Three times a charm: I survived TIF deadline

It's over yet it has begun.

After spending the past two months answering the same question for the 100th time and frantically sending out e-mails, I have survived another Idea Fund deadline which was for our 3rd round!

Fortunately for all the applicants, your work is done since the deadline was Friday, October 15. But my job is just starting, and hopefully with some help, we will be able to process the more than 250 proposals in time for the panel date of December 1.

Applicants will be notified about their status (if you got a grant or you didn't) by the second week of December. (Oh the number of late nights will be lengthy.)

So here's to hoping TIF makes your holiday wishes come true!

--Tracey

Rowers Wanted

You know how you have all the intentions of doing something, and then life gets in the way? I guess sometimes that it works out for the better.

I had been meaning to blog about the Universes residency here at DiverseWorks. Speak about how the show Ameriville was going to bring down the house – politically, artistically, and with the insightful energy of the company. Add in ideas about how Universes was going to be working with students from area high schools and Meta-Four Houston, the teen spoken-word crew that represents H-Town at Brave New Voices. Highlight that DW was awarded a Community Fund grant from National Performance Network that would allow for some of the Universes crew to work with students at MECA. (We’ll soon post video and pics from those events, so you, too, can see how awesome they were.)


After last night’s show and Q & A session, I have much more to say, or maybe be a bit smarter about what I should say.

Diane and I saw an excerpted version of Ameriville at the NPN Annual Meeting in Knoxville, and realized that it would be a great companion/extension to the Before (During) After exhibition that looks at how Katrina and other disasters have affected artists and their creative process. When Diane saw the show in New Orleans, and saw how the audience reacted and took it all in, it was clear that Ameriville needed to be part of the whole B(D)A and Under-Standing Water experience.

Let’s be clear. This is not a show about Katrina. This is not a show about New Orleans. Mildred talked about how, as the mouth of the Mississippi, New Orleans is the repository for all of America. The show takes on that metaphor and speaks about “America” in the past five or so years – the fear mongering, the panic, the lack of clarity and justice. This show uses Post-Katrina New Orleans as a lens to address ideas – post-September 11 culture; health care; environmental conservation; homelessness and a host of other issues – to examine what has happened to community in 21st century America.

What has always been important about Universes – at least to me, is that the actual show is only half of the experience. The real art is the conversations that are catalyzed by the performance, so that the ideas don’t just exist on stage, but happen in the post-show Q&A, in cars & bars afterwards, and in the minds of people much later. Ameriville does what good theater always does – makes audiences think, feel and get energized about life and what is happening around us.

When asked what the company was hoping to accomplish, they talked about “wanting to bring the unity back into community,” and encouraging people to be part of the solution they want to see. In the words of the show, “Everybody Row.”

I hope people come to see the show tonight and tomorrow at 7:30 to join the ride. Buy tickets here.

Opening Reception of Graffiti Art Foundation

Howdy folks,

Its GONZO247 coming straight to you from Aerosol Warfare Gallery! Looking forward to the next Grandalism with PILOT(FX), to show off his exquisite and eye pleasing graff art! You will not want to miss him! If you'd like to get a sneak peek at what PILOT, myself and other local graffiti artists are doing with their skills catch the opening reception for "Graffiti Art Foundation" at Aerosol Warfare Gallery, Oct. 2nd, 2010 from 7p - 11p. The image included is only a taste of what you'll see!

This Oct. 2nd event is merely a kick-off to a much bigger and much anticipated event, Graffiti Gala Houston (GGHTX), planned for sometime in 2011. Our friends here at DiverseWorks have committed with a full force of support! Come out, enjoy the art, learn more about GGHTX and schmooze.

See you all at the next Grandalism opening, Nov. 5th! - GONZO

Artists in image are PILOT(FX) and MEENR.

Gonzo247

ARE YOU READY FOR TRUE PASSION?

Come As You Are: HOUSTON! opens at DiverseWorks this weekend!
Jonatan Lopez gives us a preview of his work, Latin Lover Conservation, in the performance showcase.





The Latin Lover Conservation is a performance art piece and a social experiment. LLC, globally supports the efforts to better the lives of Latin Lovers and preserve their culture by auctioning their romantic services to our community at selected art events.The funds collected would be used primarily to provide them with affordable living and ease college tuition costs. These young Latinos are a talented and passionate kind. Their place in my performance as conceptual/commercial art does not only objectify them but it dignifies them too. They are sculptures to me. The world must enjoy them as the enjoy the world. Please feel free to interact with them and set the highest bid to win “A Date with a Latin Lover” as you help us preserve this peculiar species. Because without Latin Lovers , there would be no True Passion.

Come As You Are: HOUSTON!
September 17 & 18, 2010, 7:30pm
DiverseWorks ArtSpace
Tickets are $5.00 and a reception and discussion will follow the performance.

Thanks to our sponsors! Living Mosaic, Muffin Man, Saint Arnold Brewing Company, t'afia, Transgender Foundation of America, Whole Foods!

Come As You Are is supported by the National Performance Network, Arcus Foundation, and The Theater Offensive.

Grandalism "History & Style"

GONZO247 gives you a cliff's notes version of some history and a little 411 on what to expect on opening night at DiverseWorks.

Grandalism "History & Style" from GONZO247 on Vimeo.

Join us Friday, Sept. 10, 6-9pm for the opening of Grandalism!

Shawna

Grandalism

(Here's a little sneak peak)

Howdy party people! GONZO247 in the DW House! I'm excited to partner up with DiverseWorks this coming season for GRANDALISM, an 8-week long art exhibiton series.

Starting this September, DiverseWorks dock will be the backdrop for a rotating series of large-scale works by some of Houston’s most accomplished and sought after street artists. Every 8 weeks, a new artist reveals Grandalism, showcasing the raw talent and innovation of the city’s freshest and most prolific urban artists, selected by GONZO247, one of Houston’s most notable street art legends.

Grandalism explores the combination of street art’s traditional large scale format, its “grand” reaction from the public, and sometimes its unappreciated label of vandalism.


GONZO247 of Aerosol Warfare & PR!MO of Shoot. Edit. Sleep. collaborate once again...Check out the first Grandalism video!

Gonzo247

Bring on the bright ideas

Attention all Texas-based artists: The time has come to bring on the ideas! The Idea Fund is gearing up for its third round.

Just in case you don't know, The Idea Fund is a re-granting program administered through Aurora Picture Show, DiverseWorks ArtSpace and Project Row Houses, and funded by The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, that provides cash awards to Texas-based, artist-generated or artist-centered projects that exemplify the unconventional, interventionist, conceptual, entrepreneurial, participatory, or guerrilla artistic practices that occur outside of the traditional frameworks of support. Each round, TIF awards 10 projects $4,000 ($3,500 for the awarded project, plus $500 seed money for future work) and this year one of the grants could be yours.

To learn more about the grant, including where to get an application and how to apply, please visit The Idea Fund's Web page or attend one of the following information sessions:

Wednesday, August 25 at 6:30p.m.
DiverseWorks ArtSpace, 1117 East Freeway, 77002

Wednesday, September 8 at 1p.m.
Aurora Picture Show, 1524 Sul Ross, 77006

Wednesday, September 15 at 1p.m.
Project Row Houses, 2521 Holman, 77004

Thursday, September 30 at 4p.m.
Information session webinar

--Tracey