SOAR: Southern Oregon Artists Resource

Important Resources for Artists

Well, it's nothing new that looking for things to save time and make you money on the internet can cost more time than you save, so we're putting together a collection of resources we hope will make it easier to find what you need. In addition, we believe arts advocates are important members of the art community. They work hard to bring facts regarding the importance of the arts to our communities to the awareness of legislators and policy-makers, as well as the general public, resulting in important funding decisions favorable to the arts which translate into grants supporting community arts organizations and individual artists. We hope you'll find a funding opportunity that will help you move forward in your own art career.

We strongly encourage all members of the art community to do their shopping locally, and to send us the contact information for your favorite local suppliers of whatever you need so we can share your sources with the community. However, we do realize that sometimes you just can't find what you need locally, and sometimes a project is so absorbing that you can't take the time to go out. And...we might as well say it...sometimes you really can save money shopping online (watch those shipping expenses, though!) - so we're including online sources of art supplies and more.

Local Artist Resources:
- Jackson County Cultural Coalition
- Jackson County offers a rich array of cultural activities ranging from its music, theater and art communities to its galleries, museums and historical sites to dance, storytelling, ethnic festivals, folklore and literature. The Jackson County Cultural Coalition recognizes the importance of all aspects of the arts, heritage and humanities, and seeks to promote public and private support for each.
  
  The Coalition is part of the Oregon Cultural Trust, an innovative funding mechanism meant to strengthen every aspect of Oregon's culture through a permanent endowment that will grow to more than $200 million. The Coalition invests in grants to local programs designed to preserve and strengthen Jackson County's arts, heritage and humanities and guarantee that every resident benefits from our region's cultural assets.
  
  The Jackson County Cultural Coalition is comprised of community members involved in all aspects of Jackson County’s cultural and economic life. The major goals of the Coalition are:
  1. Support participation in and access to cultural activities for all Jackson County residents.
  2. Support and promote cultural educational opportunities, especially for youth in Jackson County.
  3. Support and promote awareness of the Oregon Cultural Trust.
- For more information, please contact Lyn Godsey at 779-2820 or email . For grant-specific information, email .
- Arts Council of Southern Oregon
- 541.779.2820
33 N Central Ave, #421
Medford, OR 97501
- The Arts Council is a charitable, non-profit organization founded in 1975 to promote and support the arts community in Southern Oregon. We are non-competitive, enlisting artists, arts organizations, patrons, and grantors as our partners in promoting the value and accessibility of all the arts. We provide vital information for artists, residents and tourists alike. All our activities focus on collaboration to ensure a vibrant and diverse arts community is always available.
- The Southern Oregon Society of Artists
- Come experience the excitement of watching guest artists as they demonstrate the techniques they use to produce award winning art on non-critique meeting nights. Enjoy meeting with other artists who share their love of art and are always ready to answer questions or give helpful tips. Keep up to date on current art events in our area.
  
  You are welcome to attend juried critiques that are held quarterly at the January, April, July and October meetings. Critiques are a great way to improve your art in a fun and informative manner; only paid members may enter art work into the critiques. This is a fun evening complete with refreshments. Admission is free.
- City of Ashland Public Arts Commission
  
  The mission of the Public Arts Commission is to enhance the cultural and aesthetic quality of life in Ashland by actively pursuing the placement of public art in public spaces and serving to preserve and develop public access to the arts. The continued vitality of the arts in the City of Ashland is a vital part of the future of the city as well as of its citizens. The arts are an important part of the cultural and economic life of the entire community of Ashland and enrich the participants in the arts as well as those who observe them. Several organizations, which exist in Ashland, are active in the arts and provide leadership to the community on arts related matters. The creation of a Public Arts Commission for the City of Ashland will assist those organizations, other organizations and individuals, to make arts a more important part of the city's life.
- Ashland Gallery Guide
  Published by the Ashland Gallery Association
  PO Box 241
  Ashland OR 97520
  www.ashlandgalleries.com
  
  Artists can place ads in the Ashland Gallery Guide for 140.00/year, and can have their ad placed in the online edition of the Guide for an additional 40.00/year. Ads placed in the online edition only are 75.00/year. The deadline for publication is 1/20.
- State Artist Resources:
- Regional Arts & Culture Council
- The Right Brain Initiative:
  The vision of The Right Brain Initiative is to achieve a measurable impact on learning by integrating the community's arts and cultural resources into the education of every K-8 student in the region's school districts. The Initiative is a collaboration among educators, parents, artists, local governments, business leaders, and donors who are working to achieve this vision in an equitable, systemic, and sustainable way. RACC serves as managing partner of the program.
- RACC publishes a list of Artist Calls for Pacific Northwest artists
- RACC Art Opportunities for Youth
- National Artist Resources:
  - National Endowment for the Arts
    
    The National Endowment for the Arts was established by Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government. To date, the NEA has awarded more than $4 billion to support artistic excellence, creativity, and innovation for the benefit of individuals and communities. The NEA extends its work through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies, and the philanthropic sector. Their main website (linked through their name above and logo to the left) is an amazing resource for information about national policy, grants for the arts and much, much more. They also publish a terrific blog called Art Works; you can find most of their posts at our own blog, Art Matters!
  - Americans for the Arts
  - Americans for the Arts is the nation's leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts in America. Americans for the Arts is dedicated to representing and serving local communities and creating opportunities for every American to participate in and appreciate all forms of the arts. Their lobbying and advocacy efforts in Washington, DC are indispensable to all artists in this country. We syndicate many posts from their informative ARTSblog, as well as their Arts Action Fund blog and Keep the Arts in Public Schools blog to keep our readers up to date on the status of American arts policy and legislation and many other art related topics.
  - President's Committee on the Arts & Humanities
    "The arts and humanities define who we are as a people. That is their power -- to remind us of what we each have to offer, and what we all have in common. To help us understand our history and imagine our future. To give us hope in the moments of struggle and to bring us together when nothing else will."
    ~Honorary Chairman, First Lady Michelle Obama
  - Health & Safety in the Arts
    Provides a searchable database of health & safety information for artists
  - Arts, Crafts, and Theater Safety (ACTS)
    Offers the only worldwide free art and theater hazards information service providing health and safety counseling for art workers; professional safety, ventilation and industrial hygiene advice; educational materials; an extensive technical library; and referrals to physicians and other professional sources.
    
    181 Thompson St., #23
    New York, NY 10012
    212.777.0062
  - Arts and Healing Network
    The Arts and Healing Network is an online resource for anyone interested in the healing potential of art.
    
    PO Box 276
    Stinson Beach, CA 94970
  - The Alliance of Professional Artists (APA)
    A national organization committed to supporting and educating art-driven individuals and groups, while serving as an advocate for the art community. Members consist of individual artists, art schools, museums, galleries, studios, art organizations, communities, associations, foundations and more. APA offers healthcare discounts, merchandise and product discounts, a venue for open communication with other members, a vehicle to showcase their work, an e-commerce site to sell their work, and other special pricing opportunities for members only. Resources also include sample resumes, artist statements, consignment contracts, educational webinars and a monthly e-newsletter providing the most up-to-date income opportunities available and current industry news.
    
    407.515.2603