On March 1, we gathered at Baltimore Center Stage to celebrate the award recipients of the Maryland Region Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Hundreds of talented teens from across Maryland attended with their friends and families to be honored for their work. This year’s ceremony included readings by professional actors, an artwork exhibition, plus keynote addresses from Donna Drew Sawyer, BOPA CEO, and Kirk Shannon-Butts, Curator for City Hall, City of Baltimore.
Professional actors recite writing samples that received award recognitionAward recipients of the Maryland Region Scholastic Art & Writing Awards Photo Credit: Edwin Remsberg
Last week, we shared a virtual tour of the Maryland Region Scholastic Art Awards Exhibition.
Today we share with you some of the extraordinary literary work of our Maryland youth, also recognized by the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. The five writing samples featured below include poetry, fiction and memoir, and were each recognized with Gold Keys, Silver Keys or Honorable Mentions. The writing samples below share the voices of talented young writers and offer a glimpse at promising creative futures.
The Black Arts District is holding a city-wide art competition to celebrate Baltimore’s vast Black creative community. $100 to the top 15 winners.
Want to participate? It’s simple. Think about the theme: “It’s an artist job to reflect the times.” Then create/showcase your art on your Instagram page that speaks to the quote.
Over the next few weeks, Arts Every Day will host a series of virtual conversations for teaching artists and arts organizations to connect, share and learn. The goal of each session is to think adaptively, collaboratively and sustainably about how the arts community is uniquely positioned to serve students and school needs in an era of distance learning. Please join as a participant, presenter, or both during one of an upcoming virtual IDEAS Exchange! Registrants will receive a link to participate via Zoom link or call-in.
Logistics Discussion for Distributing Materials to Students Friday, April 24 @ 3-4pm
As Baltimore City Schools continue to pilot distance learning through a range of digital platforms, access to materials remains a huge concern for families and educators. Young Audiences of Maryland is currently piloting the distribution of ‘Art Snack’ project kits at Meal Sites throughout the city. During this session, YAMD will share logistics, safety precautions and lessons learned from their pilot. As an Arts and Cultural Community, we will also begin thinking about a collective effort to get materials into the hands of students across the City.
Please note: Besides the YAMD pilot, Baltimore City Schools is not currently distributing materials to students districtwide. This is a brainstorming discussion to align efforts and consider a collective approach. Use the registration link to rsvp.
IDEAS Exchange for Arts Organizations Thursday, April 30 @ 3-4pm
Has your organization found success in adapting programs for virtual and distance learning? Are you interested in learning about what is working? During this round robin session, organizations are invited to share 2-3 slides highlighting an adaptation, tool, strategy or innovative approach they have developed or are piloting. We are all learning on the fly – it doesn’t need to be perfect! Presentations will be followed by a short discussion how education programs can coordinate efforts to support families and teachers in Baltimore City. Use the registration link to rsvp and/or present.
IDEAS Exchange for Teaching Artists Friday, May 1 @ 3-4pm
With schools closed through the end of April, many teaching artists are figuring out how to adapt performance, workshop, and residency models to the virtual space. During this round robin session, teaching artists are invited to share 2-3 slides highlighting an adaptation, tool, strategy or innovative approach you have developed or piloting. We are all learning on the fly – it doesn’t need to be perfect! Presentations will be followed by a short discussion how education programs can coordinate efforts to support families and teachers in Baltimore City. Use the registration link to rsvp and/or present. Use the registration link to rsvp and/or present.
The Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC) is seeking panelists to review The FY21 Maryland Performing Artist Touring Roster applications along with the FY21 Maryland Touring Grant applications. MSAC relies on a diverse array of performing arts and grants experts from across the state of Maryland to do the important work of evaluating grant and roster applications. Presenting & Touring panelists will review the Touring Roster applications remotely from June-July, and will then review Touring Grant applications remotely quarterly during FY21. Serving as a panelist is a great opportunity to learn about the granting processes of the Maryland State Arts Council.
The design of the Presenting & Touring program is to spark collaboration, which supports a rich and artistically diverse network of Maryland professional artists and performing arts organizations. Eligible Maryland nonprofit presenting organizations have the opportunity to apply for the Maryland Touring Grant to help subsidize the presentation of any performer on the Maryland Performing Touring Roster.
The Maryland Performing Artist Touring Roster comprises Maryland-based performing artists with professional experience that have been selected through a peer review process on the basis of artistic merit and a demonstrated history of successful touring engagements.
New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) has partnered with The Maurice Sendak Foundation (MSF), which has seeded a new emergency relief grant program for children’s picture book artists and writers who have experienced financial hardship from loss of income as a direct result of the COVID-19 crisis. The Maurice Sendak Emergency Relief Fund, administered by NYFA, will distribute unrestricted grants of up to $2,500 apiece until the fund has run out. MSF has granted $100,000 to NYFA to begin the program. The initial goal for the fund is $250,000 with hopes that it will expand. Those interested in donating to the fund may do so here.
The application will open in Submittable on Thursday, April 23 at 1:00 PM EDT, and will close once 600 applications are received. Funds will be awarded to eligible applicants in the order in which applications are received.
Applicants must be children’s picture book artists and/or writers who have published at least one picture book in the last five years (between 2015 and 2020) or who has a book currently under contract.
Applicants must be 21 years or older on or before April 23, 2020.
Applicants must show documented losses of income for the period of February 1 – July 30, 2020.
Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents in any of the 50 states, District of Columbia or U.S. territories.
The fund will cover any documented lost income opportunities including, but not limited to: cancelled freelance commercial projects, teaching, speaking, or consulting assignments; lost temp work; layoffs or furloughs as a result of business closures, etc. Your income loss does not need to be specifically related to your practice as a picture book illustrator or writer. It can be connected to your part-time / temp / additional employment.
APPLICATION TIMELINE Applications Open: Thursday, April 23, 2020 at 1:00 PM EDT Applications Close: Once 600 applications have been received Application Review: Thursday, April 23 to Monday, May 4, 2020 Applicants Notified: By Friday, May 15, 2020
MSAC will be holding special teleconferences for a variety of professional development offerings in the coming weeks. April offerings include Emergency Relief Resources and a Self-Care 4-week series. Additional offerings will be available in May. For more information, please visit the MSAC website.
Emergency Relief Resources
Wednesday, April 22nd, 1:30-3:00 p.m. Presenters will provide information regarding financial, as well as non-monetary, emergency relief resources. Guests include: Community Wealth Builders (including Kiva, Wefunder, and Honeycomb), MD Philanthropy Network; MD Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts; CERF+; Musicians Foundation; Arts Administrators of Color; New York Foundation for the Arts, and more.
Social Isolation Self-Care: A Community Gathering, hosted by Nicoletta de la Brown
Friday afternoons beginning April 17th through May 8th, 2:00-3:00 p.m. This gathering is workshop style. The community is invited to discover new strategies for self-care during social isolation. As a group we will discuss, brainstorm, and develop modes for self-compassion and personal wellbeing. This gathering will allow us to feel connected with others during this time when we are all experiencing so much alone. We look forward to connecting with all of you, sharing new self-care rituals, and supporting you as you build your own personal self-care toolkit.
Our collaborators are also offering Professional Development! The Maryland State Department of Education Fine Arts Office is offering EMBRACE, a FREE professional development series for Maryland’s creative education force: Arts Educators, Arts Integration Teachers, and Teaching Artists. Expert facilitators will examine the intersections of art and wellness by exploring creative practices to keep us open, curious and reflective during COVID-19.
