cyndi Pederson, both from Des Moines.