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Pomona Valley Arts Association Reopens SOHO artist gallery!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – POMONA VALLEY ART ASSOCIATION
Pomona Valley Art Association (PVAA), established in 1952, celebrates local artists and showcases their talents in a unique setting – Gallery SOHO, located in Montclair Place mall.
We are excited to announce the re‐opening of the Gallery SOHO artist co‐operative gallery, tied to the launch of our online shopping experience! Our new capabilities allow the community to have access to our artists and their work in a manner that supports health safety during the COVID‐19 health crisis. The entire inventory of the PVAA’s 35+ exhibiting artists has been made available for online shopping for the first time. Clients can choose to have items shipped to their homes, or enjoy quick in‐store pickup conveniently located near abundant parking at Montclair Place. Gallery SOHO was closed to the public by the PVAA Board on December 26, 2020 out of an abundance of caution in anticipation of a holiday surge of COVID‐19. Gallery SOHO will re‐open at 12:00PM on February 1, 2021. In addition, we are actively seeking artists who would like to join the PVAA and exhibit both in‐ gallery and online – and encourage them to complete our online application to begin the process.
Online Shopping: pvaaonline.myshopify.com Artist/General information: pvaa.net PVAA has also re‐launched our social media platforms on both Facebook and Instagram!
Facebook: @PomonaValleyArtAssociation Instagram: @new_pomona_valley_art_association
Robert Scott, PVAA Business Transformation Manager: “The launch of our online shopping experience is the foundation for our emerging strategy to engage with the community in the age of COVID‐19. Tied to our social media platforms, we will move forward with offering artist showcases, webinars, virtual juried shows, and other new virtual experiences to keep our artists and the community engaged. Protecting the health and safety of our artists and clients is paramount, and these new technologies are allowing us to fulfill that mission.”
Kathleen McCall, PVAA President: “The closure of Gallery SOHO on December 26 has allowed us to focus on implementing our new online system, and protect our artists and clients during the holiday surge of COVID‐19. We are grateful to our lessors at CIM Group for enabling flexibility during this time, and look forward to working with them on activities that integrate with the Montclair Place’s community engagement goals.”
John Bagley Jr, PVAA Exhibiting Artist / Social Media Coordinator: “It is so important to keep arts and culture alive during this time – I am excited to revitalize the PVAA’s social media presence. We are looking forward to offering engaging content and learning experiences to our clients and provide an outlet for our artists – especially during a time when they aren’t able to interact in person. These new tools create the perfect environment to safely tell our stories to an eager audience.”
Pomona Valley Art Association is a 501c(3) non‐profit art association established in 1952 and dedicated to the stimulation of creative interest, education, and the enjoyment of art in all its various forms. Gallery SOHO is located inside Montclair Place, and together with the next‐door PVAA Art Place, provides 4700+ square feet of space dedicated to art and art learning in the community. PVAA operates monthly juried shows, open to members and the general public – as well as an annual show that attracts over 100 local artists.
Contact:
Robert Scott – PVAA Business Transformation Manager – (949)842‐8229 – aspenltd@outlook.com
John Bagley Jr – Exhibiting Artist/Social Media Coordinator – (619)607‐5059 – sohosquare64@gmail.com Kathleen McCall – PVAA President – (909)936‐6630 – kathleenmcccallartist@gmail.com

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Arts for IE December Convening Announced

Arts for IE announces the next regional convening. Join this growing group of dozens of regional arts organizations combining efforts to create a fund and advocacy platform for arts and culture in Inland Southern California.

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CREATIVE PATHWAYS – SPEAKER SERIES ON JUNE 18, 2020

Arts Access in the age of COVID – Guest Speakers Rebecca Hamm and Nancy DeDiemar

ABOUT THIS EVENT

This lunchtime dialogue, hosted by the Chaffey Community Museum of Art, in partnership with Arts Connection – the Arts Council of San Bernardino County – will highlight current adaptations arts organizations, galleries, schools and museums are making to keep audiences engaged now. As a group we will share how we are adjusting to a future where social distancing redirects how we interact with each other and the art forms we love.

Our dialogue will be guided by two regional thought leaders-

• Nancy DeDiemar, board chairman for the Chaffey Community Museum of Art and chairman of the Ontario Festival of the Arts, will discuss the diverse range of arts programming the City of Ontario has developed through its unique focus on public-private partner ships. She will share key strategies and successes in developing relationships with a city liaison and arts champion, if you don’t already have one! She will also discuss how the musuem is evolving inthe new landscape and welcoming change.

• Rebecca Hamm, Director of Arts, Tierra Del Sol Foundation, will share with us practical ways to increase our knowledge and awareness of accessibility issues in the arts – who and what to consider when planning events and programs and how to develop a more inclusive approach in planning, facilitation, and promotion.

After this inspiration and learning, together we will explore the opportunities and challenges presented by the quarantine, as well as creative solutions and potential partnerships that have yet to be identified.

This gathering is for artists of all backgrounds and mediums, educators, community members, and regional leadership. Please share with others in your networks that you know would be interested in this kind of dialogue.

Free and open to all. Once registered, you will received the meeting login info via zoom. 

REGISTER HERE

Creative Pathways is an Arts Connection initiative to reinvest in our regional commitment and to explore the next steps forward for the arts. These paths will guide us towards a permanent position for arts and culture in the county’s development. In order to do this, we have to work together. We need to expand local and regional capacity by drawing together and leveraging the expertise and experiences of our existing countywide and regional creative professional networks. Creative Pathways is a series of convenings, workshops, and events which we will collectively develop, co-host, sponsor, and attend throughout the year to amplify this effort and our unified voice for the arts.

Arts Connection – the Arts Council of San Bernardino County, is a state-local partner to the California Arts Council, designated by the County Board of Supervisors to serve the county’s citizens. As the local arts agency, Arts Connection is officially designated to provide financial support, services, and other programs to enhance the capacity of the region’s cultural arts organizations, individual artists, and the diverse communities of the county. 

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SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY ANNOUNCES THE 2020 POETRY OUT LOUD COUNTY WINNERS, BREEN MANOS AND WILLIAM RODRIGUEZ!

San Bernardino, CA — Arts Connection is pleased to announce the San Bernardino County Poetry Out Loud Champion, Breen Manos from Big Bear High School. Our runner up, from W.A. Carter High School in Rialto, is William Rodriguez. The Contest was held at The Garcia Center for the Arts in San Bernardino on February 1, 2020, where we had a full house with friends, family, teachers and poetry enthusiasts. Breen will be heading to Sacramento to compete in the state finals on March 16th. The competition is presented in partnership with the California Arts Council, the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation, and is part of a national program that encourages high school students to learn about great poetry through memorization, performance, and competition. 

Poetry Out Loud is a national arts education program that encourages the study of great poetry by offering educational materials and a dynamic recitation competition to high schools across the country. Poetry Out Loud uses a pyramid structure. Beginning at the classroom level, winners advance to a school-wide competition, then to the county and  state competitions, and ultimately to the national finals in Washington, DC. 

Contestants recite works they select from an anthology of more than 900 classic and contemporary poems. Students participating in the Poetry Out Loud program have benefited from educational materials created by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation. These standards-based curriculum materials include an online anthology, a teacher’s guide, lesson plans, and video and audio on the art of recitation. Schools are welcome to download these free resources at poetryoutloud.org.

This year’s competitors were from the following schools: Big Bear High School, The Grove School, and W.A. Carter High School. The contest was judged by poets Cindy Rinne, Sam Mantes, Eric DeVaughn, and Romaine Washington.

Arts Cnnection has partnered with KayJo Creatives – Natalie Graham and Keya Vance – to help coordinate and produce Poetry Out Loud across San Bernardino County. With their help, the program included a kick-off bash in November 2019, a new addition to the events related to the roll out of this celebrated program. If interested in participating in future years – it’s a free program – contact Arts Connection staff at: info@artsconnectionnetwork.org. Programming starts in August every year; stay tuned for 2021 Poetry Out Loud details.

POETRY OUT LOUD AWARDS

The state champion will receive an all-expenses-paid trip (with an adult chaperone) to compete in the national finals in Washington, DC, on April 24–25, 2018. The Poetry Out Loud national finals will present a total of $50,000 in awards and school stipends, with a $20,000 award for the Poetry Out Loud National Champion. Poetry Out Loud is a program of the following organizations:

THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS

Established by Congress in 1965, the NEA is the independent federal agency whose funding and support gives Americans the opportunity to participate in the arts, exercise their imaginations, and develop their creative capacities. Through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies, and the philanthropic sector, the NEA supports arts learning, affirms and celebrates America’s rich and diverse cultural heritage, and extends its work to promote equal access to the arts in every community across America. For more information, visit arts.gov.

THE POETRY FOUNDATION 

The Poetry Foundation, publisher of Poetry magazine, is an independent literary organization committed to a vigorous presence for poetry in our culture. It exists to discover and celebrate the best poetry and to place it before the largest possible audience. The Poetry Foundation seeks to be a leader in shaping a receptive climate for poetry by developing new audiences, creating new avenues for delivery, and encouraging new kinds of poetry through innovative partnerships, prizes, and programs. For more information, visit poetryfoundation.org.

THE CALIFORNIA ARTS COUNCIL

California’s state arts agency: advancing California through the arts and creativity. The California Arts Council builds public will and resources for the arts; fosters accessible arts initiatives that reflect contributions from all of California’s diverse populations; serves as a thought leader and champion for the arts; and provides relevant programs and services. http://cac.ca.gov/

ARTS CONNECTION

Arts Connection is the Arts Council for San Bernardino County, designated by the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors to serve as the State and Local Partner to the California Arts Council. Arts Connection is dedicated to stimulating creative and economic vitality and enriching lives throughout the communities they serve by providing support, promotion, education, and advocacy for the arts.

KAYJO CREATIVES

KayJo Creatives is an innovative media company with a mission to create community and reveal the beauty of humanity. In addition to creating a range of media deliverables for their clients, they host joyful and engaging workshops and events that empower diverse creators at all stages of development in the Inland Empire. KayJo Creatives is currently producing its first feature-length film, I, Too. The documentary highlights a series of 100 interviews with African American Men from Florida and California.  

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ARTS CONNECTION ANNOUNCES MIRCO GRANTS FOR INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS – NOW OPEN

Public funding for individual artists and their incredibly innovative ideas is sorely lacking in the Inland Southern California region. In response, Arts Connection is launching an exciting new micro grant opportunity for individual artists.

This grant allows individual artists of all media and backgrounds to receive funding for smaller projects on a one-time basis by offering one-time grants up to $500. Artists must live and work in San Bernardino County.

Join Arts Connection and help us build this important resource for the arts community – either as a microgrant sponsor or applicant. Together, we will lead the way for change!  Read more for the full guidelines and a link to the online form and downloadable PDF.

Program Funding Goals

Proposed projects should demonstrate innovative thinking and creative, arts-based approaches to advance an individual, local, or community identified goal. 

Sponsors: The proposed microgrants will allow local artists to create new, innovative projects that may never happen without your generosity. Donations can be of any amount and donations of less than the average $500 microgrant will be combined with others. To ensure we identify the correct number of artist recipients, all donations must be received by March 1, 2020. All sponsors will be recognized on the Arts Connection Website and at the microgrant awards event scheduled for April 2020.

Artists: Artists of all medium and backgrounds are welcome and encouraged to apply. Proposed projects do not have to be completed with this funding; this can be start up funding. Projects do not have to be new; they do not need to be large in scope, but they should demonstrate impact on the community served or the artistic practice in focus. For example, proposed projects might be single events, a series, or include mentoring or professional development or research. The amount of grants given each year will vary. Grant requests may be submitted between January 31, 2020 and March 15, 2020 through the stream-lined application below. Grant announcements will be made the first week of April 2020.

Go, be creative.

What we will not fund:

–       Scholarships

–       Donations to other organizations or individuals

–       Political campaigns and legislative lobbying efforts 

–       Building or capital campaigns 

–       Projects that exclusively serve religious purposes

–       Projects that discriminate against another race, ethnicity or gender

–       Costs for the creation of new organizations.

For more information about the Arts Innovator Micro-Grant, contact Arts Connection staff at info@artsconnectionnetwork.org 

or 909-381-1900

Sponsor a Microgrant

To sponsor a microgrant, simply send a check in any amount to:

Arts Connection

5500 University Parkway

VA 308

San Bernardino, CA 92407

Please be sure your check is made out to Arts Connection and includes a note that is to be used for the Microgrant initiative.

Apply for a Micro grant

If you have read the information above and believe your project is reasonable for consideration, you may apply between January 31, 2020 and March 15, 2020 through the stream-lined application below, but please note:

·       All applications are due no later than 5:00PST on March 15, 2020. Late applications will not be reviewed.

·       Proofreading all materials demonstrates your ability to communicate your artistic message. Spelling/grammatical errors and incomplete sentences will lower your score.

·       Please be sure your application is complete. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.


TWO WAYS TO SUBMIT (Choose One)

1.     Submit Online

Complete and submit the Micro-Grant Application online by clicking the button below.

Online application

2.     Submit Via US Mail

Click the link below, print and complete the application form, and mail to the following address:

Arts Connection

5500 University Parkway

VA 308

San Bernardino, CA 92407

Download the PDF application below.

Grant announcements will be made the first week of April 2020. Grant recipients will be informed of their awards no later than March 25, 2020. If you do not receive notification, we hope you’ll participate again next year.

For more information about the Arts Innovator Micro-Grant, contact Arts Connection staff at info@artsconnectionnetwork.org or 909-381-1900

Thank you to all of our first year micro grant sponsors!!

Kathryn Ervin

Cynthia Anderson

Natalie Graham

Elaine Kane and Jennifer Kane (in memory of Stephen J Kane)

June Jet Tucker

Keya Vance

Stephanie MacLean

Peggy Hock McCalley

John Machado

Mary Addison Hackett

Steven Thomas

Marilyn Green

Eva Soltes

Deborah Tobin

Marie Bobin

Erina Higa

Miriam Nieto

Dr Anne Viricel

Danielle Giudici Wallis

and the Sam and Alfreda Maloof Foundation for Arts and Crafts