USArtists International has recently expanded its aesthetic and geographic parameters and now includes support for American dance, music, and theater ensembles and solo artists invited to perform at significant international festivals anywhere in the world outside the United States and its territories. The application deadline for the next grant round of the program will be on Monday, September 8, 2008 for engagements taking place between November 1, 2008 and October 31, 2009. For a copy of program guidelines and application click here. Questions about USArtists International should be directed to Marie Suzuki, Program Associate, International at marie@midatlanticarts.org.

Doug Varone and Dancers received a grant through the 2008 USAI program.
Credit: Scott Suchman

MAAF is in the process of determining the artist roster for the 2009-2010 Mid Atlantic Tours program. Presenters are invited to participate in the selection process by taking a brief survey and registering interest in artists under consideration.

Mid Atlantic Tours is designed to increase audience access to the arts in the region by supporting the tours of selected performing artists, with a particular emphasis on contemporary dance, folk/traditional arts, jazz, theater and support for international cultural exchange. Artists must be from within the mid-Atlantic region or outside the United States. Five ensembles will be selected for the 2009-2010 Mid Atlantic Tours roster.

The Mid Atlantic Tours roster survey is only open to presenting organizations in the states and jurisdictions served by the Foundation, including Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Virginia, and West Virginia. If you are a presenter interested in participating in the survey and need instructions on how to do so, please contact Krista Bradley, Program Officer, Performing Arts by emailing krista@midatlanticarts.org. The survey will close Friday, September 5, 2008.

Regina Carter is one of the artists being considered for the 2009-2010 Mid Atlantic Tours Roster.

Free informational workshops providing an overview of the Foundation's Artists & Communities residency program and grant application process will be offered at six different locations in September 2008. All workshops will take place from 4:00-6:00 p.m. Reservations are required as space is limited. For a complete list of grant workshop dates and locations click here.

Artists & Communities supports artist residencies throughout the mid-Atlantic region that engage the public in the creative process. For program guidelines click here. The deadline for applications is Monday, December 1, 2008. For questions about the program or to make reservations for the grant workshops contact Heidi Warren at heidi@midatlanticarts.org or 215-339- 0606.

Reading for Fetch Clay, Make Man Artists & Communities project hosted by McCarter Theater with artist Will Power.

MAAF is soliciting interest in the Mid Atlantic Folk Arts Outreach Project, a program designed to strengthen the region's folk and traditional arts infrastructure through a regional exchange of artistic excellence and best practices. The program supports folklorists and local folk artists traveling from their home communities to a host site in a different state or jurisdiction within the mid-Atlantic region to share their work with other traditional artists, folklorists, and the public. For more information about the project, contact Sally Van de Water at sally@midatlanticarts.org or 410-539-6656 x107. For information on past funded projects, click here.

Go Tell It on the Mountain outreach project participants.

PennPAT at the regional conferences
Visit us at the following conferences this fall:

Midwest Arts, Kansas City, MO
September 17-20, 2008
Booth 323

Performing Arts Exchange, Atlanta, GA
September 24-28, 2008
Booth 1100

Ohio Arts Presenters Network, Elyria, OH
October 26-28, 2008


Regional Conference Showcases
Several PennPAT roster artists have been selected to showcase at the regional conferences this fall. Click here for a full list.


Presenter Grants
The next deadline is October 15, 2008 for projects scheduled between February 1, 2009 and May 31, 2009. For more information, click here .

PennPAT artist Yu Wei Chinese Dance Collection.

Tuesday, September 16 - Sunday, September 21
Free and open to the public

The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities is proud to announce the start of The Jazz Song, a workshop and performance program of the American Masterpieces project sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts. Applications are currently being accepted from talented singers, instrumentalists, and composers ages 15 and older with an interest in widely-ranging styles of jazz music. This is a unique opportunity to work with internationally renowned and engaging jazz artists such as six-time GRAMMY® Award-nominee Nnenna Freelon, Pierce Freelon, Rusty Hassan, Sharon Clark, Alan Baylock, Allyn Johnson, and Connaitre Miller. All participants must be available for select workshops, held at venues city-wide, and required rehearsals throughout the duration of the program. All events are free and open to the public pending application approval and space availability. Applications will be published during the month of August in the following publications: Hill Rag, DC North, East of the River, Washington City Paper, and can also be obtained by contacting the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, by phone, in person or through the Commission's website, http://dcarts.dc.gov. For more information, please contact DCCAH Outreach Coordinator Masresha Tadesse at: 202-724-5613 or masresha.tadesse@dc.gov.

MAAF staff members, including PennPAT Director Katie West, Program Officer for the Performing Arts, Krista Bradley, and PennPAT Program Associate Chrissie DiAngelus, will be attending Southern Arts Federation's Performing Arts Exchange ("PAE") in Atlanta, GA September 24 - 28, 2008. Both MAAF and PennPAT will have booths in the Resource Room. Bradley will be holding "Face-Time" one-on-one sessions during the conference, so feel free to sign up for a consultation or stop by the MAAF/PennPAT booths (MAAF Booth 801; PennPAT Booth 1100)

A new session at PAE is a Regional Booking Conversation slated for Saturday, September 27. The session will be an opportunity for presenters in the mid-Atlantic as well as those served by sister regional arts organizations to hear about potential projects of interest and those in development for block booking tours. The session will also feature information about national tour projects and resources to support programming efforts. Visit the PAE website to register and for more information.

Thanks to all of you who supported Mid Atlantic's programs and artists through the 2008 Annual Fund! We are in the process of kicking off our 2009 individual giving campaign - 30 for 30 - in honor of our 30th Anniversary. That's right - Mid Atlantic has been actively supporting the arts and artists in the region since 1979! We hope to raise $30,000 in support of our programs during our annual fund campaign and need your help! Any gift would be most appreciated. You can give online by visiting our website homepage at www.midatlanticarts.org and clicking on the donate button on the left side of the page. Or you can contact Megan at megan@midatlanticarts.org for an annual fund form or to discuss other giving options. Thanks again for your support - we look forward to turning 30 with you by our side!