IN THIS ISSUE:

INTRODUCING SPOTLIGHT:  CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
METAL ARTISTS ROUND TABLE PROGRAM
POETRY OUTLOUD 2009 – ’10 SPOTLIGHT:  NEW FEATURED SECTION AND CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

We are pleased to announce a new feature of Artbeat called Spotlight.  Spotlight will publish selected articles submitted by local artists or arts organizations in Contra Costa county.  The selected articles will not be used to advertise or market the artist’s work.  Rather, they will focus on artists’ point of view about their work, projects, activities, or lifestyle and experiences.  We want to feature artists’ writing about their passion for their art, their challenges and their solutions, about surviving as an artist or arts organization in today’s economy. 

Call for Submissions:  To be considered for this publication, artists and arts organizations can submit articles to AC5.  Articles selected for publication will be featured in the following month’s Artbeat newsletter.  The deadline for the first round of submissions is November 15^th. 

Submission Guidelines:  Articles can be submitted via email to ac5@ac5.org. Articles may be submitted as inline text within an email, or as a document attachment.  Please limit your submissions to no more than one page of single spaced text.  Images related to your article may be included as attachments.  Please do not send hard copy submissions.  AC5 reserves the right to edit submissions.

METAL ARTISTS ROUND TABLE PROGRAM

Business Management Workshop for Metal Artists
A Rare Opportunity To Hone Your Business Skills!The Arts and Culture Commission of Contra Costa County (AC5) is once again partnering with Global Trade Alliance Corporation (G-TAC) to offer a business management workshop tailored specifically to professional metal artists. Led by senior consultants from G-TAC, the focus will be on best practices for building, enhancing and growing a professional business. Thanks to a generous grant from The Corporation for Manufacturing Excellence (Manex), there is no charge to qualifying participants.

Workshop Date and Location
This workshop session is planned as an 8-hour session, to be held at a central East Bay location over a consecutive Saturday and Sunday in early December 2009. If you are interested in participating in this workshop, please contact Darcelle Lahr at G-TAC by October 30, 2009 to discuss eligibility and reserve a space (dlahr@g-tac.com). Space is limited to 20 participants.

Workshop TopicsSession 1 (four hours)
Strategic Business Planning and the Business Plan
Advancing from Entrepreneur to Business Leader
Personal Branding
Perfecting the Professional Image

Session 2 (four hours)
Marketing Your Business
Strategic Partnerships
Setting Goals
Financial Management/Growth Capital Sourcing

Eligibility Requirements
(please note that these requirements will be strictly enforced)

•Business Designation. Primary business in the Metal Arts including but not limited to jewelry,ornamental metalwork, pottery, ceramics, sculpture, statuary, blown/pressed glass, engraving,framing and related activities (if unsure of your business designation, please feel free to contact us). 

•New Client. Have not participated in a G-TAC business management workshop within the previous 4 calendar quarters. •Participation Commitment. Commitment to attend both of the two 4-hour sessions. 

•Survey Commitment. Commitment to complete a mandatory online survey 6 months following the conclusion of the workshop.

“The consulting program has had a tremendous impact as I have experienced a fundamental shift in how I perceive my art, my business and my clients. I now understand how to manage my art as a true business and to be a more effective business owner. Through the program, I came to the momentous realization that “sales” simply means connecting with those clients for whom my art is an inspiration, not an exhaustive assault to coerce people to purchase my work. That realization has greatly freed my mind and I now have a much clearer understanding of how to find,connect with, and retain clients.”  - Seamus Berkeley, professional artist   www.seamusberkeley.com

About G-TAC: Global Trade Alliance Corporation (G-TAC) helps business leaders grow their businesses confidently and purposefully. They support small to mid-sized businesses that seek long-term, sustainable growth. As seasoned business executives themselves, G-TAC provides guidance to business leaders in transitioning from early-stage entrepreneurs to strong, focused business managers. About Manex: The Corporation for Manufacturing Excellence (Manex), a California non-profit, provides funding and consulting services to California -based manufacturing companies to support the viability, growth, and competitiveness of our manufacturing sector. Professional artists, by nature of their activities (securing raw materials, creating products of value from those raw materials, and delivering thoseproducts to the community) expressly demonstrate a manufacturing process. Manex and G-TAC recognize that the arts are underserved in terms of traditional business growth support; thus they have collaborated to offer this program.  


POETRY OUT LOUD 2009 – ‘10

AC5 and Contra Costa County Office of Education team up to bring Poetry Out Loud, a national recitation contest open to county high school students for the 2009-'10 school year.Poetry Out Loud supports students in memorizing and reciting great poetry selected for its literary merit. It helps students master public speaking skills, build confidence and learn about their literary heritage. It is a free program of The National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation.High schools willing to participate in the contest are asked to designate an adult contact to communicate with AC5. Schools are to pick a representative to attend the county competition on February 7th at Acalanes High School in Lafayette. County winners will attend the state competition in March, and state winners go to the National Finals in Washington, D.C, in April 2010.Though it is designated to be part of the English curriculum, Poetry Out Loud can be implemented in any class, club, by a librarian or as an after school activity.

Poetry Out Loud materials and guidelines can be accessed through the Web site, http://www.poetryoutloud.org, or by contacting AC5. In addition, AC5 staff, commissioners and volunteers are available to participate in school competitions as judges, scorekeepers or other capacities.Schools that have committed to participation so far include California HS, Deer Valley, Dougherty Valley HS, Independence HS, Las Lomas HS, Miramonte HS, Monte Vista HS, Mt Diablo HS, Pittsburgh HS, Salesian HS and Venture HS. To enter your school in the 2009-'10

Poetry Out Loud competition or for information, contact:The Arts and Culture Commission of Contra Costa County
1236 Escobar St., Martinez, CA 94553
(925) 646-2278
ac5@ac5.org   

AC5 is partially funded by:
California Arts Council
California Art Lover