November Showbiz

KCArtistLink Launches Website

An innovative partnership of local organizations announced the launch of KCArtistLink, a new website for artists at www.kcartistlink.com. The new site serves as a guide and portal for artists seeking resources for career development or to start or sustain a business. KCArtistLink will help artists of all disciplines in the greater Kansas City metropolitan area connect to a network of nonprofit resource organizations that can provide information about business-building and support programs. KCArtistLink is the second business development program for artists started by the partnership in 2009. The first was Artist, INC, a series of workshops designed to provide artists with small business skills to manage the business end of their art careers.

KC Jubilee Call for Entries

The Kansas City Filmmakers Jubilee invites all filmmakers to submit their short or feature film: drama, comedy, documentary, animation, or experimental work. It must have been completed since Jan. 1, 2008. Deadline for entries is Nov. 15 and Dec. 1. Entry fees vary by short or feature and increase with each new deadline date. Go to the website, kcjubilee.org, for complete details, entry form, and pay fee online. You may also submit through www.withoutabox.com. Check out the special CinemaJAZZ division if you have made a work (short or feature) inspired by jazz. Send your screener (DVD-region 1), check, entry form to: KC Jubilee, 4826 W. 77th Ter., Prairie Village, KS 66208-4321. Kansas City FilmFest is scheduled for Apr. 14-18, 2010 at the all digital AMC Mainstreet. Visiting filmmakers and jurors will be announced soon. If you have any questions call (913) 649-0244 or e-mail kcjub@kcjubilee.org

Poetry Out Loud Coming Up

Poetry Out Loud is a national arts education program that encourages the study of great poetry by offering educational materials and a dynamic recitation competition to high schools across the country. Poetry Out Loud aims to build students’ speaking skills, develop their appreciation for poetry, and increase their self-confidence. In addition, the competition satisfies both the Missouri Show-Me Standards and the English Language Arts National Council of Teachers of English standards. To learn more about Poetry Out Loud, request a teacher’s packet by sending your name, school, and mailing address to virginia.sanders@ded.mo.gov. Additional information can be found at www.poetryoutloud.org. Schools must register by Nov. 30.

Landesman Chairman of the NEA

Native St. Louisian Rocco Landesman, nominated by President Barack Obama as the tenth chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in August. Landesman was born and raised in St. Louis, Mo. He pursued his undergraduate education at Colby College and the University of Wisconsin, Madison and earned a doctorate in Dramatic Literature at the Yale School of Drama. At the completion of his course work, he stayed at the school for four years, working as an assistant professor. Landesman’s ensuing career has been a hybrid of commercial, philanthropic, and purely artistic engagements.

This article appeared in the November 2009 issue of KC Stage.