Allied Arts

Name and Title: Robert Cooper, Executive Director
Organization Name: Guy Fraser Harrison Academy for the Performing Arts/Oklahoma Youth Orchestras
Phone Number and Web Site: 232-1199; www.harrisonacademy.org (Our website is in the process of being totally revamped)
 
Give us the gist of your organization, Twitter-style (that means 140 characters or less).
The mission of the Harrison Academy/Oklahoma Youth Orchestras is to provide advanced instruction and performance opportunities for talented young musicians.
 
What does your organization bring to Central Oklahoma?
Oklahoma Youth Orchestras has 400 students in nine ensembles performing both string and wind instruments in Central and Western Oklahoma. Students range from older elementary students through the most advanced high school musicians. Our program has grown to be one of the larger youth orchestra programs in the United States.
 
List a few things that your organization is looking forward to in the coming year.
We performed the world premiere of Fire and Light, by Chickasaw composer Jerod Tate, this past weekend. 

In March, the Oklahoma Youth Orchestra will present the Oklahoma premiere of Chasing Light...by Joseph Schwantner, as a part of the Ford Made in America project. We are one of only five youth orchestras participating in this project.

In July, we will be touring and performing in Germany, Austria, and the Czech Republic.
 
How can people get involved with your organization?
Come to our concerts!  We have several during the year in various locations throughout the Oklahoma City metropolitan area; call 232-1199 for a schedule.
 
Name your favorite piece of art or art performance.
It is difficult to name one particular piece, given that my interests range from orchestral to liturgical music, but one of my favorite pieces is the Requiem by Spanish Renaissance composer Tomas Luis de Victoria. Very few pieces can compare to its message and beauty.
 
Which artist would you most like to meet?
I would love to have the opportunity to meet and talk with Gustavo Dudamel, the new conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Imagine being named the music director of a major American orchestra at the age of 26!

Internships are a great way for students to gain experience and make valuable connections in the industry.  If you’re a student interested in non-profit work, event planning, public relations, development, finance or journalism, there’s a place for you in the arts world!  Just like any other business, arts organizations need sharp people running their administrative sector.  These agencies are looking for qualified individuals with a heart for the arts to fill spring internship positions:

Arts Council of Oklahoma City
• Events, Public Relations and Development
• The intern will assist in the planning, implementation, and execution of the Arts Council of Oklahoma City events: Opening Night, Oklahoma City Storytelling Festival, Sunday Twilight Concert Series and Festival of the Arts. 
• The intern will assist in public relations, writing press releases, updating the website, taking photographs, creating media credentials and press kits, tracking press clippings and editing print pieces.
• The intern will work in fund-raising for the Arts Council of Oklahoma City, with opportunities to assist in grant proposal and report writing, and prospect research.
• Contact Gilbert Magdaleno at gmagdaleno@artscouncilokc.com
• For a full job description, Click_Here

Individual Artists of Oklahoma
• Archiving:  Assist with the compilation and cataloguing of exhibition records, project submissions, and proposals.  Create and maintain databases for current and upcoming exhibitions.  
• Event Management:  Assist with preparation for openings including marketing, public relations, event planning, and soliciting sponsorship from local businesses and other donors. 
• Research & Grant Writing:  Assist staff with identifying grant opportunities, researching and developing proposals, writing correspondence, and follow-up.    
• Non-Profit Management:  Assist with developing and maintaining current membership, donation acknowledgement and tracking, financial bookkeeping, and fundraising.   
• All applications require a brief cover letter, resume with three references, a current academic transcript and a writing sample of at least two pages in length explaining your interest in IAO.  They should be delivered in person to the IAO Gallery, 706 W Sheridan, in downtown Oklahoma City.
• Contact Jeff Carrico at carrico@iaogallery.org.

Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition
• The intern will assist in the development of new creative programming, research and outreach within the arts community, membership event planning and implementation, data entry and Virtual Gallery updates
• The intern will communicate with artists and donors and work at events.
• An event intern is needed that will only work pre/post OVAC events. Event Interns will assist in all levels of planning special events, including Momentum in the spring, 12x12 in the fall, and OVAC benefits.
• Contact Sarah McElroy at office@ovac-ok.org
• Visit OVAC at www.ovac-ok.org

 

The Arts Council does so much for Oklahoma City - including planning and providing some of the city's best arts events. We hope you'll put their events on your calendar now - you won't want to miss them!

And leave a comment if you've been to Opening Night, Festival of the Arts or the Oklahoma City Storytelling Festival...we want to know what you think!

Here's more information on the Arts Council of Oklahoma City...

Name and Title: Emily Reagan, Communications Director
Organization Name: Arts Council of Oklahoma City
Organization Phone Number and Web Site: 405-270-4848, www.ArtsCouncilOKC.com

Give us the gist of your organization, Twitter-style (that means 140 characters or less).
We bring arts to everyone in the community through several community-wide events, such as Festival of the Arts, Opening Night (OKC’s New Year’s Eve Celebration), free Sunday Twilight Concert Series, Oklahoma City Storytelling Festival, and a number of arts education programs that benefit under-served youth and adults.

What does your organization bring to Central Oklahoma?
We produce one of the nationally top-rated outdoor festivals (Festival of the Arts) and a variety of free and low-cost programming. Our community-wide events celebrate ALL aspects of art.

List a few things that your organization is looking forward to in the coming year.
All of our events! We are going green with Festival of the Arts in April so we’re looking forward to implementing more steps to reduce our carbon footprint and set an eco-friendly example for other organizations.

How can people get involved with your organization?
Our organization is completely volunteer-driven. It’s a great way to get involved with art, even if you are not an artistic type. Plus there are plenty of leadership opportunities. It takes 5,000 volunteers to put on Festival of the Arts and 700 to put on Opening Night. If you’d like to get involved, you can sign up via our Web site (http://www.artscouncilokc.com/volunteer-form) or call us. We’d love to have you!

Name your favorite piece of art or art performance.
I am really looking forward to the Oklahoma City Storytelling Festival in the fall. Storytelling is such an under-appreciated art form, and it’s so entertaining! It’s essentially theater and comedy combined into one entrancing performance.

Which artist would you most like to meet?
I can’t wait to meet our storytellers who will be performing at our 2010 event. Storytellers are such captivating people! I also enjoy meeting all the diverse and traveled Plaza Artists at Festival of the Arts. Last festival, I really admired the “happy house” paintings of Houston artist Elaine Lanoue and  enjoyed chatting with her.

Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.

- Pablo Picasso

This weekend in the arts – exhibits and shows for the family, classes, films and an art auction.  Take your pick of these fantastic activities!

Donald G. Longcrier Exhibit
@ City Arts Center
http://www.cityartscenter.org

Dyeing From Nature: Fat Quarters For Quilters
@ City Arts Center
http://www.cityartscenter.org

Red Dot Art Auction
@ IAO Gallery
http://www.iaogallery.org

Mabee-Gerrer
Doing What We CAN to Help – free admission with a canned good!
@ Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art
http://www.mgmoa.org

Educators Workshop:  The Art of Journaling
@ Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art
http://www.mgmoa.org

Bah Humbug
@ Oklahoma Children’s Theatre
http://www.oklahomachildrenstheatre.org

Couch Lounge
@ Oklahoma City Museum of Art
http://www.okcmoa.com/cafe/couchlounge

Film Screenings – Cossi Fan Tutte, Opera in HD; Coco Before Chanel
@ Oklahoma City Museum of Art
http://www.okcmoa.com/film

The Dutch Italianates Family Day
@ Oklahoma City Museum of Art
http://www.okcmoa.com

Gingerbread House Contest – Entry deadline December 1st
@ Canterbury Choral Society
http://www.canterburyokc.com

Visit the agency web sites for more details!

Arts insider fact – galleries place red dots on artwork as soon as the pieces sell.

And IAO hopes to place plenty of red dots during its annual fundraiser – the Red Dot Art Auction.

Visit IAO’s new gallery space on historic film row on Friday, November 20th to get in on the art auction action. From 7-11 pm, the gallery will feature artwork by more than 75 Oklahoma artists. Guests will also enjoy food, drinks and friends while viewing the eclectic selection of art.

Funds raised via Red Dot directly support IAO exhibitions throughout the year. Cost of admission to Red Dot is $20 in advance or $25 at the door. Purchase advance tickets at Blue 7 (7518 N May Ave), Full Circle Bookstore (1900 NW Expressway), online at www.iaogallery.org or by phone (405) 232-6060. 

Does anyone already have plans to attend Red Dot? Looks like it is going to be amazing...and a great spot for one-of-a-kind holiday gifts.



Tornado Alley Roller Derby girls with sculptor Rick Bewley in front of his Red Dot sculpture. The Red Dot sculpture has helped IAO promote the upcoming art auction.

We're so excited to give you the scoop on City Arts Center, one of Allied Arts 20 member agencies. Check out all that they do for arts in Central Oklahoma.

Name and Title: Kristin Richter, PR Manager  
Organization Name: City Arts Center
Organization Phone Number and Web Site: 405-951-0000; www.cityartscenter.org

Give us the gist of your organization, Twitter-style (that means 140 characters or less).
The mission of City Arts Center is to provide interactive arts experiences through exhibits, classes and events.

What does your organization bring to Central Oklahoma?
City Arts Center is a community school of the arts that offers free admission to exhibits as well as very affordable art classes for both children and adults.

List a few things that your organization is looking forward to in the coming year.
City Arts Center is excited about our 17th Annual Café City Arts on January 29, 2010.

We also have several great artists lined up for the spring and are looking forward to having children invade our building during our summer camp season.

We are also excited about our 6th Annual Midnight Streak next July. In 2009, we had over 400 more runners than we did in 2008. We are hoping to increase the number of participating runners again in 2010!

How can people get involved with your organization?
If you are interested in art, you can visit City Arts Center at any time to view our art for free. If you would like to volunteer, we have numerous volunteer events. Contact 405-951-0000 if you are interested in volunteering!

Name your favorite piece of art or art performance.
It is impossible to name a favorite piece of art. We have so many amazing artists walk through our door, we couldn’t just name one!

Which artist would you most like to meet?
I think we are all very interested in meeting Jason Hackenwerth in April. He will be our April/May show. If you don’t know about Jason, he is definitely worth checking into! http://www.jasonhackenwerth.com/



A photo from Donald Longcrier's exhibit, currently available for viewing at the Eleanor Kirkpatrick Gallery (at the City Arts Center). Admission is free! 

Art is not a thing; it is a way.

- Elbert Hubbard

This weekend our agencies are hosting workshops, art shows, film screenings and fashion shows! There’s something for everyone in the world of art. Here’s what’s going on!

A Myriad of Mug Rugs: Five Techniques in Five Square Inches – workshop
@ City Arts Center
http://www.cityartscenter.org

30th Anniversary Poetry
@ IAO Gallery
http://www.iaogallery.org

Third Sunday Song Swap
@ IAO Gallery
http://www.iaogallery.org

Dr. Sketchy’s Anti-Art School
@ IAO Gallery
http://www.iaogallery.org

Doing What We CAN to Help
@ Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art
http://www.mgmoa.org

Watercolor Wax Batik Wall Hangings – adult workshop
@ Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art
http://www.mgmoa.org/

Bright Star – film screening
@ Oklahoma City Museum of Art
http://www.okcmoa.com/film

Couch Lounge
@ Oklahoma City Museum of Art
http://www.okcmoa.com/cafe/couchlounge

Transformations
@ Oklahoma City Philharmonic
http://www.okcphilharmonic.org/2009-2010-season

Smarten Up! – Science is Fashion
@ Science Museum Oklahoma
http://www.sciencemuseumok.org/

Canterbury Choral Society will be holding its annual Gingerbread House Contest on December 6. The deadline to enter is November 16, so be sure to get that entry form in! You don’t want to miss this holiday event!
http://www.canterburyokc.com/

I was enjoying spending time at Prairie Thunder Bakery on Monday afternoon when a customer walked in with a little red card in her hand. I immediately recognized that magical card (you know, the one that gave her 20% off her purchase) as the Allied Arts OKCityCard! The customer proceeded to say that she was so happy that she had donated to Allied Arts and received the card because she regularly saves money when she shops and eats out. This particular patron even said that she chooses OKCityCard businesses over others not just because of the discount she receives, but because she and the business are supporting the arts.

This led me to believe that there are lots of Oklahomans that would have the same experience if they knew the facts about the OKCityCard. Here’s a little game of “fact or fiction” to help you wrap your mind around this concept of the OKCityCard…

FACT or FICTION? OKCityCard holders are 97% less likely to suffer from buyer’s remorse.

FACT. Sort of. We don’t know if OKCityCard holders feel remorse after making those impulse buys, but we DO know that they saved money on the purchase!

FACT or FICTION? The 2009 OKCityCard will expire in January, so I won’t get my money’s worth if I donate now.

FICTION. You receive one year of benefits no matter which month you buy your card. If you buy in December 2009, you will receive discounts and benefits through December of 2010. You can donate TODAY to receive a whole year of savings!

FACT or FICTION? Most CityCard holders make up for their $50 donation with the money they save using their CityCard.

FACT. It’s easy to save $50!  I don’t eat out more than once or twice a week, and I am well on my way to that $50 mark in the two months that I’ve had the card.  As for the shopping, I can never claim that I don’t do that.  Here’s how I’ve already saved:

Iguana Mexican Grill (I’ve been four times and enjoyed a lot of queso): $18.00
Museum Café:  $5.35
Iron Starr Urban Bar-B-Q:  $1.50
Will’s Coffee Shop:  $2.25
TOTAL SAVINGS:  $27.10 – I’m over halfway there!

Feel free to post your questions about the OKCityCard or share your stories of savings!