At a time when most arts organizations are spending countless hours pleading for more cash from the powers that be and mindlessly beating their heads against that oh-so hard of hearing wall, one Miltown org is taking control of the current sad economic climate by standing up and saying, "Enough! We'll come up with our own strategy to get money and pass it on to the artistic peeps!"
This brave and honorable group goes by the name of African-American Artists Beginning To Educate Americans About African American Art (ABEA) and its brilliant concept--hatched, no doubt, from years of experience in ending up with the short straw in the funding game--is called The Soup Chronicles: Micro Funding For Artists. Whoozzah!
Spearheaded by artist and ABEA founder Della Wells, the aim of The Soup Chronicles is to provide partial monetary aid to a specific visual art project. Individual artists need only be a resident of the superb State of Wisconsin, 18 years or older, and submit a proposal of 500 words or less in order to qualify for consideration.
So what's the big funding idea? Well, it's similar to an Empty Bowls event at which folks gather together and pay a small cover to enjoy good eats for a good cause. In the The Soup Chronicles model, however, those in attendance get the opportunity to listen to three finalists as they present their worthy artistic projects and vote for the one they want the event funds to support. It's nourishing and interactive!
All Wisco visual artists who have reached the age of maturity--at least in years--and would like to apply for The Soup Chronicles: Micro Funding For Artists should send their snail mail proposals to:
ABEA
631 East Hadley # 2
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212
Those savvy enough to know how to use this newfangled communication tool known as email should send their proposals to wellsdella at yahoo dot com and put "Soup Chronicles" in the subject line.
Remember, proposals can be no longer than 500 words, which isn't a lot, so I'd suggest you leave out the long and circuitous tale of how your pet salamander was your sole source of creative encouragement in your blooming youth, 'kay?
Deadline is December 14, 2009.
For everybody else, please head on over to 1718 North 1st Street in Milwaukee on Saturday, January 23, 2010 from 12-2PM for the inaugural--that means first ever--Soup Chronicles event! Once you've ponied up your $5, you can fill your own bowl with yummy soup, nosh on fresh bread, hear the talented artists pitch their projects, and cast your vote for your favorite. The bigger the crowd, the bigger the ball of dough the winning project will get, so let's all go!
(Thanks, Della!)
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