Welcome to the inaugural version of the ARTscan E-Newsletter! In this first issue you will find some of your favorite sections from the former print version of ARTscan, including Poetry and Postscripts, Artist Profile, and Art and About. You will also find several new sections. State of the Arts will be an article about a local, regional, or national arts issue that affects our community. Under the Radar, which will be included in the Art and About listings, will highlight smaller, grassroots local arts events. Artist Opportunities will list a few of the many exciting Opps on our corresponding website page. And finally, ACNV News will let you know of upcoming Arts Council programs and events. ARTscan E-Newsletter will publish every other month, and we encourage submissions for every section. For submission information, go to www.artscouncilnapavalley.org/artscan.html. The rebirth of ARTscan would not have happened if not for the passion, talent, and brilliance of our webmaster Kristine Cummins, who continues to dedicate herself to supporting the arts in Napa Valley. We thank her from the bottom of our hearts as we welcome you to the new ARTscan. Read on!
 
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Napa Valley loves its artists. We are surrounded by beauty and it seems natural that in this oasis we will find great visual and performing art. Residents who have lived here more than a decade lament the time before the cultural program at Meadowood, before the opening of the Opera House, before the formation of Napa Repertory Theatre and the Shakespeare Festival, before local art filled galleries and lobbies valley-wide. Indeed, according to John Killacky, program officer for arts and culture at the San Francisco Foundation, 70% of Bay Area local residents believe that artists make the community better. (The national average is 48%.) Our artists are well educated: 82% of them have college or graduate degrees, and are good citizens. More than half of them volunteer, and over 80% of them vote. Artists put into words, into pictures, and into performance our collective joy and our shared grief. Here in Napa, we treasure our artists; we've even come to expect local art on the walls of our cafés, our wineries- even our banks.

Why, then, are Bay Area artists earning less now than they did fifteen years ago? Most of our local artists earned less than $7000 through their art last year, and more of them spent time working multiple jobs than they did creating works of art. California spends less per capita on the arts than any other state in the nation. But when we as individuals, or as a state, choose to not support the arts, we not only deny ourselves cultural enrichment, but riches as well: every dollar spent on the arts brings in an average of $11 to that community. A study by the San Francisco Foundation declared that "the research shows that artists affect local economies in previously unnoticed ways, and that they are key factors in attracting other highly educated, skilled workers. Artists are good for a region’s economic viability". If artists make the world a better place both culturally and economically, why are they struggling more now than they were fifteen years ago?

We need to turn around this trend and foster support in our community for all of the arts. Our theatre groups must have proper space to rehearse and perform, our visual artists need more opportunities to show their work, but most of all, we need to bring the artistic community together to work toward true collaboration. We must unify and support one another and remind arts enthusiasts that they should go to the theatre, attend an art opening, even commission new work from a local artist. In theory, the support is out there, but if Napa Valley is to continue to attract world-class artists, we need to cultivate an environment where our creative community can thrive.

At 20 years old, Rosa Maria Aguayo has already made incredible strides towards her career as a professional artist. After accidentally landing in an advanced dance class as a high school sophomore, Rosa now finds herself pursuing a life in dance, something she never expected.

In middle school, Rosa admits she would practice break dancing in front of the mirror at home or with her friends "just for fun". As a student at Napa High School, Rosa enrolled in jazz classes and met teacher Holly Johnson who recognized Rosa's potential. Rosa found herself in the dance studio more and more and Holly encouraged her to continue her training after high school.

At only 17, Rosa was hired to teach dance through ACNV's after school ARTE program for at-risk youth. "I knew some of the students and their backgrounds and I think that made them comfortable. It made me feel really good because I knew if they were with me, they would be busy and not get into any trouble. They had a lot of energy and all wanted to be there."

Like many working creative people, Rosa supplements her income with a second job. She waitresses a few nights a week but is able to support herself primarily through teaching. She now teaches hip hop to students of all ages at Napa's "Dance Expressions", at public and private Napa Valley Elementary Schools through ACNV's Arts in Education program, and as an occasional guest teacher back at her alma mater, Napa High. She's satisfied with teaching for now but also enjoys dancing in competitions and auditioning for shows. Rosa hopes to continue her own dance education at university after she receives her GE from Napa Valley College next year.

Rosa is grateful for her family, friends and teachers who have supported her development as an artist. Her parents were raised in Mexico, and would love to see her take advantage of opportunities they never had. Rosa's training and background qualified her for a place in "Summer Search", a national program for low income high school students that combines educational scholarships, summer experiential programs and intensive long-term mentoring to foster growth, empowerment and leadership. "It gives you real world experience and prepares you for life. They support you through the whole process." Her Summer Search adventures sent her on a river rafting trip in Arizona and also to Yale to study dance. "As I get older and look back, I think, did I really do that? Was that me?"

When asked her about her dreams, Rosa reveals a refreshing and mature outlook on her future creative life. "Of course I'd love to go to L.A. and get a job as a professional dancer, but only one in a million get chosen for something like that." This young artist has many interests and avenues she'd like to pursue including teaching and dance, but with the experience, support and skills Rosa has already accumulated, there's no telling where this Napa native might go.

Professional Artist Workshop Series (PAWS)

The Napa Valley Heritage Fund and ACNV are proud to announce that PAWS has launched! The goal of this new program is to give working artists the business tools they need to be more successful at making a living through their art. PAWS consists of one 2-hour workshop a month, each workshop covering an element of becoming a viable, profitable artist. Please join us after each workshop for an hour-long networking social where you can chat with the workshop leaders and your fellow artists. Go to http://www.artscouncilnapavalley.org/portal/paw.html for more information. Sign up today!

• Promote Your Art 101: Build a Powerful Brand and Market it through Print and Web Wednesday, February 23rd from 6-8 PM at Vintner’s Collective, 1245 Main St (in downtown Napa) With Julia Allen of Folia Design and Brendan Murphy of Camaleo

• Refining and Submitting Your Portfolio; Portfolio Review Wednesday, March 23rd from 6-8 PM in the Art Room at NV College Upper Campus, 1088 College Ave (off of Pope Street) With Heather Marx of Heather Marx Gallery, Michele Pred of Taking the Leap, and Ben Cooper of the di Rosa Preserve

• Taking the Next Step: Words of Wisdom From Successful Artists Wednesday, April 27th from 6-8 PM in the Art Room at NV College Upper Campus, 1088 College Ave (off of Pope Street) With Local Artists Gordon Huether, Gail Chase-Bien, and Caetlynn Booth

• Grant Writing and Research for Artists and Arts Non-Profits Thursday, May 19th from 6-8 PM at the Napa Valley Opera House Café Theatre, 1000 Main St (in downtown Napa) With Frances Phillips of SF State University and the Walter and Elise Haas Fund
 

Community Arts Message Board

The newest feature of our website is a resource for everyone in the artistic community. Our new Message Board is an open forum for everyone to post any arts-related information. Rent your studio space, sell that piece of art that's been sitting in your basement, tell the world about your upcoming event, give away those roller skates you bought for a show and never used again. There are sections for all the above, as well as comprehensive arts event listings, so make sure to stop by the message board when you want to go see live music, attend the theatre, or check out a local exhibit. Please use the message board as much as you’d like- everything arts-related is welcome, and all posts are moderated.
 

Revolving Door Art

Do you want to see your art displayed in local wineries, businesses, and non-profits? Do you want your art to be an integral part of the community? ACNV has had such a huge outpouring of requests for local art that we've created Revolving Door Art, a new program through our Artist Registry. This program allows organizations to work with local artists to custom-create rotating exhibits. Each organization will choose a number of artists to rotate into their facility for a 3 to 6 month exhibit, and artists will be able to work with each organization to determine how and where their pieces are displayed. If a piece sells, the artist can replace it until the end of the exhibit. This program is a win-win: artists get their work out into the community, and organizations get a series of local artwork on their walls. Click here for more information on Revolving Door Art.

The Mission of the Arts Council of Napa Valley is to support a thriving and diverse creative community by expanding arts education, collaborating with arts organizations, and nurturing the development of artistic talent. ACNV is at the service of all Napa County artists and arts organizations, serving as a touchstone and support network for all the arts. Our primary programs include Arts in Education, the Professional Artist Workshop Series, the annual Open Studios Tour, and the ARTscan E-Newsletter. ACNV welcomes community input and involvement, and encourages communication via phone or email. The ACNV office is located in downtown Napa; office hours vary, so please call ahead.

Volunteer Opportunities: ACNV is always on the lookout for more stellar volunteers. Currently, we are seeking people for the following positions:

Artist Registry Administrator (2-3 hours/week)- work with our Registry Coordinator by following up with artists who submit, calling for missing information, and maintaining the database.

Membership Coordinator (2-3 hours/week)- work with staff to maintain the membership database, update contact information, and assist in membership mailings

Events Volunteers (varies)- we need 2 volunteers per PAWS series for set-up, ticket taking, and break-down of each event. Volunteers would be admitted to PAWS at no charge.

"Mailing Party" Volunteers - periodically, ACNV has a "mailing party" when we stuff, stamp, label and seal over 2000 envelopes. We have a mailing coming up late this week or early next week; looking for as many folks as possible. Call for details.

If you have just a few hours a week to commit to helping us support the arts in our community, we’d certainly love to have you join us! Basic computer knowledge is all that is required for the Registry and Membership positions. If you are available for any of these positions, call or email today!

The name "Napa" is reportedly a word from the language of the Wappo Tribe of Native American Indians who once shared the lush green valley with deer, grizzly bears, elk and panthers.