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Non-Profit U.S. Postage PAID Burlington, VT Permit #165 136 State Street Montpelier, Vermont 05633-6001 ART ANNUAL REPORT 2011 SUPPORTS design: Place Creative Company. www.place Place Creative Company. ME art promoteslearning creative DEAR VERMONT ARTS COUNCIL: creative “We are finding art is the perfect tool for bringing students’ company. attention to new ideas. Students are able to make connections com that did not exist prior to the (artist’s) residency. I would love to printing: see more promotion of artists throughout our Vermont schools.” Leahy Press, Inc. www. Leahy Press, Inc. www. Judith St. Hilaire Georgia Elementary School www.vermontartscouncil.org JULY 1, 2010 — JUNE 30, 2011 Images: Top: Gordon Stone & Elhadji Mamadou Ba leahy press Bottom: Student performers from ‘Annie’ at the Chandler press Large Center for the Arts .com ALTERNATIVE FORMAT Print AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST VERMONT ARTS COUNCIL 2011 MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Dear Friends: ARTS It is a pleasure to present this annual report to you because it gives us time and opportunity to reflect on the value of the Vermont Arts Council’s pro- The Vermont Arts Council was founded in grams and services. 1964 on a simple and powerful premise: As many of you are aware, political and financial uncertainty have both made a huge impact on how the Vermont Arts Council does business. A declin- that the arts enrich lives, expand minds ing commitment to the arts from the Federal Government has made our and form a vital thread in the fabric of advocacy work in the US Congress (where our delegation is outstandingly arts-supportive!) a much higher priority than we would have expected a year Vermont community life. or two ago. Any difficulty at the federal level, however, is offset by our nearly universal bipartisan support in the Douglas/Shumlin administrations as well as in the In keeping with its community focus, the Vermont State House—the result of which has been level state funding for Council is a grassroots organization with each of the last three years. Our budget, however, has sustained an overall trustees from every region of the state. decline, resulting in the loss of another staff position and diminutions in our They are elected from and by its mem- community grant programs. Note to selves: the next time we see our state or bership. It is the only not-for-profit state federal legislators, be sure and thank them for their incredible support for inspiring arts agency in the nation and as such it the arts. They all truly deserve it! is uniquely qualified to unite both public and private resources to serve its mission: In these difficult circumstances the Council has recommitted itself to the arts sector by focusing more and more on programs and services that are To advance and preserve the arts at the designed to help artists and arts organizations help themselves. We offer center of Vermont communities. significantly more professional development grants and we have hosted four very well-received “Breaking into Business” workshops for artist/entrepre- The Council accomplishes its mission neurs which have resulted in nearly unanimous “high satisfaction” responses by pursuing the following goals: from participants. • Increasing opportunities for everyone On the education front we have seen the first full cycle of our new outreach in Vermont to experience and/or program to underserved communities: “Cultural Routes.” Imagine reaching The mission of the Vermont Arts Council participate in the arts. high school without once going on a field trip to the Flynn or the HOP or the Athenaeum. This happens to many students in Vermont often because their is to advance and preserve the arts at the • Demonstrating and promoting the schools can’t afford a bus. This program underwrites a portion of that cost, positive benefits of investing in Vermont and already the results have been heartwarming! communities through the arts. center of Vermont communities. Descriptions of these and many other programs and services are highlighted • Expanding and sustaining the capacity in these pages. For now, please know that the Vermont Arts Council contin- of the Vermont Arts Council to serve its ues to explore new collaborations within state government, and is open constituencies. to any and all great ideas. The Council’s funding comes from the With thanks for your support, and wishes for a brighter, more State of Vermont, the National Endow- art-filled future. ment for the Arts, members, and other Sincerely yours, private contributors. David Carris Alexander L. Aldrich Images: Front Cover (from top to bottom): 1. In-Sight Photography, 2. Eric & Ines Bass, 3. Members of the Big Action Performance Ensemble Chair Executive Director Above: 1. MIchelle Ollie -– Center for Cartoon Studies, 2. Weston Playhouse – Cast of Death of a Salesman, 3. Performers at the Chandler Center for the Arts as part of their New World Festival, 4. a student from www.vermontartscouncil.org Jamaica School creating a mural with Terry Sylvester, 1 VERMONT ARTS COUNCIL 2011 GRANTS CreationOur Creation Grants help artists grow... Creation grants support the creation or a finite process. Working on the CD sparked commission of new work by Vermont artists. other creative endeavors for Robin, including Artists often say that the most important thing a writing project about her grandmother’s life these grants provide is time…time to create, and work. The project also helped to increase time to develop their skills and time to reach both audiences and teaching opportunities for out to their audience. the duo. “This grant enabled us, financially, to make the record. But more than that, the When Robin MacArthur requested a grant for affirmation and support from the Council her band, Red Heart the Ticker, to record, enabled us to make the project a priority in print and fund a national publicity campaign our lives, to establish ‘recording’ hours, and to for a new CD, it was no small undertaking. One believe in the importance and legitimacy of this of Robin’s goals for the project record and our creative work in “was to reinvent the musical general.” language of Vermont balladry for new listeners by re-imagining the When Jamie Keithline, the founder sounds and textures of the songs, of Crabgrass Puppet Theatre thereby bridging the gap between found out that he had received contemporary aesthetics.” a creation grant, he wrote to the Arts Council saying: “We’re very The creation of Your Name in excited…this funding will really Secret I Would Write was a family affair in more help us bring our vision to fruition.” The vision ways than one. Not only does Robin co-lead that Jamie referred to was “Haiku, HipHop and www.vermontartscouncil.org the band with her husband Tyler Gibbons, but Hotdogs! Puppets do Poetry,” a collaboration she learned many of the album’s songs from with Irish performer Fergus Walsh that would the singing of her grandmother, folk artist and explore poetry through puppetry. One of the former Arts Council juried artist and Walter Cerf goals of the project was to get children and award recipient, Margaret MacArthur. On her families excited about poetry, and through the website, Robin states: “I consider this record feedback that Keithline has received, it seems an ode, an elegy, and an attempt to sing along clear that this goal was accomplished. “Since with someone who’s gone…The intent is to keep we opened the show we have received a lot of these songs alive, and heard, and living, as she feedback from teachers, children, parents and would have wanted them to be.“ other puppeteers. Everyone is thrilled with what Although her creation grant allowed for we have created.” completion of one project, it was by no means Insert image - Robin MacArthur and Tyler Gibbons in front of their home. Images (top to bottom): Robin MacArthur and Tyler Gibbons, Crabgrass Puppets 2 3 VERMONT ARTS COUNCIL 2011 GRANTS ROUTES CommunityOur Community Arts Grants CulturalCultural Routes Grants build connections... transporting to the arts… Community Arts Grants fund programs Cultural Routes is an initiative that the Arts in venues ranging from sidewalks to Council created to help underwrite the cost of symphony halls, and from churches school field trips to attend events such as live to coffee houses. While the scale and music, dance or theatre performances, exhibits type of presentations may differ, their at art museums, etc. The goal of the program is common goal is to create and celebrate to address a growing need for arts-related field communities through the arts. trips, as many in-school arts programs are be- ing reduced or eliminated due to the pressure Among the pile of handwritten thank you notes When the South End Arts and Business of dwindling budgets. that the Arts Council received from the stu- was formed in 1986, the Association (SEABA) The Grass Roots Art and Community Effort dents who attended, we received thanks for primary goal of the organization was to “en- (GRACE) offers close to 400 workshops on an Who would think that a 206 mile (round-trip) everything from “allowing us to stop after 2 ½ courage the creative economy in and around annual basis in the small town of Hardwick. ride on a school bus would be a welcomed hours for bathroom and food” to “I loved the Pine Street by supporting an economic devel- A grant from the Arts Council allowed them to opportunity? The students of Gilman Middle bus and driver” and “if it weren’t for you guys, opment strategy of local ownership.” One way keep their community arts workshops free to School, that’s who.