ArtsWA news

September 2023

Contact: info@arts.wa.gov

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In this issue:

• Apply: COVID Impacts Recovery grant
• Register: Poetry Out Loud
• Give feedback: Building for the Arts
• Attend: WA Poet Laureate events
• Explore: 2023 GAHA honorees
• Explore: Celebrating Hispanic Artists web exhibition
• and more

📣 Now accepting applications: the COVID Impacts Recovery Grant will provide one-time grants up to $5,000 to eligible Washington businesses and nonprofits in the arts, heritage, and science sectors to provide funding for recovery from pandemic economic impacts.

📆 Application open: Monday, September 25, 2023

📆 Application deadline: Wednesday, November 1, 2023, 5 p.m. (PST)

🔔 Notifications sent: January 8 – 12, 2023

📆 Funds dispersal: January 22 – 26, 2023

More opportunities

📣 Poetry Out Loud (POL) is open for registration for both schools (teachers and their classes) and individuals (POL Virtual). Poetry Out Loud is a national poetry recitation competition for high school students supported by The National Endowment for the Arts and The Poetry Foundation. 

📆 Friday, November 17, 2023 - Registration closes

📣 Building for the Arts will open for applications in Spring 2024, and we want to hear from you! Please take a moment to answer a 5-question survey to help us develop resources to guide you through the process.

✅ Take the 5-question Building for the Arts survey

👉🏽 Learn more about Building for the Arts

📣 Washington State Poet Laureate Arianne True will accept submissions for a Queer Poetry Anthology starting October 2. Arianne invites poets of all skill levels to submit entries!

📆 Monday, October 2, 2023 - Submissions open

Free upcoming events with the Washington State Poet Laureate!

Reading during RevitalizeWA’s Opening Plenary

📆 Wednesday, October 4, 2023

⏰ 4:30 – 6:00 p.m.

🌎 Kiggins Theatre | 1011 Main St Vancouver, WA

RevitalizeWA’s Opening Plenary will focus on what it means to care about a place and how we can all act on that care.

Indigenous Peoples' Day Poetry Reading

📆 Monday, October 9, 2023

⏰ 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

🌎 ʔaʔkʷustəŋáw̕txʷ House of Learning, Peninsula College Longhouse | Port Angeles campus

The event features an open mic for Native poets followed by a reading from Arianne True. Light refreshments provided. The event will also be livestreamed on Zoom.

Gathering of Regional Poets

📆 Saturday, October 14, 2023

⏰ 4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

🌎 BookTree Kirkland | 609 Market Street Kirkland, WA

In addition to Arianne’s reading, this event will feature a panel of regional poets from Washington’s diverse literary communities.

News & Updates

🏆 Meet the 2023 Governor's Arts & Heritage Awards honorees

Urban ArtWorks is one of the Organization Award honorees at the 2023 Governor’s Arts & Heritage Awards. Photo courtesy of Urban ArtWorks.

ArtsWA is thrilled to announce the honorees of the 2023 Governor’s Arts & Heritage Awards. The nine honorees’ work spans glasswork, music education, community murals, and more.

“These awards are a true community celebration,” said Karen Hanan, Executive Director of ArtsWA. “Nominations poured in from across the state with a clear message: Washington is home to outstanding artists, organizations, and culture bearers that deserve to stand up and be recognized. Their work enriches our communities and enlivens the entire state.”

Photo (left): Jen Elek, Nancy Callan, and Lino Tagliapietra on the Museum of Glass Hot Shop Floor. Photo by Kristin Elliot. Courtesy of Museum of Glass.

The 2023 Governor's Arts & Heritage Awards honorees are:

🏆 Individual Award: Lino Tagliapietra

🏆 Individual Award: Ginny Ruffner

🏆 Organization Award: Urban ArtWorks

🏆 Organization Award: Sequim City Band

🏆 Young Leader Award: Collin J. Pittmann

🏆 Educator Award: Dr. Ashley DeMoville

🏆 Community Impact Award: Allied Arts of Whatcom County

🏆 Legacy Award: Dr. Paul-Elliott Cobbs

🏆 Arts & Heritage Champion Award: Mimi Gardner Gates

In case you missed it

Explore: Celebrating Hispanic Artists

The Ravens Dance for the Sun (2023, mosaic) by Mauricio Robalino, located at Madison Elementary, Mount Vernon, Northwestern WA.

We are celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15 to Oct. 15) with the creative expression of the artists of Hispanic heritage represented in Washington’s State Art Collection. 13% of Washingtonians claim Hispanic heritage and in many areas of Central and Southeastern Washington, that rate is more than 30%. Many of our local art selection committees want art that reflects their communities. These artworks reflect our diverse heritage and perspectives—past, present, and future.

Why is National Hispanic Heritage Month celebrated from September 15 to October 15? The start date of September 15 was chosen because it is also the Independence Day of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. They all declared their independence from Spain on September 15, 1821. September 16 is Mexico’s Independence Day and September 18 is Chile’s Independence Day. Both declared their independence from Spain in 1810. September 21 marks the anniversary when Belize gained independence from Great Britain in 1981. Learn more.

Explore on My Public Art Portal.