USArtists International has expanded its current geographic boundaries for eligible engagements beyond the member states of the European Union, Russia, and Ukraine to include all 50 nations that comprise Europe. The program promotes the excellence, diversity, and vitality of the U.S. performing arts abroad by supporting American dance and music ensembles at significant international festivals, while strengthening the creative and professional development of participating artists through cultural exchange and exposure to new audiences.

The next application deadline is May 5, 2008 for projects taking place between July 1, 2008 and June 30, 2009. This is a RECEIPT deadline not a postmarked deadline. To review the guidelines, including a complete list of eligible countries, and fill out an application, click here.

USArtists International is made possible through support from the National Endowments for the Arts, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and the Trust for Mutual Understanding.

Zeitgeist received support through the USAI program in 2007 to perform at the International Music Festival 10th Meeting of New Music Plus in the Czech Republic.

Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation is pleased to announce the 2008 MAAF Creative Fellows at the Millay Colony for the Arts in Austerlitz, New York. Fellowships are awarded annually to composers, literary, and visual artists representing each of the nine states and jurisdictions served by the Foundation (DC, DE, MD, NJ, NY, PA, USVI, VA, WV) to support two-to-four week residencies at the Millay Colony and the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts in Sweet Briar, Virginia.

The 2008 Creative Fellows at the Millay Colony for the Arts are as follows:

• Darren McManus (NJ), visual artist
• Kathryn Murken (PA), visual art
• Jennifer Sears (NY), fiction writer
• Molly Springfield (DC), visual artist

Kathryn Murken, You Mapped artist book, 2004.

The National Performing Arts Convention will take place in in Denver, June 10-14, 2008. The conference NPAC will bring together nearly 5,000 people, with a diverse range of interests in the non-profit performing arts, to shape the direction of the industry over the next decade. Attendance is open to anyone, including: actors, agents, arts administrators, businesses, composers, conductors, critics, dancers, directors, educators, fundraisers, instrumentalists, marketers, musicians, producers, singers, trustees and volunteers.

Examples of some of the 60 planned sessions include: Taking Art Off the Shelf: Making the Arts Relevant Again; The Art of Living, or Living for Art: A Survival Guide for Individual Artists; The Value of A Seat; Design, Evaluation and Research on Arts Education Programs; Playwriting Bootcamp; Fun with Critics; The Changing Technological Universe and its Potential for the Arts Sector; Boomers: A Blooming Audience, or Fading Flowers in the Cultural Scene?; Artists from Abroad: Everything You Need to Know about Visa and Tax Issues; Opera: From Soap to Nuts; It Ain't Easy Being Green!; and, Art and Activism: Making Art, Making a Difference.

For more information, click here.

And put June 20-22 on your calendar and head to Philadelphia for the Americans for the Arts Annual Convention, American Evolution: Arts in the New Civic Life.

The convention is organized into the following seven concurrent program tracks: Arts Education, Civic Engagement, Economic Development, Leadership, Private-Sector Support, Public Advocacy, and Public Art. More than 75 sessions will be presented over the course of three days during the convention.

Click here for more information!

Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation is pleased to offer two new services to the field: Panel review administration and meeting room rentals.

Mid Atlantic has been administering panels for over 20 years and currently handles more than 2,000 applications and 10,000+ work samples each year. Our state-of-the-art review space features dual overhead projection for visual and performing arts samples and laptop review and scoring. Clients can use their own internet-based service through MAAF's system, or work with the Center for Arts Management and Technology to design an online application, data dump, and review module. Mid Atlantic can provide the necessary staff to make your panel process stress free - including panelist selection, panel administration, and even catering. Our location in Baltimore provides easy access to three major airports and multiple hotel options.

We also offer our panel room as meeting space for your next retreat, board meeting, or partner meeting. Internet and wireless capable, the panel room also provides the perfect backdrop for those Powerpoint presentations!

If you are interested in exploring panel services or room rental, please contact Karen Newell for more information. Fees will vary based on technical requirements, time, and administrative needs.

PennPAT showcasing artists at the PA Presenters Conference
16 artists have been selected to showcase at the PA Presenters Annual Conference in Harrisburg, PA on May 29 and 30. The showcases are free and open to the public. Click here to see the list of selected artists.

2008 PennPAT Roster Guidelines and Application
Pennsylvania Performing Arts on Tour is now accepting applications from Pennsylvania performing artists and groups for inclusion in the 2009 PennPAT Artist Roster. Roster artists are eligible for a wide variety of benefits related to touring, from grants to advice, networking and showcasing opportunities. The roster artist application and guidelines are now posted on the website.

Fee Support Grant: Upcoming Deadline
June 16, 2008: For projects requesting $1500 or less scheduled between September 1, 2008 and August 31, 2009. Click here for more information.

Black Ice is featured in the PennPAT Artist Roster and will be showcasing at the PA Presenters Conference. Photo Credit: Joshua Black

Join us for the Poetry Out Loud National Finals in Washington, DC on Tuesday, April 29th at 7:00pm. Held at Lisner Auditorium, the event is free and open to the public. Students from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the US Virgin Islands will be in DC for three days competing in poetry recitation during semifinal rounds - with the top twelve advancing to the National Finals. This is a wonderful evening of great poetry - you'll love it! For more information on the Poetry Out Loud program, click here.

Guidelines for the 2008-2009 cycle of Special Presenter Initiatives, a program offering small and midsized presenting organizations in Delaware, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands an opportunity to apply for grants to broaden their programming and expand audiences, are now available. Presenters must be based and incorporated in Delaware, the District of Columbia or the U.S. Virgin Islands to apply. The deadline for application is April 28, 2008 for Delaware, April 23, 2008 for the District of Columbia, and May 1, 2008 for the U.S. Virgin Islands. For more information, guidelines and application forms, click here.

La Bruja was presented in 2008 at Gala Hispanic Theatre in DC through the Special Presenter Initiatives program. Photo Credit: Rosalia Rivera

email: karen@midatlanticarts.org

web: http://www.midatlanticarts.org