A! Magazine for the Arts Archive

Artful Giving in a Difficult Economy

In this season of holiday giving, consumers will carefully measure every dollar spent on gift purchases. "Thoughtful Giving" will, no doubt, be a theme of this year's holiday season.

In This Issue

• Artful Giving: Why Regional Arts Organizations Need Your Help For regional arts organizations, funding from local, state and federal sources was reduced significantly in 2009, and these cuts are expected to continue in 2010.
• Artful Giving: The Arts Depot, Abingdon, Va. There's good news... and bad news....
• Artful Giving: Barter Theatre, Abingdon, Va. Planning and Generous Patrons Keeping Barter Afloat
• Artful Giving: The Paramount Center, Bristol, Tenn. Many performing arts organizations use the Paramount Center as their stage on which to perform. If the theatre should cease operations, these groups would be greatly affected.
• Artful Giving: Symphony of the Mountains, Kingsport, Tenn. The best way to help is to buy tickets and attend symphony performances.
• Artful Giving: William King Museum, Abingdon, Va. William King Museum has one disadvantage — it doesn't have as "tangible" a product to sell as theaters or musical organizations.
• Artful Giving: Why Local Businesses Support the Arts "By working to improve the lives of our neighbors, we all benefit....One of the reasons that the arts are essential to a community is that they inspire us to think about who we are and how we want to be defined." — Kevin Crutchfield, Alp
• Arts for Youth Spotlight: Taking Home the Gold A talented young pianist from Johnson City, Tenn., enjoys "taking home the gold" — trophies, that is.
• Rufus Skeens Award-Winning Poet Two poems by Rufus A. Skeens of Bristol, Va., won awards this year.

A! Extra

• Knoxville Art Museum on Cover of Yellow Pages Directory The Knoxville Museum of Art is featured on the cover of the 2010 AT&T Real Yellow Pages directory serving the greater Knoxville area.
• ETSU Wins Digital Media Awards Two graduate students at East Tennessee State University won the award for "Research and Practical Application" in the Third Annual Student Showcase at the 2009 International Digital Media Arts Association (IDMAA) Conference.
• Tusculum Costume Shoppe is Where the 'Magic' Happens Rows of ribbons, shelves of hats, stacks of shoes and a colorful burst of fabrics delight the eye when entering the Arts Outreach Costume Shoppe on the campus of Tusculum College.
• Funding for The Crooked Road The Crooked Road: Virginia's Heritage Music Trail has announced a 100% renewal in contributions from the 10 counties, three cities, and 19 towns that have maintained their commitment to The Crooked Road's mission.
• Early Deadlines for FEBRUARY A! Magazine for the Arts Before you start celebrating the New Year, please submit your press releases and plan to advertise in the February 2010 edition of A! Magazine for the Arts. Our January edition will be inserted in the Bristol Herald
• 'From These Hills' Showcases Contemporary Appalachian Art
• Public Participation in the Arts Research shows a strong connection between arts participation and civic participation, but that art only works when the public participates.
• Lease approval gives Holston Mountain Artisans a new home The Holston Mountain Artisans have a new home.
• Barter Theatre on Track for Record-setting Attendance Barter Theatre, born during the Great Depression, is on track for record-setting attendance this year, producing artistic director Rick Rose said.
• Niswonger Center Celebrates 5th Anniversary The Niswonger Performing Arts Center (NPAC) in Greeneville will celebrate its 5th anniversary on Thursday, Dec. 17 prior to the Rockapella Holiday concert at 7:30.
• Paramount Center Receives Funds from Food City Race Night Bristol's Paramount Center for the Arts recently received more than $20,000 from Food City Family Race Night proceeds.
• Jonesborough Theatre Gets New Artistic Director
• Winners of Arts Build Communities Awards Announced Abingdon's own Barter Theatre will receive the highest award.
• Sloan Takes Reins at Northeast State Theatre
• Lawmakers Back Bristol Cultural Heritage Project Area lawmakers endorsed the Birthplace of Country Music Alliance cultural heritage center, while presenting the balance of $1.95 million in grant money for the project.
• Arts Commission Seeks Advice Every two years the Virginia Commission for the Arts updates its strategic plan and the guidelines for funding. As a result of state budget cuts for the past two years, the Commission has suspended or reduced most of its grant programs.
• Highlands Festival Names Outstanding Volunteers Each year more than 150 volunteers work year-round to produce the Virginia Highlands Festival, a 16-day event held annually in Abingdon for more than 60 years.
• IN FOCUS: 2009 Mistletoe Market A Success
• Majority of Nonprofits Use Social Media The majority (88%) of nonprofit organizations are experimenting with social media to engage audiences, but 79 percent are not sure of its value for their organizations, according to a new survey by Weber Shandwick's Social Impact team and KRC Research.
• Tennessee Art Groups Get New Face There was a time when leaders in the state's arts industry had the opportunity to meet as professionals a couple of times a year to discuss programs and projects, share ideas, and explore the challenges they all faced. Now with the introduction of social
• Through the Eyes of a Child The Arts Council of Greater Kingsport (ACGK), in conjunction with the Cultural Arts Division of the City of Kingsport, has announced the winners of this year's Christmas Banner Art Contest.
• New President of Appalachian Authors Guild J. Russell "Jack" Rose of Bristol, Tenn., is the new president of the Appalachian Authors Guild & Associates board of directors.
• Barter Theatre Announces 2009 Young Playwright Awards Barter Theatre has announced the winners of the eighth annual Young Playwrights Festival. Winners were chosen from nine area high schools, with more than 260 students participating in this year's Festival.
• IN FOCUS: 'A! Magazine' Champagne Celebration Arts Alliance Mountain Empire (AAME) celebrated the 15th anniversary of A! Magazine for the Arts with a champagne reception on November 5, 2009.