ruah arts group

After quite a long hiatus and infrequent posting for the last two years since the advent of Ruah Movie Nights and the Human Experience screening, Ruah is back!

My husband and I have wanted to reignite this effort for some time, but things have never quite been right. Until now. A number of circumstances–crosses, joys, encouragement and signs–have aligned, all pointing towards the re-launching of Ruah, this time as a non-profit rather than just a club of loose associations.

We’re currently praying over John Paul II’s Letter to Artists, networking with friends in similar work and with a similar passion, doing the non-profit legwork (incorporation, 501(c)3 paperwork, bylaws, board, etc.), and trying to find part time jobs to keep us afloat until we can get status and apply for grants.

Please pray for our discernment, tasks, networking and especially for benefactors. As you may have heard, this is not the best financial time to begin a non-profit, as nearly all non-profits are struggling.

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Speaking of which, I just got an email from the Foundation for Sacred Arts, and they’re two shakes of a lamb away from cutting and shutting, so please strongly consider sending them a sacrificial gift:

Dear friends,

Faithfully,
Ann Marra
Executive Director

If you don’t read the ArtsJournal daily digest of arts and culture news, you should. A friend who’s a Bolz Center Arts Admin grad, recommended I check out an arts management blog, The Artful Manager, by Andrew Taylor.

Today’s blog entry is a diplomatic (d)evaluation of the Kennedy Center’s new national recession support initiative, “Arts in Crisis.” Arts in Crisis, or AIC for short (pronounce it “ache”–it fits the recession ambiance), isn’t so much a bail out as a hand up. For some.

Though the Washington Post article says the initiative is for arts organizations, it’s actually performing arts organizations which means, “Hey, VSA Arts, we love your artwork, but unless you clients can dance, sorry.”

Which is precisely Mr. Taylor’s point. The initiative, the web site, the web site video, the Washington Post piece (and very nice portrait, Mr. Michael M. Kaiser); it’s all very nice, but it’s not THE answer. Not even close. Mr. Taylor posits,

“The crisis in the arts, or any other industry, is an ecological one. Any crisis can certainly benefit from unilateral and independent action. But a more resilient and encompassing response would also include recognition and interconnection of the entire ecosystem that provides coaching, counseling, mentorship, and responsive strategy support to organizations and leaders at the edge of collapse.”

Sounds great, Taylor. Does Bolz Center have a GP? Perhaps. But that’s the point. We’re all supposed to have a hand in the GP for Arts & Cultural Survival in an era of non-profit and philanthropic downsizing. Where shall we begin?

Catholic movie producers wanted. No experience required(!) A background in the arts or television/film production preferred. The current film is about our Lady of Guadalupe and we are looking into the prospects of shooting in Mexico.

SYNOPSIS
In the twilight of the Aztec culture, indigenous Cuauhtlatoatzin witnesses the fall of the Aztec world led by Conquistador Hernán Cortés and is faced with an uncertain future. Baptized by the first Franciscan missionaries, ‘Juan Diego’ experiences an apparition of a woman clothed in light, resembling an Aztec princess. Moved by the power of her message Diego realizes that it is the Virgin Mary and struggles to convince church authorities who will not be moved until they witness for themselves the greatest sign
of all (Copyright Mosaiah Entertainment).

REQUIREMENTS:
–Dedicated, passionate and enthusiastic about making films.
–Knowledge of the film industry preferred.
–Strong written/oral communication skills.
–A proactive, rather than reactive “wait and see” attitude to achieve the specific production goals necessary to complete the film.
–A “CDA” (Can Do Attitude).

SKILLS:
So what does a producer do? Typically your average Hollywood producer does the following:
–Reads, researches and assesses ideas and finished scripts
–Commissions writers
–Secures the rights to novels, plays or screenplays
–Builds and develops a network of contacts
–Serves as a liaison and discusses projects with financial backers
–Uses computer software packages for screenwriting, budgeting and scheduling
–Hires key staff, including the director and a crew.
–Controls the budget and allocates resources
–Helps to pull together all the strands of the creative and practical talent involved on a project
–Organizes the shooting schedule
–Troubleshoots issues with various department headson the shoot
–Supervises the progress of the project from production to post production
–Brings the finished production in on time and under
budget

For more info on TEPEYAC HILL please visit: http://www.mosaiah.com/tepeyac/

Send resumes or inquiries to: films@mosaiah.com

Chances are that if you read my blog (both of you), you’re probably mourning the election results of this past week. Deeply. Me, too. I’ve been too depressed about the whole thing and trying to get over this nausea of my soul (turns out it’ll be with me for a while) to comment.

And perhaps I’m not commenting because there are plenty of people out there. Barbara Nicolosi of Church of the Masses and screenwriting fame, and no stranger to cutting words is hitting it hard against “Christians” for “change” whose idea of hope is a campaign slogan, not a theological virtue.  

You’ll probably want to take a break if you’ve just followed the Church of the Masses link. It’s a little heavy, and will make what I’m about to seem trivial. Comparatively so. However, for those of us whose livelihood depends on the generosity of others, it may be a little worldly hope in dark times. 

It turns out the upside of de facto socialism (besides awakening a sleeping giant) may be increased giving, says the Chronicle of Philanthropy. So, sit tight, buckle down, develop strategic relationships, because the Lord needs you more than ever.

During the spring, 2008 Wisconsin Arts Board grant review panels, panelists identified the widespread need among many of Wisconsin’s arts groups for professional development in three areas:   leadership succession planning (both staff and board), evaluation, and grant proposal writing.
 
In response to the panel’s related recommendations to us, the Wisconsin Arts Board will offer – for the first time ever – a series of workshops focused around the issues of:
 
* Leadership Succession Planning for organizations,
 * Strong Evaluation Practices 
*  Effective Grant Proposal Writing
 
The experts in writing grant proposals to the Wisconsin Arts Board (its staff) will present the grant proposal writing workshop. 
 
For the other two workshops, significant resources have been invested in order to bring you the top national leaders in the fields of arts-organization-focused  Succession Planning, and arts program Evaluation.  
 
All grant applicants to the Wisconsin Arts Board are strongly encouraged to register for the Succession Planning and Evaluation workshops in particular.  
 
Our partners in six communities around the state will host this workshop series throughout the Autumn:  
* Stevens Point  – October 20-21 (Charles M. White Memorial Library, downtown at 1001 Main St)
* Madison  – October 21-22  (location to be announced)
* Milwaukee  – October 22  (Marcus Center for the Performing Arts, 123 E. State St); and
                        October 23 (UWM School of Continuing Education at the Grand Avenue Mall, 275 W. Wisconsin Avenue, 7th floor)
* Eau Claire  – December 2-3  (Eau Claire Regional Arts Center, 316 Eau Claire Street)
* Ashland  – December 3-4  (Northern Great Lakes Center, 29270 County Highway G)
* Green Bay  – December 4-5  (Harmony Cafe, 1660 W. Mason St.)
 
For a full schedule and details regarding the workshop series nearest you, please visit: www.artsboard.wisconsin.gov/static/fall_08workshops.htm
 
These workshops are underwritten by the National Endowment for the Arts through its Challenge America program.   For that reason, registrations from past grant applicants to the WI Arts Board and the WI Humanities Council will be given priority.   
 
Please note:   Space is limited for these workshops.   Please register as soon as possible (after Wednesday, September 17th when the registration form goes “live”) by submitting the registration form located on the WI Arts Board website:   www.artsboard.wisconsin.gov/static/fall_08workshops.htm
   
As is the case for all Wisconsin Arts Board meetings, each workshop location is accessible to people with disabilities.  Interpreters are available for people with hearing impairments.   We must know at least two weeks in advance of the workshop if an interpreter will be needed.
 
We look forward to seeing a representative from your organization when we come to your region of the state.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at artsboard@wisconsin.gov or 608-266-0190.

Coming up Saturday and Sunday July 12th and 13th, make plans to be on the Capitol Square for the 50th Annual Art Fair on the Square, presented by the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art. Art Fair on the Square. It’s the 50th anniversary of the Art Fair, so MMoCA is really doing it up big this year! Not only will nearly 500 artists be displaying their works in a variety of media, there will be 3 entertainment stages and lots of fun family activities. The free live music includes Mark Croft, Lou and Peter Berryman, Tift Merritt and more. See the full lineup here

As discussed in the “Beauty Will Save the World (Only if it’s Well-Funded)” post, there are opportunities for loving humanity (read: we need dinero). See also our Amazon book list.

She’s tapped into my brain and spoken my wishes, inviting a real and concrete dialogue of the Church with the Arts. Actually, she wasn’t the progenitor of the invitation to dialogue. Our favorite Polish feminist in Heaven said it in ‘99 in his letter to artists, where he called for “a renewal of that fruitful dialogue that used to exist between the Church and the Arts.”

Booya.

Cool, but what have artists of faith done? Well, bits here and there, but Nicolisi goes on to name it and invite us to really concretely make an organized effort to answer this call.

Clearly, you cannot have dialogue without a forum, a message, and without a speaker. Our investments in Hollywood as Catholics should be geared to establishing and fostering all three of these.

She goes on to elaborate and define what she means by forum, message and speakers.

Then I realized part of my call–my desire in God–is to help create a forum, and not just a virtual forum (as fun as the blogosphere can be). I desire to re-create a physical forum for training, instruction and prayer. Additionally, I want this to be a place not just for artists, but for budding patrons. We need to teach people that supporting artists isn’t just a matter of personal taste or interior design, but a matter of philanthropy that sparks the very living flame of Love that will save the world from its dark drift into post-humanism.

Who, then, will help us?

See the work of an artist whose motto on her website is “Support a Vocation–Buy Art.”

[Update 2/2009: Since Sister has entered religious life, I believe her page has expired.] To contact her family about her work, email paintingsbypan@gmail.com.]

She leaves in two weeks’ time to enter a convent in Florence, Italy.

One of my favorite men asked two graces for his religious order. What do you think they were? Abundance of vocations to the order? Perhaps holy connections in high places? Nope. He asked the Holy Spirit for two perpetual gifts: Poverty & Persecution. And he has them. Through worship & suffering, the Lord is blessing their faithfulness.

He is such an example for me, and as I write a post to ask for help to do the Lord’s work in faith & culture, I wonder: shall I be so bold as Fr. Buela? Perhaps not. But I keep it strongly in my mind as I meditate on Ruah Arts Group’s mission and apostolate. Fyodor Dostoevsky wrote that “Beauty will save the world,” but Beauty needs help. We’re called to renew the face of culture from within by fellowship, formation and fraternal service. We’re called to inspire and instill transcendant values shine the light of faith in a world grown relative and dim. Fyodor Dostoevsky wrote that “Beauty will save the world,” but Beauty needs help. Can we do it with very little? Yes! We’re already doing it. However, we need some very basic things in order to move forward. Here is a short prayer (not wish) list of desired things to help us answer God’s call, ranging from grand gifts to small but important ones. Would you dare answer our prayer?

• Prayers & Sacrifices–the fuel for all we do! (Your time & love) 
• Costs to apply for non-profit status: (approx. $500-$600)
• Tuition to take “Way of Beauty Course,” & re-present the ressourcement ethos next year in Madison in a series of courses; (approx. $1200 US)
• Subscription to Arts Journals to build Ruah Library–St. Austin Review (StAR), Image Journal, Second Spring Journal, etc. ($25-50 per annum)
• Library Sponsorship–Amazon wish list in progress: (nameyourgift)
• Conference  & Retreat Fund. First event: December 2nd Artists’ Day of Recollection. We have a need to pay for gas and food for the priests coming to preach the retreat, as well as publicity materials and retreat materials. ($50-200)
• Name your inspiration or idea!

This is start, but as Plato said, “The beginning is the most important part of the work. We are perhaps beyond poor, but with your financial help, we could soon be just plain poor!