The COCA Buzz

COCA's blog has moved!

2011-06-21T10:56:00.001-04:00

Please visit us at our brand new website, www.cocanet.org, and our blog at http://www.cocanet.org/news/!

2011-04-14T16:16:00.009-04:00

COCA (the Council on Culture & Arts) announces

Culture Club: Where the community convenes for cultural conversations.

For anyone who makes a living or a hobby of the arts or enjoys the view from the audience; plays in an orchestra or sings in a band; dances, acts, directs, costumes or lights a show; paints, takes photographs, makes films or buys local art; teaches any type of art at any level, writes books, attends or organizes festivals, explores an historic site, admires exhibitions in a museum or hangs them yourself, you are the Culture Club.

Tallahassee has the Economic Club of Florida, The Capital Tiger Bay Club, & dozens of others. Culture Club now joins them and knows that members of those clubs are also members of the Culture Club.

All Culture Club meetings will begin with light hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar followed by the sit-down portion of the meeting where “Inside the Actors Studio” meets “NPR’s Press Club” meets “The Phil Donahue Show” (for those old enough to know who he is).

Culture Club’s featured guests may be famous or infamous, citizens or politicians with opinions, do-ers and/or teachers of the arts, and more.

COCA thanks The Knight Foundation for their help in launching this inaugural meeting on Wednesday, April 27 at 5:30-7:30 pm at the Tallahassee Little Theatre. Tickets for the general public are $15 and for COCA Members are $10. It’s easy to register your attendance online at http://cocanet.org/assistance/cultureclub.html . But, it’s first come, first serve for this first meeting and space is limited.

The first Culture Club conversation begins with no politics. We welcome as our featured guests…Michael Bakan & The Artism Music-Play Project.

How does music affect children? Or, more specifically, can making music have an impact on children on the autism spectrum? Through the Artism Music-Play Project, Michael Bakan and his Artism Ensemble collaborators are exploring such questions in a very practical—and a very musical—way.

The music of Artism draws from a vast array of musical traditions, from Chinese zheng and Aboriginal Australian didgeridoo music to rumba, flamenco, jazz, salsa, gamelan, and West African drum-dance forms. At the heart of the repertoire, however, are the musical and cultural innovations of the children themselves. They are the real stars of the ensemble, and it is their original compositions and arrangements that truly define Artism’s unique musi-cultural identity and vision.

Michael, who is Professor and Head of Ethnomusicology/World Music at Florida State University, formed the Artism Ensemble as a research and public outreach project aimed at promoting autism awareness, facilitating social and creative agency, and highlighting the abilities—rather than disabilities—of children on the autism spectrum. This music improvisation collective is made up of professional musicians from diverse world cultures plus five children, ages 7-14, with special abilities, as well as the co-participating parents of these children.

Michael Bakan is using his knowledge to improve the world, one child at a time. And he is here in Tallahassee. This is your chance to meet and get to know him, and to see what the Artism Music-Play Project is doing to change our conceptions of both autism and music. Join us for this unique opportunity to explore music in a new way.

COCA is planning more Culture Club meetings for 2011 and will decide how many we can do in 2012 with the community’s enthusiasm as the barometer.

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

Event Information:

Wednesday, April 27, 2011 ..........................5:30–7:30 pm

Tallahassee Little Theater; 1861 Thomasville Road

5:30-6:00 Mingle with members of the Artism Ensemble and enjoy light hors d'œuvres and a cash bar

6:00-7:30 Participate in a conversation with Michael Bakan and the Artism Ensemble

Admission:

COCA Members .......................................$10.00

General Public ......................................... $15.00

To become a COCA member, visit http://cocanet.org/about/join.html

Deadlines:

Registration Deadline ........................... 4/22- the sooner the better, because those who hesitate may miss their chance.

Registration forms available online at: http://cocanet.org/assistance/cultureclub.html

Late Registration (including at the door) is based on space availability.

Questions:

Contact the Council on Culture & Arts .........(850) 224-2500 or amanda@cocanet.org

Important Invitation

2011-04-03T23:45:00.008-04:00

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

Right now, our City, State and country have a tough line to toe. They need to rank their priorities and decide what is appropriate for public funding.

As governments at all levels are weighing those priorities, they are discussing where the arts fit into that list. We see the Federal government considering the elimination of the NEA, State legislators considering to barely fund cultural grants at all, even at a level that is already 95% less than it was five years ago.

This year, the City of Tallahassee is implementing a new strategy of obtaining community input on budget matters early in the process by holding Budget Public Meetings this week in three different locations in the community. Citizens will have the opportunity to “interact with staff in an open house format, review service areas and provide feedback about how they would like to see the budget divided”. Their goal for these meetings is to get a better sense of community priorities before staff begins crafting the budget to present to the City Commissioners for their consideration and approval.

Those who think public safety is a high priority will be there.

Those who think social services should be a high priority will be there.

Those who think government funding should not go to anything but those two things will be there.

Some will be there who may think government has no reason to support the arts and culture at all.

As someone who appreciates what the arts and culture bring to this community you must come forward and let them know that arts and cultural City funding is important or your voice will be telling them with its silence that it should not be considered a priority.

As always, I hope that all of you will use positive comments about the impact you have felt and seen as a result of the City’s current support for arts and culture and/or constructive criticism that includes suggestions for improvement. If you have anything to say about COCA’s role in the community or the impact it has had on you we encourage you to add that to your statement as well. This is not the time to stay home and hope someone else speaks for you. COCA is urging you to choose at least one of the meetings to attend and bring your message of support for the City to fund the arts and culture.

Choose from one of the below meetings or attend more than one:

6:00 PM Monday, April 4-Gilchrist Elementary School, 1301 Timberlane Road
6:00 PM Tuesday, April 5-Walker-Ford Community Center, 2301 Pasco St.
6:00 PM Wednesday, April 6-Tallahassee Senior Center, 1400 North Monroe St.

I have included some Facts to Consider on the following page and of course, please feel free to call us at COCA if you would like to discuss anything prior to the meetings. As always, we are grateful to have such an engaged community and when an invitation is extended from your local government to share your opinion, we hope you will seize the opportunity. Let us know if you plan to attend so we can have an idea of how many voices will be heard.

Thanks for all your work, your support and your participation in making arts and culture strong in Tallahassee,

Peggy Brady, Executive Director

FACTS TO CONSIDER: ECONOMIC IMPACT
No matter how tight a budget, during the Great Depression the arts and culture received more not less government support because of its transformative and affective impact, not just its economic ones. Today, we must also speak to its economic impact. Here in Tallahassee that impact has been surveyed and documented and it was done in a down time-during this current recession. That data shows that with the City and County’s support combined with the earnings of local arts organizations, which include private, corporate and admission/ticket sales there is a healthy ROI for the local community. Translated into dollars, for every dollar that comes from local government into the local arts organizations, even now in this recession, $7.66 is spent back in the local economy.

If growing the economy, creating jobs and working in public/private partnerships is their goal, the City can count on arts and culture as valuable partners and a good use of public funding during these times as is documented by objective data.

WHERE IS THE CULTURAL FUNDING IN THE CITY’S BUDGET NOW
In the City's budget the cultural funding is found in FUNDING FOR OUTSIDE AGENCIES. Local non-profit arts and cultural organizations submit competitive grant applications through COCA each year providing detailed information on the projects and outcomes they will achieve with the use of these public funds. These applications are then reviewed by a citizen’s panel to recommend the distribution of $529,298 to the highest scoring of over 25 local non-profit organizations. The cultural organizations who receive the funding also provide interim and final reports on the use of the funds. Eight local non-profit organizations that have successfully competed in past years were left with no funding this year due to the decreased grant fund.

COCA, the Council on Culture and Arts is designated local arts agency, a non-profit public service organization that works with the city through performance service contracts. As a public agency, created by statute and inter-local agreements, COCA was also given a restriction from raising private dollars for its own operating in order to assist those local organizations seeking those same dollars. COCA's services include providing promotional outlets about cultural offerings and opportunities to the public, providing exhibition opportunities and business tools for local artists and creative businesses, managing the competitive grants programs for both the City and the County, working with the school district and teachers to support arts education, providing a central resource to citizens for locating and learning about local arts and culture and serving as a public/private partner with the City and County in absence of a department of Cultural Affairs. COCA's City contract funding totals $192,036.

www.cocanet.org
cultural@cocanet.org
850.224.2500

Power and Politics: Paintings by Lance deHaven-Smith

2011-03-22T16:55:00.002-04:00

Dancing Trees by Lance deHaven-Smith

The Council on Culture & Arts is pleased to present Power and Politics:
Paintings by Lance deHaven-Smith an exhibition at the Artport Gallery from March 23 – May 23, 2011 as part of the Arts in Public Places program.

As an adept oil painter and a professor in the School of Public Administration and Policy at FSU, Lance deHaven-Smith is uniquely capable of using art to explore power and status. deHaven-Smith's art is an aspect of his lifelong interest in politics and power. His oil paintings show how power relations are written into the architecture, location and the even the heights of the buildings in downtown Tallahassee.

“If you look at the governmental buildings in relation to other (downtown) buildings, they are straining to be on top and overshadow one another. They aren’t thinking about how they look as a group. You end up with a good deal of struggle for presence.”

In this exhibit, deHaven-Smith displays his impressionistic style filled with color, movement and energy. Downtown scenes and city-scapes that are familiar to residents and frequent visitors are compressed and presented from unusual and imaginary vantage points challenging the viewer to contemplate how power and politics are expressed in the world around us.

The exhibition is curated by the Council on Culture & Arts’ Arts in Public Places program on behalf of the City of Tallahassee. For more information about this program, visit http://www.cocanet.org/.

For more information about this exciting exhibition or upcoming exhibitions contact Amanda Karioth Thompson at (850) 224-2500 or Amanda@cocanet.org. For a schedule of other exhibitions and arts and culture programs throughout north Florida, visit http://www.morethanyouthought.com/. Learn more about COCA and sign up to receive COCA’s weekly email blast at http://www.cocanet.org/.

Creative Tallahassee Exhibition Winners

2011-03-21T13:42:00.015-04:00

Congratualtions to all of the artists who currently have work displayed in the 2011 Creative Tallahassee exhibit. This annual juried show has become very competitive and although it is an honor to be selected for this exhibition, COCA announced some additional kudos to a few of the artists who have artwork in this show during a public reception on March 18th.

Honorable Mention Award Winners:

Let Go by Noah Z. Brock

The Kawamoto Series by Ann Kawamoto

Tarpon by Pam Talley

3rd Place Winner:

Bridge at Southwood by Peter Bigelow

2nd Place Winner:

Mill Wheel 1832 by Marguerite Foxon

1st Place Winner:

Corrugated Castle by Bill McKeown

Congratulations to these six artists and to all of the artists selected to exhibit in Creative Tallahassee exhibition.

Creative Tallahassee 2011 Exhibit at the City Hall Art Gallery

2011-03-14T10:38:00.013-04:00

Mothership

Photography by Steve Coleman

Don Quixote
Oil on Canvas by Stephen Bennett

Sidewalk Silhouette
Photography by Niki Dunlap

Rosa and Granite
Gouache & Graphite on Paper by Ananda Balingit-LeFils

Creative Tallahassee 2011

Celebrate the skill, talent, ingenuity and creativity of some of the most exciting artists in the Big Bend area. In this multi-media show at the City Hall Gallery, the Council on Culture & Arts’ Creative Tallahassee 2011 highlights the work of many well-known Tallahassee artists, as well as emerging artists in this highly-anticipated annual juried exhibition. The exhibition of paintings, photographs, textiles and sculptures will be on display from March 9th until May 9th.

Competition in 2011 was fierce. Over 130 individual pieces were submitted for consideration. And from those, forty artists were selected by a special jury to have their work shown in this year’s Creative Tallahassee show.

Meet the artists in the City Hall Art Gallery during a reception and awards ceremony on Friday evening, March 18th from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm, and enjoy light refreshments. Awards will be presented at 6:30 pm. There is no charge for the reception or the exhibition.

The City Hall Art Gallery is located on the second floor of City Hall at 300 South Adams Street and is open Monday through Friday,

8:00 am – 5:30 pm.

Creative Tallahassee 2011 is one of over a dozen annual exhibitions curated by the Council on Culture & Arts. The exhibit is part of the City of Tallahassee’s Art in Public Places program. For more information about this exhibition, upcoming exhibitions, or the Art in Public Places program, contact Amanda Karioth Thompson at COCA, (850) 224-2500 or amanda@cocanet.org.

SAIL High School Receives College Board’s First National Award for Innovation in the Arts

2011-01-25T11:28:00.006-05:00

SAIL High School is one of six schools in the United States to be chosen as the inaugural recipient of the College Board Award for Excellence and Innovation in the Arts. Granted to one school in each of the College Board regions, this award was established to recognize and celebrate the achievements of K-12 institutions that have implemented an arts program that promotes student learning and creativity in exemplary and innovative ways. SAIL was chosen from applicants across the College Board’s Southern region, which consists of 10 states (LA, MS, AL, GA, FL, SC, NC, TN, KY, VA).

“The selection committee was very impressed with the diverse array of student artwork that was reflected in SAIL’s work sample and the high level of engagement and achievement that was reflected throughout. Your commitment to admitting students to SAIL regardless of their prior art experience and academic achievement, shows a commitment to access and equity that we greatly admire, and makes the high level of artistic and academic achievement even more inspiring. We are delighted to present SAIL High School with a $3,000 award to support its exemplary arts programming.”

-- Nancy Rubino, Director of Office of Academic Initiatives at the College Board

On Janurary 27 at 10:35, Superintendent Jackie Pons will be coming to SAIL to congratulate the students and staff on this prestigious award. SAIL performing arts students will present a 5 minute showcase of the dance, art, drama and music that we are being recognized for.

Tiffany Thomas, Assistant Principal, will accept the award on behalf of SAIL at the College Board’s Regional Forum in Atlanta on February 10- 11, 2011.

2011-01-07T15:49:00.013-05:00

East Point’s Treasures by Shehla Milliron

Iamonia by Pam Talley

Spring Morning Horizon Lines-Detail by Mary Urquhart

The Council on Culture & Arts is pleased to present

Horizon Lines: Oil Paintings by Shehla Milliron, Pam Talley and Mary Urquhart

an exhibition at the City Hall Gallery from January 12 – March 7, 2011
as part of the Arts in Public Places program

Capturing images on canvas is Shehla Milliron’s way of going back in time and revisiting the places she has encountered. As an an oil painter focused primarily on landscapes and animals, Milliron spends the year living between Tallahassee and Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Her work depicts subjects from these two diverse regions. She paints on location whenever possible and also uses photography as an aid in the creation of her works, especially the wildlife.

Pam Talley is always evolving as an artist and she strives to show the beauty that great light can bring to everyday subjects. She works in oils and uses impressonistic brush and knife work to make her subjects come to life. Pam pursued painting throughout early school years and is a trained graphic artist. Pam teaches art classes at Brush and Palette Studio and is continually developing new ideas for paintings.

Born and raised in the Midwest, Mary Urquhart now sees wild beauty in the landscapes of the Southeast. Her paintings allow her the opportunity to discover, take chances and be taken by surprise. Whether it is a marsh, lake, river or the Gulf of Mexico, she finds allure in watery reflections. Urquhart's romantic realism invites you to drift into the glass-like reflections of water.

The City Hall Gallery is located at 300 South Adams Street, second floor lobby of Tallahassee’s City Hall. This gallery is free to the public and open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Parking is available in Kleman Plaza.

The exhibition is curated by the Council on Culture & Arts’ Arts in Public Places program on behalf of the City of Tallahassee. For more information about this program, visit our web site.

For more information about this exciting exhibition or upcoming exhibitions contact Amanda Karioth Thompson at (850) 224-2500 or amanda@cocanet.org.

For a schedule of other exhibitions and arts and culture programs throughout north Florida, visit www.morethanyouthought.com. Learn more about COCA and sign up to receive COCA’s weekly email blast at www.cocanet.org.

2011-01-06T15:44:00.003-05:00

The Council on Culture & Arts is pleased to present

Natural Awakenings: Paintings by Liu Nan

an exhibition at the Artport Gallery from

January 11 – March 21, 2011

as part of the Arts in Public Places program.

Born, raised and artistically trained in China, Liu Nan is now a Tallahassee resident. His landscapes include familiar scenes from the Big Bend Area and demonstrate the spirit of traditional Chinese art. Nature has consistently served as the main theme in his works and his goal is to promote natural and simple artistic expression. In this landscape series of oil and watercolor paintings, Nan seeks to express the joyous sensations he gets from the natural world, especially in undisturbed and undestroyed locales.

“The ‘Sunshine State’ has offered me an entirely new perspective on the value of the untouched and pristine. Growing up in a large metropolitan city in north China, crowded with millions of people and an increasingly obliterated natural environment due to modern urbanization, I rarely glimpsed the world that opened up to me in Florida.”

Nan expresses this new awakening to the varied beauty of our area in a series of paintings of natural environments; woods, water, and grass fields. His artwork is on display at the Artport Gallery.

This exhibition is free and open to the public. Gallery Hours: 8:00am – 11:30pm daily. The Artport Gallery is located inside the Tallahassee Regional Airport, 3300 Capital Circle SW.

The exhibition is curated by the Council on Culture & Arts’ Art in Public Places program on behalf of the City of Tallahassee. For more information about this program, visit www.cocanet.org.

For more information about this exhibition or upcoming exhibitions contact Amanda Karioth Thompson at (850) 224-2500 or Amanda@cocanet.org.

For a schedule of other exhibitions and arts and culture programs throughout north Florida, visit www.morethanyouthought.com. Learn more about COCA and sign up to receive COCA’s weekly email blast at www.cocanet.org.

Winter Festival Youth Art Exhibit Opening Reception and Awards Ceremony

2010-12-07T12:26:00.010-05:00

Congratulations to all the student artists and art teachers who are part of the annual Winter Festival Youth Art Exhibit at the City Hall Gallery. The opening reception for the show was held on Dec. 3rd and middle and high school award winners were recognized at that reception.

Middle School
1st Place
Victor Castano, Florida State University School
Pam Wallheiser, Art Teacher

2nd Place
Savanna McDonald, Deerlake Middle School
Linda Johnson, Art Teacher

3rd Place
Holly Davidson, Raa Middle School
Teresa Coates, Art Teacher

Honorable Mention
Ben Dowling, Florida State University School
Pam Wallheiser, Art Teacher

Christian Liljestrand, Montford Middle School
Donald Sheppard, Art Teacher

Brianna Mead, Montford Middle School
Donald Sheppard, Art Teacher

High School
1st Place
David Hendon, Maclay High School
Cathy Hathaway, Art Teacher

2nd Place
Katie McTigue, SAIL High School
Becki Rutta, Art Teacher

3rd Place
Kate Bassett, Florida State University School
Barb Davis, Art Teacher

Honorable Mention
Lilly Atwell, Lincoln High School
Shannon Takács, Art Teacher

Sarah Patrick, Leon High School
Travis Giddings, Art Teacher

Kayleigh Rabitaille, Chiles High School
Julie Childers, Art Teacher

Mayor's Award

William Jackson, Rickards High School
Virginia Milne, Art Teacher

The 2010 Winter Festival Youth Art Exhibit will be on view until Jan. 10, 2011 at the City Hall Art Gallery. It is free to the public and open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Parking is available in Kleman Plaza.

Winter Festival Youth Art Exhibit 2010 on display now until Jan. 11, 2011

2010-11-19T13:36:00.011-05:00

Bird Eating Berries by Sanija Waller
Kindergarten; WT Moore Elementary School
Art Teacher, Jason McMillian

The Winter Festival Youth Art Exhibit 2010 showcases youthful talent and imagination through 85 pieces of student artwork. Forty-three elementary, middle, and high school art teachers submitted work on behalf of their students for the competition. And, the entries represent 33 different area public and private schools. The dedication and professionalism of our area art teachers is evident in the quality of the student artwork on display in the City Hall gallery. And the exhibition is stunning.

A public reception for the exhibition begins at 6:00pm on Friday, December 3rd, and lasts until 7:30. The awards ceremony will start at 6:30pm in the City Hall Gallery. Mayor John Marks has chosen one piece of artwork to receive the best in show, "Mayor's Award." It promises to be an evening of great pride for the students and awe-inspired admiration for those who see the show.

For nearly 20 years, the Council on Culture & Arts (COCA) has partnered with the City of Tallahassee’s Parks and Recreation Department to present the Winter Festival Youth Art Exhibit. It is one of a dozen exhibitions curated by COCA and is part of the City of Tallahassee’s Art in Public Places program. For more information about this exhibition, upcoming exhibitions, or the Art in Public Places program, contact Amanda Karioth Thompson (Amanda@cocanet.org) at COCA, (850) 224-2500.

Photofest 2010 Winners Announced

2010-11-19T13:32:00.003-05:00

The Photofest 2010 opening reception and awards ceremony was held on Thursday, Nov. 18th. Although it is an honor to be selected for this exhibition, COCA announced some additional kudos to a few of the artists exhibited in this show.

Honorable Mentions (in no particular order):

Volcano Arenal, Costa Rica by Inger Avant

Lily Magic by Diana Orrick

Bay Scallop by David Moynahan

3rd Place: Life is Fragile by Amy Higgins

2nd Place: The Thick Air Is Murderous. I Would Breathe Water by Bill Humphries

1st Place: Silence by Robert Hudson

Congratulations to these six artists and to all of the artists selected to exhibit in Photofest 2010.

Photofest 2010 Exhibit

2010-11-15T13:09:00.004-05:00

The Council on Culture & Arts is pleased to present Photofest 2010, an annual exhibition at the Artport Gallery from November 14th, 2010 - January 7th, 2011 as part of the Arts in Public Places program.

From breathtaking landscapes to the mind-bending use of extreme close ups, the Photofest 2010 exhibition features photographs by twenty two local artists. The artists were selected by this year’s Arts Advisory Panel. COCA recruits a citizen committee of accomplished fine artists and non-artists to review images and select work for exhibition.

Photofest 2010 opens November 14th, with a free public reception and awards ceremony on Thursday, November 18th from 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm. Awards will be announced at 6:30 pm. Guests are asked to park in long-term parking and present parking tickets at the gallery for complimentary validation.

The exhibit continues through January 7th, 2011 and is an annual event presented by the Council on Culture & Arts as part of the Art in Public Places program sponsored by the City of Tallahassee. The gallery itself is located in the Tallahassee Regional Airport, 3300 Capital Circle SW, and is open daily from 8:00 am until 11:30 pm.

Call for Art - Gaines Street Public Art Project

2010-10-19T13:20:00.001-04:00

(DEADLINE: Nov 12, 2010)

Sponsored by COCA and the City of Tallahassee. COCA is now accepting applications for a unique project to be completed in 2011. A regional artist or artists will be selected to install permanent original artwork on a retaining wall being built on Gaines Street to protect a historic oak tree. Call is open to all artists living within 100 miles of Tallahassee. The budget for this project is $15,000. Download the complete information, application and detailed illustrations of the wall here. There is an entry fee of $25 or $10 for current COCA members. Questions: contact Amanda Thompson at amanda@cocanet.org or 850-224-2500.

Tallahassee Selected as LivCom Finalist

2010-09-16T17:10:00.000-04:00

The City of Tallahassee is one of the top 40 Cities in the World, as determined by the International Awards for Livable Communities (LivCom Awards). In addition, we have been named as one of the 8 international finalists in our population category for a Whole City Award.

In June, City staff and a community representative from the Council on Culture & Arts collaborated to prepare and submit the City's nomination package for this prestigious, international award. The areas highlighted in the competition are enhancement of natural and built landscapes; arts, culture and heritage; environmental best practices; community participation and empowerment; healthy lifestyle; and strategic planning.

"We are proud of being an 'All America City' and having some of the best parks in America," said Mayor John Marks. "Now, to be a finalist for international recognition for our environmental practices and being a livable community is another major accolade for the citizens of Tallahassee. This recognition reflects the hard work and dedication of our entire community."

A Tallahassee delegation will attend the November 4-9 finals in Chicago. Due to limited funding, community sponsorships will be sought to help cover participation. Contact the City at 891-2476 for additional information.

2010-09-16T12:50:00.005-04:00

Arts in Education Week Proclamation

announced by Mayor Marks

on Wednesday, Sept. 15, 2010

Whereas, arts education, comprising a rich array of disciplines including dance, music, theatre, media arts, literature, design, and visual arts, is a core academic subject and an essential element of a complete and balanced education for all students; and

Whereas, arts education enables students to develop critical thinking and problem solving skills, imagination and creativity, discipline, alternative ways to communicate and express feelings and ideas, and cross-cultural understanding, which supports academic success across the curriculum as well as personal growth outside the classroom; and

Whereas, to succeed in today’s economy, students must masterfully use words, images, sounds, and movement to communicate; and

Whereas, as the arts equip students with a creative, competitive edge at a time when the nation is working to strengthen its foothold in the 21st century global economy; and

Whereas, the arts provide the skills and knowledge students need to develop the creativity and determination necessary for success in the global information age; and

Whereas, extraordinary results occur where schools and communities delivering high quality learning opportunities in, through, and about the arts for children; and

Whereas, studies have found that schools in under-resourced environments with large populations of students in economic poverty who are highly involved in the arts have better grades, less likelihood of dropping out by grade ten, have more positive attitudes about school, and are more likely to go onto college; and

Whereas, attracting and retaining the best teachers is vital and can be achieved by ensuring that schools embrace the arts, becoming havens for creativity and innovation; and

Whereas, arts education has the power to make students want to learn not just within the arts, but other areas of study; and

Whereas, art is integral to the lives of all citizens and essential to the health and vitality of our communities.

Now Therefore I, John R. Marks, III, in order to raise awareness of the value and importance of arts in education for all our children at every level of education and to acknowledge the extraordinary teachers who provide these students with the very best arts education here in the city of Tallahassee, proclaim September 12- 18, 2010 as

Arts in Education Week

Join us for Tallahassee's Arts in Education Week Announcement

2010-09-15T09:43:00.006-04:00

Wednesday, September 15; 4:00pm at City Hall (300 S. Adams Street)

Mayor John Marks will present Leon County School Board member, Dee Dee Rasmussen with a proclamation during the City Commission meeting designating the second week in September as Arts in Eductaion Week in Tallahassee.

Inspired by the recently passed Congressional Resolution (H. Con. Res. 275) which does the same, the procalmation shows support for and celebrates all of the arts education disciplines including but not limited to dance, music, theater and visual arts.

COCA encourages all arts education supporters as well as arts educators who work within and outside of the school day to join us in the commission chambers on the second floor of City Hall at 4:00pm for this exciting announcement. Public parking is available in the Kleman parking garage and on the street.

Let's show the city just how much arts eductaion means to this community!

Imaginarium of Images: Marguerite Foxon and Stewart Nelson

2010-09-02T09:38:00.018-04:00

The Council on Culture & Arts is pleased to present

Imaginarium of Images: Marguerite Foxon and Stewart Nelson

an exhibition at the City Hall Gallery from September 2 – November 16, 2010 as part of the Arts in Public Places program.

Through her photography, Marguerite Foxon challenges viewers to see everyday objects in a completely different way. On exhibit are images of a mesmerizing world, revealed in extreme close-ups. Her macro abstract photography captures the mysterious shades and textures of rust, the fascinating colors and designs of mold and the rich images buried in bark. Through her macro lens, intriguing shapes and patterns, colors and textures are revealed and things that are usually overlooked take on a new life. “It gives me great pleasure to find such beauty and inspiration in the discards of our society – a derelict car, an abandoned warehouse, a rusted can, a dying tree.”

Stewart Nelson combines traditional photography with computer imaging to produce digital/photographic fine art prints. After freezing a moment with his favorite camera, the Pentax Auto 110, which produces thumb nail sized negatives, Nelson manipulates the images until they evoke fading memories. He allows the film grain and processing flaws to remain, adding texture to the image. Nelson also explores digital image capture, using either a digital camera or a flatbed scanner to create art from found objects such as leaves and crushed cans. “My sense of color and texture pushes my photography beyond photorealism with the manipulation of color and light, changing their relationship and creating an altered reality.”

The exhibition is curated by the Council on Culture & Arts’ Arts in Public Places program on behalf of the City of Tallahassee. For more information about this exciting exhibition or upcoming exhibitions contact Amanda Karioth Thompson at (850) 224-2500 or Amanda@cocanet.org. For a schedule of other exhibitions and arts and culture programs throughout north Florida, visit http://www.morethanyouthought.com/. Learn more about COCA and sign up to receive COCA’s weekly email blast at http://www.cocanet.org/.

Art meets Football

2010-08-25T23:22:00.008-04:00

In a little over a week the FSU stadium will be filled to the brim with 80,000 screaming fans anticipating the "Reign of Jimbo". No better drama than college football. Act I is a game of little consequence, unless of course the Seminoles lose. Then, we will all see the plot thicken.

But, that is not the only intersection of arts and football. No, Gaines Street and Railroad Avenue is where the arts will supply a critical Game Day demand.

Football fans, from near and far will all be searching for one thing- a place to park. There are of course ordinary parking places to choose from. But, there is only one place that will actually take your money and use it to build the exciting new Gaines Street destination known as the Arts Exchange.

That's right, ladies and gentlemen, get your motors running and turn south at the corner of Gaines Street and Railroad Avenue. Look for the bunch of cool people wearing Arts Exchange T-shirts leading you to the best parking spots in town. You might recognize some of those volunteers as the young men from the world renowned Boys' Choir of Tallahassee, or dancers from the Tallahassee Ballet or, maybe even the FSU Golden Girls. One game you may be greeted by local writers and another by local musicians, all of whom are helping to build the Arts Exchange.

And, your ticket to park on game day will play a leading role in making that happen. The doors will open- oh sorry, back to the theatre analogy- the lot will open three hours before each game.
Tailgate if you'd like, walk across the street to Fat Sandwich, or mosey on over to Railroad Square and shop for some local art until it's time to stroll down to the stadium.

So, Go 'Noles. Let's go Parking for the Arts. See you on Game Day.

* The Arts Exchange parking lot does not discriminate based on school colors or affiliation. Money to park will not be refused from Bulldogs, Cougars, Demon Deacons, Eagles, Tar Heels, Tigers and especially Gators. The more you would like to give, the more we will like you.

2010-08-25T14:18:00.004-04:00

The Council on Culture & Arts is pleased to present

The Works of Don Taylor: Creatures Great and Small

An exhibition at the Artport Gallery from August 26 – November 12, 2010 as part of the Arts in Public Places program.

As a veterinarian and a watercolorist, Don Taylor is uniquely capable of capturing not only the physical presence of animals but also their personalities. In this exhibit, Taylor presents a veritable menagerie from curious billy goats down on the farm to the mighty silverback of the African forests. The viewer can not help but connect to the spirit of these magnificent creatures when faced with Taylor’s thoughtfully composed paintings.

Taylor’s watercolors combine realism and impressionism, with a touch of abstract design. Through light, bold colors and lost edges, he strives to evoke the sense that there is more to the subject than a mere rendering. “I attempt to apply the illusion of detail in many works so that viewers can use their imagination to complete the image. Sometimes less is more.”

For more information about this or upcoming exhibitions contact Amanda Karioth Thompson at (850) 224-2500 or Amanda@cocanet.org. For a schedule of other exhibitions and arts and culture programs throughout north Florida, visit www.morethanyouthought.com. Learn more about COCA and sign up to receive COCA’s weekly email blast at www.cocanet.org.

2010-07-15T12:56:00.015-04:00

16th Annual Fiber Arts Exhibition

July 15th - August 31st & Public Reception July 23rd

This 2010 exhibition showcases fiber art pieces composed of designs and color schemes that defy the imagination. The 16th Annual Fiber Arts Exhibition in City Hall Gallery has brought together fiber works from talented local artists of the Tallahassee Quilters Unlimited —as well as a very special selection of Quilts of Valor.

What makes this year unique is there are actually two shows in one: the first is a variety of quilts of great beauty; the second is quilts of great purpose. Quilts of Valor has created and provided more than 28,000 quilts for wounded U.S. soldiers. The national non-profit organization was started in 2003 by a woman whose son was deployed in Iraq. Since 2005, quilters from all over the country have participated in this great cause, including many local members of Quilters Unlimited, who are proud to be called “wartime quilters.” The Valor quilts in the exhibition will be sent to service members who return with physical or psychological war injuries.

For more information about the QOV Foundation, go to www.qovf.org. QOV’s goal is to cover all those service members and veterans touched by war with Quilts of Valor. For information about the Tallahassee Quilters Unlimited, contact www.quilttallahassee.com.

For further information about this exhibition, upcoming exhibitions, or COCA’s Art in Public Places program, contact Amanda Karioth Thompson at (850) 224-2500, Amanda@cocanet.org. Or find out more about COCA online at www.cocanet.org.

2010-07-07T12:50:00.002-04:00

BOLD EDDIE BROWN: An Exhibition at Artport Gallery July 1 through August 24.

The Council on Culture & Arts is pleased to present Bold Eddie Brown, an Exhibition at the Artport Gallery from July 1^st until August 24^th as part of the Arts in Public Places program.

Eddie Brown, Sr., has two passions, he says. One is music. The other is art.

What appear to be faces emerging from stained glass dominate Eddie’s work. It is an unusual and captivating style that has few peers.

While his main media are oils and acrylics, Eddie has also used pastels and mixed media in his abstract pieces. He has been drawing and painting for more than 30 years, and his work has been exhibited internationally, as well as extensively throughout north Florida and south Georgia. His art has also been published in Warriors magazine and used commercially.

The exhibition is curated by the Council on Culture & Arts’ Arts in Public Places program on behalf of the City of Tallahassee. For more information about this program, visit www.cocanet.org.

For more information about this exciting exhibition or upcoming exhibitions contact Amanda Karioth Thompson at (850) 224-2500 or Amanda@cocanet.org. For a schedule of other exhibitions and arts and culture programs throughout north Florida, visit www.morethanyouthought.com. Learn more about COCA and sign up to receive COCA’s weekly email blast at www.cocanet.org.

Glee as Arts Education Advocacy?...ABSOLUTELY!

2010-06-10T17:20:00.006-04:00

Let’s get this straight right off the bat, I’m a “Gleek” and have been entertained by Glee since day one. As a former cheerleader and musical theater performer, what’s not for me to love about this show? As an arts educator watching the season finale, I was more than just entertained. I was proud and moved by the message sent to viewers about what kids are really getting from their arts education experiences in school.

Glee viewers watched as a group of wildly different students came together. They started off with little in common and without the foggiest understanding of each other. In each episode, characters perpetrated and were victims of harassment and humiliation intended to preserve the natural order of high school. This recurring theme is fine for fiction but is also an unfortunate reflection of real life as confirmed by the recent upswing in bullying reports. We know that the arts teach tolerance and empathy, self-control and discipline, team-work and collaboration. Glee manages to illustrate this as viewers witness the evolution of unlikely friendships and camaraderie between disparate characters.

The arts have the power to change perceptions about kids, both of themselves and by their peers and teachers. Students who don’t fit in socially and struggle academically often shine in their arts classes, becoming stand outs in a positive way. The same is true for kids who do excel in their studies or athletics. For some of these students, participation and success in the arts prove that they are more than just their label of football player or honor roll student. We’ve watched as this very thing happened to the Glee characters.

In Glee’s season finale, I was pleased to see how much value was placed on the “journey.” Any arts educator worth their salt emphasizes the artistic process over whatever the final product happens to be (a monologue, a sculpture or an aria). Competition and judgment have a place in every disciple. Without that kind of feedback, how do we improve? That said, those components are deemphasized in arts education because the part that matters, the part that teaches us the most is the part that the judges rarely see. It’s the choices that an artist makes along the way, working out how to solve the problem, coming at it from a different angle if the first attempt doesn’t work as planned. And isn’t that the way it should be in art and in life? As Will Schuester stated, “life only really has one beginning and one end and the rest is just a whole lot of middle….Who cares what happens when we get there, when the getting there has been so much fun!”

Is it possible for a popular television show to send a message about the importance of arts education? It seems that answer is a surprising and emphatic, yes! At a time in our country when arts programs are being stripped from the educational landscape, Glee serves to illuminate what kids are actually learning in their arts classes and why that is so very important to preserve.

Watch the Glee season finale here.

2010-05-26T10:51:00.006-04:00

TOWN (Tallahassee’s Own) Exhibition on display from May 25th-June 13th.

Artists’ Reception Set for Friday Evening, June 4th

People who live in our wonderful city may be used to seeing these artists as they respond to emergencies, repair utility lines or process paperwork. But the fact is, many City of Tallahassee employees and retirees are extremely talented artists. Each year the Council on Culture & Arts showcases their creativity, and this 6th annual TOWN exhibition proves just how spectacular their work continues to be.

Thirty current city employees and retirees submitted 58 pieces of work for this year’s TOWN show, now open in the City Hall Art Gallery, 300 South Adams Street (2nd Floor) through July 13, 2010. There will be an artist reception on Friday, June 4th from 6:00 until 7:30 pm. People may meet and talk with the artists while enjoying their work.

TOWN refers to “Tallahassee's Own.” The show recognizes the employee-artists who provide quality service to our city’s citizens each and every day—as well as retirees, whose past work has contributed to the city's excellent reputation.

City Hall Art Gallery is open to the public weekdays from 8 a.m. until 5:30 p.m.

TOWN 2010 is one of more than a dozen annual exhibitions curated by the Council on Culture & Arts as part of the City of Tallahassee’s Art in Public Places program. For more information about this exhibition, upcoming exhibitions, or the Art in Public Places program, contact Amanda Thompson at COCA, (850) 224-2500 or amanda@cocanet.org

2010-05-11T11:45:00.004-04:00

ART TIMES THREE: Hempel, O’Doogan and Pelc at Artport Gallery

Three extraordinary women. Three talented artists. Three deliciously diverse styles and media: acrylic on birch, watercolor, fine art quilting.

The Council on Culture & Arts is pleased to present Art Times Three: Hempel, O’Doogan and Pelc at the Artport Gallery from May 6th until June 29th as part of the Arts in Public Places program.

Anne Hempel’s grandmother, an artist in her own right, encouraged her to enter an art contest in the third grade. “Winning that contest gave me the confidence to pursue artistic endeavors throughout my life,” says Anne. Anne was a teacher until three years ago. Now she paints fanciful images on birch wood full-time.

Maureen O’Doogan is self-taught in matters of art. Her contemporary quilts have been exhibited and have won awards locally, nationally and internationally from Lyon, France, to Denver and Chicago. She explores that part of human nature that transcends challenges and seeks beauty. Maureen says she tries always to maintain a lightness and a sense of humor, “and from this mindset comes my work.”

Linda Pelc loves painting in watercolor because it is “most challenging and most satisfying.” Her images are filled with bright, intense colors and each painting tells a unique story. Linda says she has acquired the courage to try new techniques and new creative approaches. She is “passionate about creating.”

For more information about this exciting exhibition, about upcoming exhibitions or the Art in Public Places program, contact Amanda Karioth Thompson at (850) 224-2500 or Amanda@.cocanet.org. To learn about other exhibitions and arts and culture programs, visit www.morethanyouthought.com. Learn more about COCA and sign up to receive COCA’s weekly email blast at www.cocanet.org.

Creative Tallahassee 2010 Exhibition

2010-03-31T12:53:00.001-04:00

Celebrate the skill, talent, ingenuity and creativity of some of the most exciting artists in the Big Bend area. In a month-long show at City Hall Gallery, the Council on Culture & Arts’ Creative Tallahassee 2010 highlights the work of many well-known Tallahassee artists, as well as emerging artists in this highly-anticipated annual juried exhibition. The exhibition will hang from March 25th until May 18th.

Competition in 2010 was fierce. Over 180 separate pieces were submitted for consideration. And from those, forty-four artists were selected by a special jury to be shown in this year’s Creative Tallahassee show.

Meet the artists in the City Hall Art Gallery during a reception and awards ceremony on Friday evening, April 2nd from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm, and enjoy light refreshments. Awards will be presented at 6:30. There is no charge for the reception or the exhibition.

The City Hall Art Gallery is located on the second floor of City Hall at 300 South Adams Street and is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 am – 5:30 pm.

Creative Tallahassee 2010 is one of over a dozen annual exhibitions curated by the Council on Culture & Arts. The exhibit is part of the City of Tallahassee’s Art in Public Places program.

Natural Wonders: the Photography of Miguel Olivella

2010-03-31T12:50:00.002-04:00

As stark and stunning as the work of Ansel Adams, Natural Wonders: the Photography of Miguel Olivella, is the latest exhibition at the Artport Gallery. “Mr. Adams was the epitome of what I consider to be the perfect blend of art and photographer,” says Miguel Olivella, whose work will be displayed through May 4th at the gallery at Tallahassee Regional Airport. “His images captured my attention in 1971 and were the catalyst for my interest in photography.”

Working in black-and-white, and focusing his attention for this exhibition on the western United States, Miguel’s photos can raise the hair on the back of one’s neck—study the alpha wolf’s piercing eyes—or cause one to sigh with wonder while glimpsing the underside of a dandelion.

Miguel makes his living as a lawyer and also works as sports photographer for the FSU Athletic Department, as well as a stringer for a major wire service. His photos are published regularly in Unconquered Magazine, in FSU marketing materials and on several websites, including ESPN.com.

The exhibition is curated by the Council on Culture & Arts’ Arts in Public Places program on behalf of the City of Tallahassee.

About The Arts Exchange on the first day of spring...

2010-03-20T18:14:00.007-04:00

It's the first day of spring...always good for imagining new beginnings and planting both seeds and ideas. Both start with a dream of what can become.

So, today, on the vernal equinox (oooh, that makes me want to start writing like Rudyard Kipling, O Best Beloved) its a good day to write my first blog for The COCA Buzz (yes, I've been putting it off.) My position at COCA is Development Director for The Arts Exchange, a project that is a wonderful idea, and will grow to become a reality very soon.

Over the last few months, I have had the opportunity to meet with many of our local arts and cultural organizations and their boards of directors. I explain the concept of The Arts Exchange, an arts "village" that combines office, meeting and rehearsal spaces for our local arts organizations, features a 400 seat black box theatre (that is a BIG black box), affordable live-work housing, and arts-friendly retail on the corner of Gaines and Railroad. (If you aren't familiar, take a minute to visit http://www.the-arts-exchange.com/ and you can learn more.) Some folks are familiar with the project, some are eager to learn more.

Here's what inspires me. Almost everyone smiles and nods as I (or Randi or Peggy) explain. Maybe it's because we are enthusiastic, and we emote, and use our hands a lot when we talk. I think it's more than that though. I think people can picture themselves at such a destination. Talking to other arts organizations and sharing ideas. Taking a break mid-afternoon and grabbing a latte' (OK, I think my personal fantasy just crept in...and if that's so, let's add a chocolate chip cookie.) Attending a play or recital in the black box. Having a place to store music, files, take deliveries, have someone to answer the phone. Watching Gaines Street transform into something beautiful. The Arts Exchange can do this.

So again, it's spring. I am planting my seeds by writing this blog. I plan to watch The Arts Exchange grow into a reality. And when it's built I am going to bring over one BIG planter so I can grow some of my favorite flowers and watch them bloom. Here's to spring and watching things grow!

Don't Keep Your Opinions to Yourself!

2010-03-09T10:40:00.001-05:00

The Council on Culture & Arts wants your thoughts on how we're doing. Your input will be invaluable in making sure we're providing the services and assistance that help to you most--both individually and as an arts or cultural organization.

Please take a moment to fill out the survey. It's short. It's sweet. And your opinions and ideas will benefit everyone.

Here's the link: http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/WEB22ACCBJCA4E.

Please feel free to pass this along to your colleagues.

And, thank you.

Don't Lose the Sale!

2010-02-19T15:32:00.000-05:00

Problem: Local artists were losing lucrative sales because they didn’t have a merchant account to accept credit cards.

Solution: COCA extended the use of our merchant account to members needing occasional, temporary access. Soon after, we realized some of our smaller cultural business members also needed access for workshop sales or single-event ticket sales.

The service is easy to use and doesn’t require any equipment other than a phone. After a brief training session at COCA, you’ll be up and running and ready to “take plastic.” (Some restrictions and fees apply.)

To learn more about COCA’s merchant account service, contact Holly Thompson at 850-224-2500 or holly@cocanet.org. This is just one of the benefits of COCA membership. See them all at http://www.cocanet.org/about/join.html.

Young@Heart

2010-01-19T17:21:00.008-05:00

One of the most moving documentaries I’ve seen in a long time aired on January 12th on Independent Lens (a weekly PBS series). Young@Heart, by filmmaker Stephen Walker, is at once a heartbreaking and heartwarming look at the Young@Heart Chorus. The chorus is comprised of New England senior citizens with an average age hovering around 80. Their set list includes songs from artists such as Sonic Youth, James Brown, Coldplay and The Clash and these retirees deliver unexpected music with an equally unexpected perspective. In the film, we follow the chorus through weeks of grueling rehearsals and watch as they try to master new material while working through health challenges and the loss of loved ones. Though it tugs on your tear ducts, this film is about the joy of music and its ability to sustain us, regardless of our age. Check out clips from the film on PBS’s Independent Lens website. The film is also available for rental.

Plein Air Art Exhibition at ArtPort Gallery

2010-01-15T13:00:00.002-05:00

COCA’s Stunning New Show at Artport Gallery Beginning Jan. 20th

The Council on Culture & Arts is pleased to present a new exhibition in the Artport Gallery. Featuring the works of Keith B. McCulloch, Natalia Andreeva and Lorraine Clark, the exhibition showcases a special technique of painting called plein air, which approaches painting on location outdoors with little or no editing back in the studio.

Plein air painting delivers a unique style because the artist records the day’s changing light with an essential spontaneity. Some paintings may look unfinished, some may be studies for reinterpretation back in the studio, and some may stand on their own as bright descriptions of the moment captured.

Keith B. McCulloch considers plein air painting to be a note-taking exercise. He likes to paint the effects of light. But because the sun moves so quickly, a scene can change dramatically in a few hours or less. He finds the challenge of plein air painting to be finding the right harmony of tones that honestly portray what he sees and feels. Keith teaches Oil painting at Lemoyne Center for the Visual Arts.

Natalia Andreeva emerged as an artist from the fertile artistic climate of Siberia, after graduating from its most prestigious art college. Her studies of European art there—as well as the subsequent influence of eastern philosophy—have resulted in Natalia’s balance of spontaneous expression and classical realism. She also teaches oil painting at Lemoyne.

Lorraine Clark began her adventures with watercolor as an adult and is an active member of the Tallahassee Watercolor Society, as well as coordinator for Plein Air Tallahassee. She finds that doing watercolor enriches her life and becomes a genuine expression of her true self.

The three-artist show will continue in the Artport Gallery at Tallahassee Regional Airport through mid-March.

The exhibition is curated by the Council on Culture & Arts (COCA) and is part of the City of Tallahassee’s Art in Public Places program. For further information on this exhibition, upcoming exhibitions, or the Art in Public Places program, contact Amanda Thompson at (850) 224-2500 or online at www.cocanet.org. To learn about other exhibitions and arts and culture programs, visit www.morethanyouthought.com and sign up to receive COCA’s weekly email blast at www.cocanet.org.

Style, Range and Beauty

2010-01-13T15:31:00.003-05:00

COCA's New Three- Artist Show at City Hall Art Gallery Begins Jan. 13th

The Paintings of Randy and Debra Brienen and the Photographs of William Banks are remarkable in their scope and interpretation of regional subjects in the newest exhibition at Tallahassee’s City Hall Gallery.

The exhibition celebrates both the aesthetics and contrasting styles of the three featured artists. Randy Brienen works in acrylic and uses vibrant colors and bold textures to create his impressionistic and abstract paintings.

Debra Breinen also works in acrylic. Her paintings express an innate joy and happiness in living, and she has exhibited in many juried shows. Debra is a cancer survivor and donates a portion of each sale to the American Cancer Society.

The medium changes to photography for the third featured artist of the exhibition. William Banks’ subjects range from lotus blossoms to old rural highways. His genius comes from his passion for chronicling moments that resonate with people, as well as his ability to capture texture, color and the heart of each subject.

The three-artist show will continue on the second floor of City Hall through mid-March. City Hall Gallery is open from 8:00 am to 5:30 pm daily. Convenient parking is available at Kleman Plaza.

The exhibition is curated by the Council on Culture & Arts (COCA) and is part of the City of Tallahassee’s Art in Public Places program. For further information on this exhibition, upcoming exhibitions, or the Art in Public Places program, contact Amanda Thompson at (850) 224-2500 or online at www.cocanet.org. To learn about other exhibitions and arts and culture programs, visit www.morethanyouthought.com and sign up to receive COCA’s weekly email blast at www.cocanet.org.

Time to Renew

2010-01-13T15:10:00.003-05:00

Don't Forget to Join or Renew Your COCA Annual Membership (Now through September 30, 2010)

Whether you are an individual artist, cultural organization, business, or student, professional educator, business, please consider joining or renewing as a member of COCA, your local arts agency. The fees from these memberships assist us in maintaining a strong local arts agency with a commitment to serving you as resource, advocate, and partner in keeping the culture and heritage of the Capital area as a vital part of our quality of life. Individual memberships are $35 for practicing artists and $50 for organizations and businesses. Further details and membership forms can be downloaded here or call Clint Riley at (850) 224-2500.

COCA's Only a Matter of Time Workshop

2010-01-08T14:58:00.002-05:00

Only A Matter Of Time: The Basics of Time Management (Registration Deadline: January 25, 2010)

Date of Workshop: Thursday, January 28, 2010, 5:00-6:30 pm in the upstairs COCA conference room (816 S. M.L. King Jr. Blvd.). General Public: $10. COCA Members: Free

Time is the ONLY resource given to everyone in equal measure. Everyone in the world has the exact same 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and 52 weeks a year, and almost of all us feel we can't get everything done. But the real problem isn't just running out of time. We allow too many interruptions and distractions to hijack our valuable time, leaving us with less time to devote to the things that are truly important.

This workshop will:

Explain the four-quadrant time management system that helps you identify the things that are important rather than the things that are just "urgent"

Provide you with a 30-minute weekly organizing process that will empower you to plan your week and actually accomplish your goals

Help you strike a balance among the various roles you play in life and the various responsibilities that go along with each one

Give you a method for dealing with unexpected challenges, opportunities, reasons and excuses for not doing what you planned to do

About the workshop leader: Randi Atwood, Associate Director, oversees programs, publications, and information technology for COCA. She also occasionally teaches theatre courses at Tallahassee Community College and Florida State University. She holds a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree in Theatre Management and has been an independent theatrical director, Equity stage manager, grant writer, and website designer. It's no wonder Randi's an expert in time management.

Mike Pate's Still Sticking Around-Thank Heavens

2010-01-07T12:58:00.007-05:00

He has been a friend to this community in many, many ways. Through his association with the Knight Foundation, but also through his wise counsel to leaders in local government and leaders of non-profit organizations.

But with the new changes at the Knight Foundation, Mike Pate will no longer be "local staff" for the their initiatives. The changes at the Foundation are not negative in any way, except that one. And, I have been assured that Mike will not leave Tallahassee and intends to make this his home in perpetuity.

But, it's a good opportunity to say thank you. A BIG thank you. Quietly perhaps because his help has often been quiet, seeking no credit for his own work. In writing, definitely, because this tool we use to communicate has been an integral piece of his world. Genuinely, because he is nothing if not genuine.

I do not plan to miss him, because I need his advice and am grateful he will be still be here.

It is just a good time to take the time to say thanks. So, thanks, Mike, from COCA, from all of us you have touched with important funding, often leading others to do the same.

And, thanks Mike for being the go-to guy for sage counsel and a sharp, witty comeback. And, just thanks for making Tallahassee a better place.

Winter Festival Youth Art Exhibit Reception and Awards Ceremony

2009-12-08T10:51:00.006-05:00

A public reception and awards ceremony was held on Friday, December 4th for the 2009 Winter Festival Youth Art Exhibit. See the photographs taken during that event by clicking here.

The exhibit is now hanging in City Hall Gallery, on the second floor of City Hall. The show will remain there until January 7th, 2010. It is free to the public and open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Parking is available in Kleman Plaza.

Special thanks to Assistant Superintendent, Shannon Lynch for stepping in at the last minute to hand out awards. Thanks also to Jo Marie Olk, Leon County Schools' Curriculum Development Coordinator and Fine Arts Developer for being there in support of the students and teachers

We are so appreciative for The Raa Middle School Strings Ensemble who provided the music for the opening reception. The student performers were: Sharon Davis, Chase Grim, Alex Haywood, Samantha Humphrey, Shelby Mantay, Angelina Mitchell, Inteser Mousa, Austin Peppers and Anna Russian. Their Musical Director is Victor Fernandez.

Congratulations the 2009 Winter Festival Youth Art Exhibition awards winners and their teachers.

Middle School Winners

1st Place

Jamesse Williams, Nims Middle School

Walter Thorner, Art Teacher

2nd Place

Destiny Bartels, Raa Middle School

Teresa Coates, Art Teacher

3rd Place

Rhea Donna Reyes, Fairview Middle School

Jason Glisson, Art Teacher

Honorable Mentions

Yasemin Altun, Fairview Middle School

Jason Glisson, Art Teacher

Ryan Crawford, Raa Middle School

Teresa Coates, Art Teacher

Casey McKinless, Gretchen Everhart School

Judy Jecko, Art Teacher

High School Winners

1st Place

Tommy Cooper, SAIL High School

Sheri Nilles, Art Teacher

2nd Place

Karla Vincent, SAIL High School

Carucha Bowles, Art Teacher

3rd Place

Mahvish Nisa, Rickards High School

Jeff Distefano, Art Teacher

Honorable Mentions

Tifani James, Florida State University School

Debi Barrett-Hayes, Art Teacher

Catherine Keckler, Home School

Anne Keckler, Art Teacher

John Skinner, SAIL High School

Dominic Gheesling, Art Teacher

Mayor's Award

Best of Show

Todd Jones, Lincoln High School

Marilyn Proctor-Givens, Art Teacher

Winter Festival Youth Art Exhibition

2009-12-03T12:27:00.002-05:00

The Winter Festival Youth Art Exhibit for 2009 showcases youthful talent and imagination through 82 pieces of student artwork. Forty-one elementary, middle and high school art teachers submitted work on behalf of their students for the show. And, the entries represent 30 different area public, private and home schools. The dedication and professionalism of our area art teachers is evident in the quality of the student artwork on display in the gallery.

A public reception for the exhibition begins at 6:00pm on Friday, Dec.4th in the City Hall Gallery. The awards ceremony will start at 6:30pm with Leon County Superintendent of Schools Jackie Pons acting as master of ceremonies. It promises to be an evening of great pride for the students and awe-inspired admiration for those who see the show.

The exhibit is now hanging in the City Hall Gallery, 300 S. Adams St., second floor. The show will remain there until January 7th, 2010. It is free to the public and open Monday-Friday, 8:00am-5:30pm. Parking is available in Kleman Plaza. For more information about this or any upcoming exhibitions, please contact Amanda Karioth Thompson (amanda@cocanet.org) or Clint Riley (clint@cocanet.org) at COCA, (850) 224-2500.

Meet Erica Thaler, the newest COCANut!

2009-11-30T10:47:00.000-05:00

As Development Director, Erica is overseeing fundraising for COCA’s mixed-use project, The Arts Exchange (www.the-arts-exchange.com).

Erica worked in radio for more than 20 years in broadcast media sales, integrated marketing, and management. Most recently, Erica worked at WFSU-TV and radio (NPR and PBS affiliates) securing corporate underwriting, grants, and event sponsorships.

She also served as the General Manager of the Tallahassee Symphony Youth Orchestras (now known as the TYO) where she discovered her passion for non-profit work and a commitment to arts advocacy. She now serves as a volunteer for the Tallahassee Bach Parley and is an enthusiastic violin student.

A graduate of UCLA with a degree in Political Science, Erica is a San Diego native, but proudly calls Tallahassee her home, along with her husband, two kids, and four Hungarian Vizslas.

Please join us in welcoming Erica to the COCA team.

Link Round-Up from the Arts (Out of Town)

2009-11-06T10:23:00.004-05:00

The Mystery of Music
What about it has such power over human beings?

"We know what a pop song or an opera aria means because the words tell us—but how do we know what a symphony means?"

The Wall Street Journal
October 17, 2009

Questions on Diversity
by Michael Kaiser, President of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

"The more I consider this thorny issue, the less I am convinced that the arts world has worked hard enough to dissect the true costs, benefits and implications of recent diversity efforts."

The Huffington Post
November 6, 2009

First and Last Competitors Have the Edge

"For actors at auditions, musicians at competitions or anyone else whose work is sequentially judged against that of others, a nagging question often arises: Would I rather be the first person to be evaluated, or the last?"

Miller-McCune
October 20, 2009

Seen an article that might be of interest to the local arts community? E-mail randi@cocanet.org.

Art: 21-season 5

2009-11-04T14:13:00.007-05:00

I’ve been watching the PBS series with relish and, as is the goal of this brilliant program, the episodes have sparked a philosophical discussion in my household. One of the focuses this season is on artists who work collaboratively on large scale pieces. This is not a new method of working. Artists have been employing this system throughout history often times with an apprenticeship element. Many successful contemporary artists such as Dale Chihuly and Damien Hirst (among many others) are well known for conceiving an idea, then handing the reins over to a team of people to execute it. The final piece is invariably attributed to the artist who originated the concept and not to those who made it manifest. In situations such as these, the question becomes, where does/should the ownership of the artwork lie? What do you think? To see full episodes visit http://www.pbs.org/art21/ or check your local PBS listings.

Winter Festival Youth Art Exhibit Reminder

2009-10-22T15:09:00.004-04:00

Hey Art Teachers-

The Winter Festival Youth Art Exhibit deadline is approaching fast. I would encourage all of you to participate in this exhibit. The more educators who join in, the better the message we send about the quality of arts instruction in our community. Submit your application by Oct. 23rd via email (amanda@cocanet.org) or fax (224-2515). Questions? You're always welcome to give me a holler!

Can't wait to see what your students have been up to.

The Non-Local Buzz

2009-10-21T13:42:00.003-04:00

SAY WHAT?! MUSICIANS HEAR BETTER

"Musical training can improve your hearing, according to several studies presented in Chicago at Neuroscience 2009, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience. The studies found that serious musicians are better than other people at perceiving and remembering sounds."

NPR
October 19, 2009

CHARITIES GET MORE DONORS, FEWER DOLLARS
A survey finds that 51% of nonprofits saw a drop in fundraising this year.

"More than half of charities are experiencing a downturn in contributions so far this year compared to the same time in 2008, according to the Association of Fundraising Professionals."

Crain's New York
October 16, 2009

MOVING CEILINGS FOR SCULPTURES
Artists place increasing demands on museums; New Museum flies in steel works for Urs Fischer

"The contractors who built the New Museum's two-year-old, $50 million facility on Manhattan's Lower East Side returned this week. Their task: lower the second floor gallery's ceiling by 2 feet. The change order came from artist Urs Fischer, whose upcoming exhibition requires the museum to upend everything from its lighting to its architectural plans."

The Wall Street Journal
October 16, 2009

October is National Arts and Humanities Month

2009-10-07T13:37:00.006-04:00

Today the Mayor will present a proclamation celebrating October, along with the rest of the nation, as Arts and Humanities month.

Like other "special" months, it's a time to learn more. This time it's about the arts and humanities in our corner of the world.

Start with the website, morethanyouthought.com. It provides the answer to the question "What is there to do in Tallahassee?" and for the month of October, 2009 it lists more than 250 such "things"-- All kinds of things, not just arts related, but primarily fed by arts and cultural groups themselves. It's a great place to check out as you plan your time in and around Tallahassee.

While you're online, go to COCAnet.org. Here you can find listings of arts and cultural organizations with links to their websites as well as an Artist Directory of visual and performing artists, also with links to their individual websites. COCAnet.org also has many resources for those artists and arts and cultural groups themselves in addition to citizens and visitors and provides information on cultural initiatives in town.

Take the time this month to visit a place you've never visited before. Maybe you're a "gallery person" who never attended live theatre or vice-versa. This is your chance to discover how much more inspired you can become while living here in the Capital City.

Fill any of your extra free hours by volunteering at one of the many arts and cultural organizations. You'll be amazed how welcome you will be.

It may be a surprise to learn how very much arts and culture there is in Tallahassee. In fact it will be morethanyouthought.