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Art of Action Exhibition Series

We are currently exploring opportunities with twenty venues across Vermont that have expressed interest in hosting an ART OF ACTION exhibition in their community. At this time, we are not planning any additional locations for the exhibition series. The list of participating communities will be announced as locations and dates are confirmed. So, bookmark this page and check back from time to time to find the local host community nearest you.

Good news: the Tool Kit for the local host communities (LHCs) is moving forward and should be available to them by the end of March. This document contains all the information LHCs will need to mount a successful exhibition and design their own local events to support it.

Even better, the exhibition series has a Curator: Janet Van Fleet, whom I've had the pleasure of knowing and working with on other projects over the years. In a mere 12 hours this week, she devised a practical and exciting plan for the twenty exhibition venues. Her vision will be reflected in the Tool Kit, and realized in the coming months. It should be a really great exhibition series beginning in Manchester, Vermont this September. Stay tuned!

PRC Awards 10 Commissions

The Art of Action Project Review Committee has announced which of the Finalists for the project will receive commissions to realize the projects they proposed. They are Susan Abbott, Gail Boyajian, David Brewster, Annemie Curlin, Phil Godenschwager, Curtis Hale, Val Hird, Kathleen Kolb, Janet McKenzie, and John Miller .

Congratulations to these ten artists and to the other 9 Finalists who presented amazing and attainable visions of Vermont's future to the PRC last week.

Videoed Visionaries

The Art of Action video featured here this month was produced for the Vermont Arts Council by AllartStudio in October 2008. Individual clips of the 20 Finalists can be viewed off the project website.

Project Proposals Presented

We hope to announce at the beginning of next week the names of the 10 artists who will receive commissions to realize their projects.

Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

Nineteen unique visions of the future of Vermont will be presented today and tomorrow in Montpelier by the Art of Action Finalists. These presentations are essentially 'job interviews'. Each artist will have ten minutes to present his or her proposal to the Project Review Committee [PRC], and the Committee will then have 10 minutes for questions specific to that proposal. The public is invited to audit some or all of the Finalists' Presentations (only PRC members will be allowed to ask questions of the artists). Presentations will begin at 10am and run through 3:30pm both days. Join us in the Governor's Conference Room at the Pavilion Building, 109 State Street, to see how these nineteen visionary artists propose shaping the future of Vermont through art.

Yesterday's snowfall may further restrict limited parking options, so consider taking the free shuttle from the National Life or DOL parking lots across the river. Phone GMTA at 802.223.7287 for further information.

Outdoors: -10, Indoors: Fahrenheit 451

"Can a book be a weapon? What about art? And if so, should it be removed from society?" Those questions will be addressed tomorrow as part of the Vermont Arts Council's kickoff of this year's "The Big Read". The event at the Essex High School Auditorium in Essex Junction, VT will feature a keynote address by Democracy Now!'s Amy Goodman.

A video interview with author Ray Bradbury, a preview of a new documentary by Vermont filmmaker Deb Ellis about Vermont artist/activists including Janice Perry, along with performance pieces by Peter Schumann, founder of Bread & Puppet and antiwar artist Drew Cameron of Green Door Studio are sure to ignite additional interest.

The event is free and open to the public. Phone 802.878.6955 for more information.