LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Tippecanoe Arts Federation will hold an informational meeting open to those interested in submitting artwork (visual, literary, or other) for the upcoming TAF exhibition Renaissance Magic: Plants, Potions, and Poetry.

Illustration of an apothecary lesson Hieronymus Brunschwig, Liber de Arte Distillandi de Compositis, 1512

The meeting will be at the held at Hicks Undergraduate Library ROOM: I-LAB, G959 on Wednesday, February 24th from 6:30-7:30pm. All interested artists and arts and cultural organizations located in the Region 4 Arts Partnership district are invited to attend and learn more about the exhibition, how they can participate, and to help brainstorm ideas.

Artists are encouraged to create works based upon the theme, in whatever medium they prefer.

The Region 4 Arts Partnership district is comprised of the following counties: Benton, Carroll, Cass, Clinton, Fountain, Howard, Jasper, Montgomery, Newton, Pulaski, Tippecanoe, Tipton, Warren, and White.

Renaissance Magic: Plants, Potions, and Poetry is offered collaboratively with Purdue University Hicks Undergraduate Library in support of their Harry Potter exhibition, opening this March.

The TAF collaborative exhibition, open to all artists and art forms, will be on view April 2 – May 9, 2010.

Harry Potter’s World: Renaissance Science, Magic, and Medicine, a traveling exhibition for libraries, was organized by the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland. The exhibition tour is coordinated by the American Library Association Public Programs Office, Chicago.

LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Through a grant that the Tippecanoe Arts Federation was awarded from Chase Bank, 11 counties and thousands of community members will receive enhanced arts and cultural experiences.

The Tippecanoe Arts Federation announces the following 2010 Artist in Residency Award Recipients servicing eleven counties: Lake Village Elementary (Newton County), Lafayette Symphony Orchestra (Cass, Clinton, Newton, and White Counties), Monticello Public Library (White County), Prairie Arts Council (Jasper, Newton, and Pulaski Counties), Delphi Public Library (Carroll, Cass, Tippecanoe, and White Counties), Covington Elementary (Fountain County), Tipton County School Corporation (Tipton County), Ladoga Elementary School (Montgomery County), and Hershey Elementary (Tippecanoe County).

Each artist residency was designed to place trained, knowledgeable, practicing professional artists into settings where they can share the joy and benefits of the creative process with others. In school settings, residency artists provide a meaningful and inspiring curricular connection while exposing students to a unique arts experience.

Lake Village Elementary students will work with visual artist Stacey Bogan to create a mural in their school. The thematic mural will involve one on one interaction with students.

Hershey Elementary will team up with Purdue Galleries’ Art Cart to provide an opportunity for a multi-cultural experience that enriches a cultural awareness of African and African American history and culture.

Ladoga Elementary will utilize the funds to revitalize their after school program highlighting their local artists and arts organizations to serve as instructors.

Lafayette Symphony Orchestra will travel the region with an orchestral quartet visiting students in Cass, Clinton, Newton and White counties. Students will have an opportunity to touch and try the various instruments in an orchestra.

Delphi Public Library will work with Fiber Artist Brigid Manning-Hamilton to expose students throughout Carroll, Cass, Tippecanoe, and White counties to the visual art of sewing and design.

In conjunction with Purdue Galleries, Civic Theatre of Greater Lafayette, and Words on the Go, Tipton County students will have the opportunity to design, paint, and present a graphic novel with several comic frames, live actors, backdrops, pros and costumes. Living Graphic Novel takes the graphic novel to the next level, by bringing it to life.

The Tippecanoe Arts Federation is the umbrella organization and arts council for fourteen counties. The Federation provides educational opportunities in the visual, performing, and literary arts, outreach programs for both underserved communities and at-risk youth, and funding for operational expenses to fellow arts organizations region-wide.

LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The application deadline to exhibit artwork in the Tippecanoe Arts Federation galleries is fast approaching. All applications are due Friday, February 12, 2010 by 5:00p (eastern). Applicants will be submitting to exhibit during the 2011 calendar year.

Mark Baker solo exhibition Simple Forms. Shown at the Tippecanoe Arts Federation in 2008.

Artists eligible to apply must be located in the TAF Region Four service area comprised of the following counties: Benton, Carroll, Cass, Clinton, Fountain, Howard, Jasper, Montgomery, Newton, Pulaski, Tippecanoe, Tipton, Warren, and White.

To be considered for inclusion in the exhibition, all artwork is to be original in content and/or presentation and framed, mounted and displayed in a professional manner (annual youth art exhibition does not need to meet this requirement). Subject matter should be appropriate for a public, multi-use venue.

Gallery spaces are open for 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional artwork. Size is limited by entrance doors (4’11 wide x 6’10” high-North Street entrance) and wall space (7’ high). In the East Gallery, 3-D pieces may only be displayed along the room’s perimeter to accommodate special events. Nails or screws cannot be used in a 7-foot section of the South wall in the Northwest Gallery. Other hanging methods are available.

In an effort to bring new artwork into the galleries, artwork must not have been shown in any of TAF’s galleries in the 12 months prior to a show, including individual, group, or arts organization exhibitions. If previously shown work is submitted for exhibition, it will not be accepted for display and removed immediately.

Preference for exhibition space is given to TAF member organizations, followed by individual art exhibitions that display new and diverse artwork.

TAF is an equal opportunity organization. Selection of exhibit applications will be made with without consideration of race, color, sex, age, marital status, national origin, ancestry, disability, religious beliefs, or sexual orientation.

Applications and guidelines are available online in PDF format.

For more information about the TAF Gallery program, contact Paige Sharp, Director of Arts Education and Regional Services at rsd@tippecanoearts.org or 765-423-2787.

LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The Indiana Arts Commission (IAC) voted recently to designate official cultural districts in three Indiana communities: Bloomington, Carmel and Lafayette-West Lafayette.

“I congratulate the Indiana Arts Commission for bringing to life the vision of House Enrolled Act 1017,” said Rep. Eric Koch, R-Bedford. Koch authored the 2008 legislation to establish the state designation.

During its December quarterly meeting in Indianapolis, commissioners representing all areas of the state voted to accept proposals from Bloomington, Carmel, and Lafayette-West Lafayette. Rep. Koch officially announced the designations today during the annual Arts Day at the State House program sponsored by the Indiana Coalition for the Arts.

“These initial three communities have set the standard for future cultural district plans around the state,” Rep. Koch added. “As our nation continues to shift from an industrial manufacturing economy to one based on ideas, information, and experiences, the arts and culture are becoming important economic assets and can be an engine for economic growth in Hoosier communities large and small. Our state cultural district designation is an important tool within a policy portfolio designed to help us capitalize on our cultural resources in ways that encourage both economic prosperity and civic wellbeing.”

The official state designation provides significant opportunity for marketing, promotion, and potentially leveraging resources through various partnerships.

“The development of arts and culture is an essential tool for the City of Lafayette in many ways,” said Lafayette Mayor Tony Roswarski. “It is a component of overall economic development and quality of life strategies that are vital to attracting and retaining business and residents. It is also central to our efforts for downtown revitalization. The newly designated Tippecanoe Arts and Culture District will further our goals for downtown as a destination for living, working and entertainment. We expect to work with the IAC to promote our district and leverage its assets for tourism and business development opportunities.”

“We are proud to receive this designation from the Indiana Arts Commission,” said West Lafayette Mayor John Dennis. “To be recognized as a community that embraces and supports the arts is important to our continued commitment to provide a quality of life that is attractive to our residents.”

Communities interested in applying for the 2010 Cultural Districts certification must submit letters of intent by June 30, 2010 and applications are due by August 11, 2010.

On behalf of the people of Indiana, the Indiana Arts Commission advocates engagement with the arts to enrich the quality of individual and community life.

LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Enrollment is now open for the ASAP After School Arts Program. This Tippecanoe Arts Federation program offers a variety of classes for grades 1-12 including Hip Hop, Theater, Dance, Video, DJ Spin, Ceramics, and Painting and Drawing. Most classes run from 4:00-5:30 at the Wells Community Cultural Center, located at 638 North Street in Lafayette, Indiana.

Classes, starting January 14, are available at no cost to the student. However, students are required to make a commitment to the class they enroll in. They must commit to attend, participate, and inform TAF if they will be late or must be absent.

Advanced registration is required and is on a first come, first served basis. Because there is limited space for each class, early registration is highly recommended.

The ASAP program was designed to make a meaningful difference in the lives of youth in the Greater Lafayette community. ASAP breaks down barriers, inspires creative spirit, provides gap programming for schools and home schooled students, and gives youth a positive expressive outlet.

Member Organizations and Member Artists of the Tippecanoe Arts Federation serve as instructors for this program. ASAP is made possible through generous funding from the McAllister Foundation, John and Kathy Fiederlein, John and Hallie Gorup, Joy Matson, and David Magnante and Suzanne Rankin.

For more information, contact Paige Sharp, 765-423-2787 or rsd@tippecanoearts.org

LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Kids, youth, and others are invited to participate in Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Those interested in participating should plan to attend the rehearsal call-out session on Thursday, October 29th at 6:30p at the Tippecanoe Arts Federation, 638 North Street, Lafayette (enter the side door and go to the lower level).

The annual Dickens of a Christmas will be held in Downtown Lafayette-West Lafayette on Saturday, December 5 from 10:00a–9:00p. During this event, scenes from A Christmas Carol are enacted at various sites throughout the Downtown Lafayette.

Practice sessions are ready to begin.

Questions should be directed to Jane Ness at Greater Lafayette Commerce, 765/742-4044 or Peg Black, Dickens players’ coordinator, at 765/742-8619.