DANCE - FINE ARTS - MUSIC - THEATER - WRITING

ARTBITS by Richard B. Harper


VOLUME 18 * * All Arts News On the Web * * January 23, 2014

STUFF YOU SHOULDN'T MISS

      ArtBits always features a calendar of the goings on of Franklin County artists. Check out these events around Franklin County. Each issue includes the entire text of our weekly newspaper column.


     Franklin County's arts and music gatherings bring new opportunities, gossip, "show-and-tell" and occasional workshops. There are also booked and acoustic Open Mic Nights that feature music, readings, and more from the best new artists in Vermont.

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OMNIBUS BILL

      The Fiscal Year 2014 Omnibus Appropriations bill includes $998 million in funding for the Arts. That includes $25 million for the Arts In Education program at the U.S. Department of Education, which had previously seen efforts both to zero out or consolidate all funds.
The final FY 2014 appropriations break down thusly:
National Endowment for the Arts $146.02 million
(down from $158 million in 2013)
National Endowment for the Humanities $146.02 million
(down from $154 million in 2013)
Institute of Museum and Library Services $226.86 million
(down from $232 million in 2013)
U.S. Dept. of Education's Arts in Education Program $25 million
(up from $24.6 million in 2013)
Corporation for Public Broadcasting $445 million
      In 1987, the 100th Congress sent the President a 14-pound, 1,053-page spending bill for $1.04 trillion. Last week's 1,582-page bill budgets $3.71 trillion in spending. The 5 percent rate of growth of nondefense spending is almost three times the projected 1.7 percent rate of inflation.


ART ON THE WALLS, FOOD IN THE HALLS

ST. ALBANS--In Good Taste, the Franklin County food and drink festival, takes place in St. Albans City Hall tomorrow evening at 5 p.m. The inaugural event will sample culinary delights, handcrafted beers, and regional wines, all created, produced, or sourced from our region and exhibit paintings by Chepe Cuadra and Jill Snapp on stage and listening to the warm bluegrass sounds of the Missisquoi River Band.
      Admission is $10 at the door for 20 tickets; additional tickets are available for seconds. Or thirds.


ON STAGE LIVE

ST. ALBANS--The Twiggs Comedy For A Cause series continues on the Main Stage tomorrow evening at 7 p.m. The evening will raise money for the Saint Albans Skating Association.
      Colin Ryan of A Stand Up Life produces the show. Admission is $15. There are just 70 seats available at the restaurant. Call Heather DesLauriers (802.309.0750) for tickets. Make dinner reservations prior to the show since only drinks, appetizers, and desserts will be served during the show.
      Then Abby Road takes over the Twiggs Main Stage Saturday evening at 6 p.m.
      Abby Road is a unique blend of various musical genres. Tonight will feature Jack & Abby Grimmer. The power vocals of Abby Grimmer, great acoustic guitar playing of Jack Grimmer makes Abby Road one of the more creative and original groups in the area.
      Call 802.524.1405, email, or click here for more info or booking requests.


ST. ALBANS--Club Karib presents Justice with Scott Belisle on bass and backup vocals; Todd Dunn, lead and rhythm guitar; Gary Greeno, lead vocals; Mike Stella, drums; and Scott Guptill, rhythm guitar and backup vocals on Saturday evening at 9:30 p.m.


FIRST CALL

ARTS IN THE PARK (now)--The St Albans Arts Council Arts in the Park event is planned for May 24-25.
      Writers: This call is for published or unpublished authors willing to read from their works, talk about writing or publishing, run a small class or workshop, or simply meet the public and sign books. Call Donna Howard at the Eloquent Page (802.527.7243) or email for more info.
      Calls for artists and musicians will come soon.


JANUARY-FEBRUARY ART DEADLINES

SONGWRITING (now)--Young Tradition Vermont sponsors a songwriting class for youth with Pete Sutherland at FlynnArts on Tuesdays from 3:45 to 5:15. The ballads and story-telling songs found in traditional folk music create a roadmap for contemporary songwriting. In these classes, students hear and share stories and story songs ancient and up-to-the-minute, talk about what gives them their power, and then begin writing to develop an "organic, roots-based" poetic and musical language.
      Call Mark Sustic (802.233.5293) or click here to register and for more info.


INTERNATIONAL YOUTH FILM FESTIVAL (February 1)--The festival seeks submissions in four categories: Documentary, Narrative, Social Action, and Experimental from video artists between the ages of 13 and 18. $4,000 in cash prizes. No Entry Fee. The festival serves as an outlet for young film makers as well as an international network for developing artists. Email or click here for more info.


DOCUMENTARY ESSAY PRIZE IN PHOTOGRAPHY (February 15)--A new $3,000 prize from the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University honors the best creative nonfiction and documentary photography in alternating years. The focus is on current or recently completed work (within the last five years). Entry fee. Click here for more info.


VERMONT STUDIO CENTER FELLOWSHIPS (February 15)--In 2014, the Vermont Studio Center offers more fellowships than ever including 25 VSC Fellowships and many other opportunities for artists and writers. Entry fee. Click here for more info.


RAISING FUN(DS)

     An Indiegogo campaign for the Young Tradition Vermont Touring Group has begun. The fundraiser will help send 18 young musicians in the YTV to Northumberland, England, to share and exchange traditional music and dance. There are just 41 days left in the campaign.
      "This our most important fundraising effort for this project," Mark Sustic said.
      Indiegogo is an international crowd funding site founded in 2008. Founder Slava Rubin said the site is "all about allowing anybody to raise money for any idea." Users like YTV create a page for their funding campaign, set up a PayPal account to receive the funds, offer discounts, perks and other donor benefits, and create a social media-based publicity effort.
      Click here for more info.


CLICK HERE: ART SITE OF THE WEEK

     Kate Donnelly of Burlington likes getting lost. "Being lost wakens and heightens the immediacy of your being present. Lost is where questions are raised, discoveries are made, visions evolve," she writes. She has worked in printmaking, painting, and sculpture, as well as installation and interactive projects. Her work is on exhibit at Burlington City Arts this month. Her site includes her also there blog plus galleries of projects and toys, videos, news, and contact info.


FRANKLIN COUNTY BOOKSHELF

      ArtBits features a quick weekly peek at the bookshelf or night stand of the folks you know in and around Franklin County. That popular feature has a page of its own at the Franklin County Bookshelf here on the AAC site.


SUPPORT LIVE ARTS IN YOUR TOWN!


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      This article was originally published in the St Albans Messenger and other traditional print media. It is Copyright © 2014 by Richard B. Harper. All rights reserved. Archival material is provided as-is. Links are not necessarily maintained (if a link in this article fails, try Google.com or your favorite search engine).
      Thanks to recent misuse of copyright material on the Internet by individuals and archival firms alike, we emphasize that your rights to this article are limited to viewing it and printing it for personal use only. You must receive explicit permission from the All Arts Council and the author before reprinting or redistributing this article in any medium.