President Bush Signs Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2008 with $144.7 Million for National Endowment for the Arts
Increase Largest for NEA in 28 Years

On December 26, 2007 President George W. Bush signed an omnibus appropriations bill for FY 2008 that includes $144.7 million for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). This represents an increase of $20.1 million over the 2007 funding level of $124.562 million. It is the largest dollar increase in the NEA appropriation since 1979 and will allow the agency to devote more funds to direct grants to arts organizations and to extend the reach of the agency's National Initiatives that support touring and arts education in theater, music, dance, literature, and the visual arts. The highest level of the NEA's appropriation was $175.9 million in FY 1992. The new appropriation raises the NEA to its highest level in 13 years. Click here to read the full news release.

National Arts Advocacy Day
Capital Hilton Hotel
Washington, DC
March 31–April 1, 2008

The 21st annual Arts Advocacy Day is the only national event that brings together a broad cross section of America’s cultural and civic organizations, along with hundreds of grassroots advocates from across the country, to underscore the importance of developing strong public policies and appropriating increased public funding for the arts. Learn how to lobby congress. Network with other attendees from your state and across the country. Be heard by your members of Congress when you visit them to make the case for the arts and arts education. For more information about this program or any Americans for the Arts programs and services, call (202) 371-2830 or visit www.americansforthearts.org.

Local and National Arts Advocacy Websites

The Hawai‘i Arts Alliance cultivates, sustains and celebrates all the arts as essential to a complete education and central to a vibrant community. The Alliance is currently shaping an email database of members interested in receiving arts legislation and community arts news. You can join their arts community efforts by becoming a member of the Hawai‘i Arts Alliance and the Arts Alliance Action Network. For information, call 533-2787 or download Membership Form.

Americans for the Arts is the nation’s leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts in America. With 45 years of service, they are dedicated to representing and serving local communities and creating opportunities for every American to participate in and appreciate all forms of the arts. For more information on arts advocacy, visit their Arts Action Center.

The National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (NASAA) is the national membership organization of the nation’s 56 state and jurisdictional arts agencies. In coalition with other national groups, NASAA advocates for public support of the arts and provides a variety of resources for state, local and national advocates. Download free Advocacy Tools at or take an Advocacy Quiz.

Grand Opening of New Art Exhibition
45th Annual Hawai‘i Region
of the Scholastic Art Awards 2008
First Friday, February 1, 2008, 5 to 9 p.m.
Hawai‘i State Art Museum, Front Lawn
Free Admission

Join us for the grand opening of the 45th Annual Hawai‘i Region of the Scholastic Art Awards 2008 art exhibition at the Hawai‘i State Art Museum for First Friday on February 1st from 5 to 9 p.m. The public is invited to this free event. The exhibition runs from February 1st thru April 4th.

This annual art exhibition nationally recognizes creative excellence among Hawai‘i’s public and private school students in grades 7-12. The local exhibition honors Gold and Silver Award recipients and five American Vision Award nominees.

A handful of select top award winners will go on to compete nationally in New York. Two students will be awarded the Tadashi Sato Living Art Scholarship.

You can also visit our art galleries to see the beautiful art on display. In the Diamond Head Gallery, our new art exhibition uncommon objects features craft media by Hawai‘i’s premier artists. In the Ewa Gallery, Enriched by Diversity: The Art of Hawai‘i features artwork from the Art in Public Places Collection.

"Struggles Growing Up,” a drawing by Dillon Rosa of Wahiawa Middle School

"Cake UFOs,” a mixed media painting by Elena Osawa of ‘Iolani School

Live from the Lawn – Movies at the Museum
First Friday, February 1, 2008, 6 to 9 p.m.
Hawai‘i State Art Museum, Front Lawn
Free Admission

Join us at the Hawai‘i State Art Museum as we celebrate First Friday with a special Live from the Lawn event entitled Movies at the Museum. We will show the following four short films made by students from the Academy for Creative Media (ACM) at the University of Hawai‘i, which won awards at previous Hawai‘i International Film Festivals.

Follow the Leader – Kenji longs to be a part of the group, but his peers bully him. Then he befriends and stands up for a boy who is an “outsider” and learns to stand up for himself.

Steve Mai‘i – Documentary of the filmmaker’s father, a seminal figure in local music and the Hawaiian Renaissance of the 1970s with footage of performances by Mai‘awi and Henry Kapono.

Home Again – Maria is a young Filipino woman who considers getting a nose job to improve her chances at becoming a model.

The Monkeyboy Fever – On the eve of his senior prom, a boy is bitten by a wild monkey and transforms into a primate overnight. Winner of “Video-On-Demand Best Short Film” by Oceanic Time Warner Cable.

We will also show several films from Hawai‘i Student Television including Kamea, the 2005 Platinum winner; Toilet Story, the 2007 Platinum winner; and Platinum and Gold winners from the 2005, 2006, and 2007 Hawai‘i Student Television competitions. This free event is presented by the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, the Friends of the Hawai‘i State Art Museum, and the LEF Foundation.

Follow the Leader

Steve Mai‘i

Home Again

The Monkeyboy Fever

Second Saturday
Karen Lucas – Hand Casting
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Galleries Open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Art Activities from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Hawai‘i State Art Museum, 1st Floor, Multipurpose Room
Free Admission

Come to HiSAM for Second Saturday on February 9th. Learn a fun technique for making life castings. In this workshop we will use plaster and "Flex-Wax" to create detailed replicas of our hands. Work with Karen Lucas, a sculptor who has been using this technique to create a wide variety of interesting objects. Come see ~ it’s your art! Downtown streets aren’t crowded on the weekend, so walk, bike, take The Bus, or drive to HiSAM. Parking at Ali‘i Place is only $3 all day on Saturday. Enter the parking lot on the right side of Alakea Street between King Street and South Hotel Street. Free parking is available at the C&C underground lot at Beretania and Alapai. Metered parking at ‘Iolani Palace is $1 per hour. This free event is presented by the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts and the Friends of the Hawai‘i State Art Museum.

Poetry Out Loud – Hawai‘i 2008
Semi-Final Competition for Hawaii Island Schools
Saturday, February 23, 2008, 12 to 1:30 p.m.
Hawai‘i Education and Research Center
45-539 Plumeria St in Honokaa, Hawai‘i

Poetry Out Loud is a National Endowment for the Arts and Poetry Foundation national initiative which emphasizes the art of poetry recitation. Poetry Out Loud – Hawai‘i is open to all high school students in the state – public, charter, private, and home school. The SFCA is partnering once again with the Honolulu Theatre for Youth to implement the project. For more information about the Hawai‘i island semi-final and Poetry Out Loud – Hawai‘i, contact our project coordinator, Karen Wright at 536-9269 or email her at karenw@hawaii.rr.com. This SFCA project is coordinated by the Honolulu Theatre for Youth.
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Art Lunch Lecture – May Izumi
The Fire Horse's Granddaughter Goes Looking for Shadows (or How I Took My Dark Side out for Dinner and a Movie)
Tuesday, February 26, 2008, 12 to 1 p.m.
Hawai‘i State Art Museum, 1st Floor, Multipurpose Room
Free Admission

This month’s free Art Lunch lecture is entitled The Fire Horse's Granddaughter Goes Looking for Shadows (Or How I Took My Dark Side out for Dinner and a Movie). May Izumi will describe her experiences in becoming a mixed media artist and the continuing evolution of her sculptures. Born and raised in Honolulu, she earned a degree in marketing at the University of Massachusetts and an MBA at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa. She currently works as an editor for the School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa (UHM). She also studied art at UHM, the YWCA, the Honolulu Academy of Arts, and the Hawai‘i Potters Guild. Her work can be found in the collection of the SFCA and private collections in Hawai‘i, Japan, New Zealand, and the U.S. mainland.

American Masterpieces – Hawai‘i
The Deconstruction of Hula and Music:
Kahauanu and Maiki Aiu Lake
Saturday, March 1, 2008, 7:30 p.m.
Castle Theatre, Maui Arts & Cultural Center
Admission

The hula of Maiki Aiu Lake and music of Kahauanu Lake will be presented in a demonstration facilitated by a talk-story format. The stories behind the dance will be shared through personal experiences with a focus on how hula and music work hand in hand. Open to the general public. Admission. For information on tickets call the box office at (808) 242-7496. This SFCA project is coordinated by the Hawai‘i Arts Ensemble.

Art & Story
Saturday, March 1, 2008, 3:30 to 6:00 pm
The Lodge at Koele in the Great Hall, Lana‘i
Free Admission

Art & Story is a culminating event by the students at Lana‘i School. They have spent the semester learning oral history and storytelling techniques from Hawai‘i storyteller, Nyla Fujii-Babb. Based on Lana‘i island and family history, the students learn how to interpret historical facts and make their story come alive. Students also use music and the visual arts to tell their story. They will be doing their presentation for family, friends, and visitors at The Lodge at Koele in the Great Hall. Enjoy an evening dedicated to preserving the rich past of Lana‘i. This SFCA project is coordinated by the Lana‘i Art Center. For more information – call (808) 565-7503 or visit www.lanaiart.org.

Ceysha Akau-Lopez tells her story at the “2007 Art & Story.”

Institute of Museum and Library Services
Accepting Applications for Native American/
Native Hawaiian Museum Services Grants
Grants Range from $5,000 to $50,000
Application Deadline – April 1, 2008

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is accepting applications to the Native American/Native Hawaiian (NANH) Museum Services program. NANH promotes enhanced learning and innovation within museums and museum-related organizations, such as cultural centers. The program provides opportunities for Native American tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations to sustain heritage, culture, and knowledge through strengthened museum services in the areas of programming, professional development, and enhancement of museum services. Projects will benefit their communities and audiences by connecting people to ideas, information, and learning experiences.

Grant funding ranges from $5,000 to $50,000, and is available under the following three categories. Programming – Services and activities that support the educational mission of museums and museum-related organizations. Professional Development – Education or training that builds skills, knowledge, or other professional capacity for staff – either paid or volunteer – who provide or manage museum services. Enhancement of Museum Services – Support for activities that enable and improve museum services.

The application deadline is April 1, 2008. Applicants must apply online through www.grants.gov. Awards will be announced in September 2008. For more information, including guidelines and the application, go to www.imls.gov/applicants/grants/nativeservices.shtm. IMLS has scheduled an audio-conference call to give prospective applicants an opportunity to ask IMLS staff questions pertaining to the Native American/Native Hawaiian Museum Services program. Participants will need the information below to participate: Date: Wednesday, February 27, Time 3:00 p.m. EST, Participant Dial-in Number: 800-603-9527, Conference ID: 25779593. For more information on the audio-conference call, contact Sandra Narva, Senior Program Officer at (202) 653-4634 or email snarva@imls.gov.

Docents Needed for Hawai‘i State Art Museum
Training Sessions Begin Tuesday, February 5th

Be a HiSAM docent! The Hawai‘i State Art Museum is looking for enthusiastic art lovers to be volunteer docent guides. The four-month training sessions begin Tuesday, February 5, 2008. Docents will learn about Hawai‘i’s Art in Public Places Collection, the fundamentals of art history and studio art practices, and successful tour techniques. For more information, please call 586-9958 or email hisamvolunteers@gmail.com. You can download an application form at www.hawaii.gov/sfca. Just click on Hawai‘i State Art Museum, and then click on Volunteers.

Western States Arts Federation
CaFÉ (Call for Entry) Program
Features Listings of Nationwide Calls for Artists

The Western States Arts Federation (WESTAF) offers its CaFÉ (Call for Entry) program with online listings of nationwide calls for artists. This free and secure online service lists calls for public art projects, artist fellowships, and juried visual-arts competitions. Artists may register with CaFÉ at www.callforentry.org. The site provides information about CaFÉ, FAQs, tech tips, image prep, and a questions forum. For technical assistance, call toll free 1-888-562-7232. To see other WESTAF services visit www.westaf.org.

Hawai‘i State Commission on the Status of Women
Requests Submittals for Women’s Art: Women’s Vision
Calendar of Events for February and March 2008

Americans are now celebrating Women’s Art: Women’s Vision recognizing the vision of women artists and representing diverse art forms – painting, sculpture, weaving, pottery, embroidery, hula and chant, and modern media art. The celebration culminates in March during Women’s History Month. The Hawai‘i State Commission on the Status of Women and its partners, the SFCA, Hawai‘i Arts Alliance, the Honolulu Academy Art Center, L.A.C.E., and GirlFesters are working to create a statewide celebration highlighting women’s art and women artists in multiple venues and across multiple media.

If you have an event in February or March 2008 highlighting women artists or featuring a woman’s theme, you may submit data on your events in the 2008 Women’s History Month, Women’s Art: Women’s Vision Calendar of Events. Listings are free. You may download an application and see the calendar at www.hawaii.gov/dhs/women/women. Register early to ensure that your event is listed. For more information, call 586-5757 or email dhs.hscsw@hawaii.gov.

See Our Art Exhibitions
Tuesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Hawai'i State Art Museum, 2nd Floor
Free Admission

The Hawai‘i State Art Museum is dedicated to presenting the largest and finest collection of works by Hawai‘i artists that celebrate the diverse artistic and cultural legacy of Hawai‘i.

uncommon objects showcases some of the finest works from the SFCA Art in Public Places Collection produced from media typically associated with craft – clay, wood, fiber, metal and glass. Many local, national, and international artists are featured, including Satoru Abe, Michael Tom, Claude Horan, and Toshiko Takaezu.

Enriched by Diversity: The Art of Hawai‘i, is an enlightening exhibition featuring select works of art by Hawai‘i-based artists from the extensive Art in Public Places Collection, which includes over 5,000 works of art by more than 1,400 artists that have been acquired since the collection began in 1967. Inspirational themes in the installation revolve around rediscovering Hawaiian heritage, Asian roots, social consciousness, and cultural traditions.

“uncommon objects”

"Enriched by Diversity: The Art of Hawai'i"

Downtown @ the HiSAM
Lunch, Monday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Dinner, First Friday, 5 to 9 p.m.
Hawai‘i State Art Museum

Try out Downtown @ the HiSAM, the restaurant at the Hawai‘i State Art Museum. Proprietor Ed Kenney, also the owner of Town restaurant in Kaimuki, brings his “local first, organic whenever possible, and with aloha always,” approach to the downtown area.

Located on the first floor of the museum, the restaurant serves lunch with a deli-style takeout, casual in-house dining, and al fresco seating on the lanai by the swimming pool. The restaurant may also be booked for private functions.

In addition to its regular hours, the restaurant is open on First Friday, from 5 to 9 p.m. For more information or to make reservations, call 536-5900. Lunch reservations are recommended for the popular new dining spot.

Downtown @ the HiSAM is a popular lunch spot.

The take-out counter “ASAP Express” is perfect for people on the go!

Join the Friends of HiSAM

We invite you to join the Friends of the Hawai‘i State Art Museum (HiSAM). By simply joining, you can help maintain a free, public institution dedicated to the art and people of Hawai‘i. You can join by calling 586-9959, or you can download an application form by clicking on Friends of HiSAM Application Form.

HiSAM Volunteer Opportunities

Help our visitors enjoy our museum! We need enthusiastic, outgoing people to assist museum visitors and help them learn about our current exhibitions. We encourage you to volunteer if you have an interest or background in the arts and care about our Hawai‘i community.

Volunteers are needed in the following areas:
Gallery Attendant – Assist visitors in the galleries.
Information Desk Attendant – Greet visitors.
Docent – Conduct tours of art exhibitions.
Education Assistant – Help with education programs.
Special Events Assistant – Assist staff with events.

You may download an application by clicking on: HiSAM Volunteer Application Form. To request an application by mail or for more information, please contact HiSAM Visitor Services, via telephone at 586-9959 or via email at hisamvolunteers@gmail.com.

HiSAM Facilities Rental Program
Hold Your Special Event or Party
at the Hawai‘i State Art Museum

The Hawai`i State Art Museum is available for rentals for special events and parties. The rental options include: Option 1 - Front Lawn, Option 2 - Second Floor Courtyard, or Option 3 - Front Lawn and Second Floor Courtyard.

The rental brochure is available for download here HiSAM Rental Program Brochure. Anyone interested in renting the facilities may request a HiSAM Rental Information Packet which contains a Rental Handbook, Rental Request Form, and HiSAM brochure.

For more information or to request the packet, contact the HiSAM Visitor Services Manager via email at hisamrentals@gmail.com or call 586-9959.

The HiSAM front lawn may be rented for parties.

Hold your special event on the second floor lanai.

Visit the SFCA Website

Visit our website www.hawaii.gov/sfca for news on SFCA grants, programs, services, and events, plus information on Hawai‘i State Art Museum events and art exhibitions.

SFCA Online Publications

For more info on SFCA programs, services, and events, click Publications and Documents.

Hawai‘i Arts and Culture Calendar

Want to know what’s happening with the arts in Hawai‘i? Check out the Hawai‘i Arts and Culture Calendar section of our website. It lists current activities and events presented by Hawai‘i’s nonprofit arts and culture organizations. Click on these links to Visual Arts, Performing Arts, Literary Arts, Media Arts, and General Arts and Humanities.

Sign Up for SFCA Enews

If a friend has sent you SFCA Enews, and you would like to sign up for future broadcasts, please click here.