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May 11th, 7pm
Location TBD. Informational Meeting for Interested Artists
May 18th
Deadline for Call for Artists
May 22nd
Participating Artists Notified & Community Partners Matched
June - July/Aug
Artwork Created
August
PR Activities
September 7th
Deadline for all Art
Sept 9 - Oct 5
Artwork Displayed at artEAST
October
Artwork displayed at additional commercial/public venues |
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For Our Many New Members – a Bit of Background
Our Collective Memory project was launched in 2007 when 18 artEAST artists partnered
with area citizens – well-known and obscure, young and old, quiet and colorful –
who helped shape the community. The artists honored these citizens by telling their
life and works stories through the form of visual art. The exhibit was displayed
at the ArtEAST Gallery and toured schools. The program was repeated in 2008 with
15 pairings, a larger opening reception and even more community and media visibility.
Our programs have involved everyone from the mayor to the mailman.
Our experience has shown that the project has a particularly significant impact
on the participating artists: providing them with a deep sense of personal connection
and pushing them creatively through the pressure to "do justice" to the stories
they have the honor to share. This project provides member artists with a vital
community connection, gives them a place to exhibit and significant exposure over
the months of the program and through the exhibition catalogs. Our experience has
also shown that this project has significant impact in creating a sense of community.
The program get great press in the local papers, increasing the communities understanding
of its people, its history, its value and richness as well as exposure for the artists
and artEAST. We work closely with the Issaquah Arts Commission, History Museums,
Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Issaquah Association and other arts organizations,
building creative, social and business networks. The Collective Memory exhibit is
shown in the artEAST Gallery during the month of September and through Salmon Days,
the first week of October. This increases our reach to the thousands of people from
outside the area who attend Salmon Days. The 2009 project will build on the success
– and lessons learned -- of the two previous shows. It has become our visible, flagship
program.
Get Involved!
Throw your hat into the ring to become a participating artist. This program
is open to ArtEAST members. Email Ellen Borison with your interest in becoming a
participating artist. She will provide more information and details on our very
simple jury process and the artwork that is created for this project.
This program communicates the stories of people who add significantly to the fabric
of our community and those stories inform the artwork. Thus, if your focus is not
portraits, that's fine because we strongly encourage many, many approaches to sharing
the stories other than literal portraits. Artwork, in all mediums is accepted, although
because of display and travel issues, there will be size and weight parameters on
both 2-D and 3-D work.
Because we want the artist to focus on their personal relationship with the community
member and the creation of the artwork, we provide support in finding and matching
community members, communicating with the community members, developing community
member basic bios and editing/finalizing all artists statements as well as PR and
display.
Depending on the outcome of our Artist Honorarium Grant request, the artwork is
either retained by artEAST at the end of the program, or retained by the artist.
We receive many requests by participating community members, local businesses, the
library, history museum etc for display or donation of the work.
Provide Suggestions of People to Honor. We work with a variety of knowledgeable
community members and organization each year to gather names from far and wide and
the list of community members with stories to share continues to grow. We are always
looking for new names!
Karen Klein gathers names of community members who add significantly to the fabric
of our community. They can be young (Iman Belali initiated the sister city program
with Morocco after visiting the country when she was 14 years old). They can be
old (Milt Swanson worked in the Newcastle coal mines). They can be well-known and
visible (the Mayor) or relatively quiet and obscure (Will, the Mailman). But all
have a significant story to tell and our community is a better place because of
them.
Help with Program Planning, PR, Logistics. Each year (through the sometimes
gratifying and sometimes painful learning curve) the program logistics get streamlined
and easier. But we still need many hands-on-deck for
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Writing/Editing
- PR
- Photography
- Reception
- Display
- Coordination with Businesses/Organizations
- Exhibition Catalog
Email Karen Abel to become part of this team!
Who to Contact
Become a Participating Artist
Ellen Borison, Artists Liason
Provide Names of Citizens We Might Want to Honor
Karen Klein, Community Member Liason
Assist with Program Development and Execution
Karen Abel, Program Logistics/Communications
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