VANL-CARFAC

This year, VANL-CARFAC made five recommendations to the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador for the up-coming 2014-15 budget:

As self-employed professionals, visual artists and other cultural workers are asked to provide their professional services and expertise by sitting on juries, committees and boards. These activities require a considerable amount of time.

Some of the bodies on which artists currently provide their expertise to the provincial government are:

• The Arts and Letters Committee
• The Board of The Rooms
• The Board of the Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council
• The Federal-Provincial Committee on Cultural Initiatives
• The Art Procurement Advisory Committee

Self-employed artists are providing their professional expertise to the province but they are not receiving any remuneration for the time spent on these activities. In addition, the time that self-employed artists spend on board and committee work is time that they are not able to produce the artworks by which they make their living. For this reason, and in acknowledgement of their professional expertise, we ask that the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador implement a policy to pay standard fees for the work performed for the government by self-employed arts professionals. Status of the Artist Legislation, if passed, would outline rates of payment for these types of services provided to the government, and would encourage similar remuneration for work done by artists on other non-governmental committees, councils and advisory boards.

This year, VANL-CARFAC made five recommendations to the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador for the up-coming 2014-15 budget:

Beyond the creation of artworks, a necessary element of a visual artist’s career is the ability to adequately access a wider art market.  Much of a visual artist’s income comes from outside of Newfoundland and Labrador: through exhibition fees from publicly-funded galleries; copyright and reproduction fees; visiting artist projects; guest lectures; grants; commissions; and through selling their work.  Therefore many of the province’s artists earn a significant portion of their income from elsewhere, and then spend it here. True economic development means new money coming into the province and this is one of the primary ways that artists contribute to the local economy.

The Market Access and Export Program was a granting component of the Cultural Economic Development meant to address this need.  These were not grants to assist with the creative side of producing artistic works, but to help to “expand the marketing, promotion and distribution of cultural products and activities.”  Artists were eligible for up to $5,000 to cover the costs of activities such as: the shipping and insurance of their work; travel and accommodation; the production and distribution of promotional materials; and attendance at trade shows and showcases.  As a result of a 10% cut to the CEDP program last year, the Market and Access component was eliminated; and, while organizations, festivals, and small performance series still qualify, individual artists are no longer eligible to apply to the CEDP.

The rationale may be given that individual artists can apply to the Newfoundland & Labrador Arts Council for some of these costs under Professional Project grants; however, there are two major impediments to this:  first, while the Market and Access program has been discontinued, the Arts Council’s budget has not been increased—a fund which is already strained beyond capacity.  In the most recent granting session for Professional Project Grants, in September 2013, the NLAC was only able to award 44% of the requested funds across all sectors.  Second, while individual artists can apply to the NLAC to support “creation, production, operating and travel costs,” the NLAC Best Practices Project Assessment guidelines explicitly state that marketing and publicity expenses are given a low priority by the jury.  Therefore funds to build crates, print posters, and buy promotional ads (and precisely the kinds of marketing activities that the CEDP supported) are not eligible.

___

You are invited to VANL-CARFAC’s 2nd Annual Mail Art Fundraiser! If you participated in this event last year, you already know what a great opportunity it is to get some beautiful, crazy, quirky, moving and/or generally fabulous pieces of art; and to give your own as well!

Want to know how it works? :

Step 1: Private Message or E-mail Hillary Winter (hillarywinter@yahoo.ca) your mailing address and donation amount (Suggested $10.00).  She will be taking addresses until Saturday, March 15. (More details below)

Step 2: Each person is responsible for creating three small original (mail size) artworks. (More details below)

Step 3: Once your artwork is complete, you just take a picture of your completed work and email it to hillarywinter@yahoo.ca and you’ll receive a message/ e-mail with 3 addresses where you will be expected to mail your artworks. The artworks must be mailed NO LATER than April 15th (Please!!)

Step 4: You will receive 3 artworks in the mail from 3 different artists!

Details:

Donation:  Donations can be made by drop-off (to the VANL office), email transfer, regular mail or through the PAYPAL button below. Whatever works best for you. However, please let me know when you send your address how you would like to donate.  I will reply to each message, so if you do not get a reply please contact me again (through facebook if you think e-mail isn’t working).   All money raised will go to support VANL-CARFAC (http://www.vanl-carfac.ca/)

Sizes: 3 1/2″ x 5″ (Standard postcard ) and maximum 11″ x 14″ . Mailing rates will vary, depending on the weight of the work and its destination.

Materials: Be creative. Drawing, painting, sewing, photography, sound art, collage!

Note: If you do participate in this event please honor the commitment and be sure to mail your three works. Last year left us with a couple of people not receiving all three of their expected pieces.   SO, this year, we are asking participants to send a quick pic of your finished pieces and send it in to us, at which point we’ll give you the three addresses where you send your work–which should take care of that problem.  This fundraiser is based on a collective act of good faith, and the organizers cannot be held responsible for art that isn’t sent.  However, we also have a few participants making extra so hopefully no one should be left empty handed.

And Please invite your friends!

(suggested: $10.00)

Job Opportunity: VANL-CARFAC Sponsorship Coordinator

VANL-CARFAC seeks to engage a professional with project management and fundraising experience acquired largely through working in the cultural fields.

Project:            Excellence in Visual Arts (EVA) Awards

Date of call:    October 17^th 2013

Deadline:        November 1^st, 2013

Title:  Sponsorship Coordinator, EVA Awards (SC)

Description:  The SC will create a comprehensive sponsorship solicitation strategy including a database of contacts and a timeline for delivery of funds. The SC will work in conjunction with the EVA Committee to ensure that all appropriate businesses and individuals are included in this database. The SC will work independently to deliver the sponsorship target amounts, and must have their own workspace from which to provide the service. VANL-CARFAC will provide the SC with all necessary background information on the organization and the EVA Awards, as well as a breakdown of sponsorship categories and sponsor packages to be distributed to key candidates. The Board of Directors and EVA Committee may also serve as primary contact for key sponsors with whom they have a personal relationship.

All work will be performed under the direction of the Board of Directors but under the direct supervision of the EVA Awards Committee and Executive Director.

Qualifications: Applicants must hold a degree from a recognized post-secondary institution, have a minimum of 2 years work experience in the cultural or fundraising sector, or an appropriate combination of education and work experience. Applicants must also have;
§  Demonstrated knowledge of the cultural sector in the province.
§  Demonstrated ability to work under a volunteer board or committee.
§  Effective oral and written communication skills.
§  Demonstrated experience in fundraising.
§  Strong organizational skills and the ability to work with a high level of independence; ability to balance competing priorities and exercise good judgment.
Computer skills, time management skills and a positive attitude are essential.

Evaluation:      Applicants must submit a cover letter, an up-to-date resume and three professional references. Applications will be reviewed and interviews conducted by the Human Resources committee.                                         

Project Timeline: Hours of work are to be determined by the SC according to the needs of the sponsorship campaign. Candidate must have a flexible work schedule.

Start Date:       November 12^th, 2013

End Date:        May 30^th 2014

Resources: Access to all VANL-CARFAC informational resources. As a contract worker, the SC will be expected to have access to her/his own workspace, phone, computer, internet and email access.

Target: The SC is expected to raise a target amount of $10,000 (including program ad sales).  Some in-kind sponsorships may be considered to count toward the total amount raised but must be cleared in advance with the EVA Committee.  The SC will be required to assist the EVA committee and Executive Director in the organization of the annual EVA promotional reception.

Expenses:  Contract awarding professional fees @ $3000. This fee will be paid in five installments: an initial sum of five hundred dollars ($500) payable upon signing of contract, a second payment of five hundred and fifty dollars ($550) upon raising three thousand dollars ($3000) of the projected goal; a third payment of five hundred and fifty dollars ($550) upon raising six thousand dollars ($6000), a fourth payment of five hundred and fifty dollars ($550) upon raising nine thousand dollars ($9000).  A final installment ($850) will be payable upon reaching the full projected goal ($10,000), the completion of the tasks outlined in “Terms and Duties” and upon receipt of the SC’s final report/database following the 2014 EVA Awards.

Deadline: All applications should be received no later than November 1^st 2013. Only those candidates selected for interviews will be contacted.

Apply to:   vanlcarfac@gmail.com , with Sponsorship Coordinator Application in the subject line.

For more information on the EVA Awards program, sponsorship categories and past sponsors of the awards, see the EVA Awards page of www.vanl-carfac.com.

RCA/VANL Cinq à sept at the LSPU Hall

July 19 at 5-7 PM

The staff of RCA & Visual Artists of Newfoundland & Labrador (VANL) would like you to come and hang out at the L.S.P.U. Hall (Cox & Palmer Second Space) on Friday, July 19 from 5-7pm.

Free Admission! Happy Hour prices! $4 beer/wine

Bring your friends!

If you have any questions, please contact the VANL office at 738-7303 or by email at vanlcarfac@gmail.com

LSPU Hall

3 Victoria Street

St. John’s, NL A1C 3V2