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These cash awards will help artists and other arts professionals, such as writers, take advantage of impending, concrete opportunities that will significantly advance their work and careers. The awards are for unique, short-term opportunities that do not constitute routine completion of work in progress.
Alaska Career Opportunity Grants
For Alaskans (for professional artists, arts educators and professionals) only: Career Opportunity Grants between $300 and $1,000 are providing financial assistance to engaged in arts administration for travel to events, programs or seminars; and for other activities that will contribute to the strength of the applicant’s professional standing or skill.
Quarterly Deadlines: June 1, September 1, December 1, March 1
http://alaska.cgweb.org/page.php?id=16
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Nevada Artist Fellowship
The Artist Fellowship Grant seeks to recognize and reward outstanding individual artists living in Nevada who demonstrate excellence in their work. Grant awards go to individual artists in each category – literary, performing, and visual arts. All applicants are required to be a practicing professional artist, be a Nevada resident for 12 months prior to application date, have U.S. citizenship or legal resident status and be least 21 years old, and not be a degree-seeking student.
http://nac.nevadaculture.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1043&Itemid=412
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San Francisco Writers Conference Scholarships
1. The Kevin Smokler Scholarship
Write a 250-word article or story telling us why writing is important to you and/or why you want to write. Send submissions to Elizabeth Pomada at sfwriterscon@aol.com . The prize is a registration to the Conference. Deadline for entries is January 12, 2013.
2. The Bharti Kirchner- Ethnic Writing Scholarship
To enter, please send the first 5-8 double spaced pages of a novel-in-progress in which the protagonist is a person of ethnicity, living in either the U.S., or abroad, contemporary or historical. The manuscript must have a title. Also include a one-paragraph description of the work. Submission guidelines: send two email copies with no attachments, one to Bharti Kirchner at bhartik@aol.com and the other to Elizabeth Pomada at sfwriterscon@aol.com . Please include your name, address, phone number, and email address. Deadline January 2, 2013. The prize is a registration to the Conference.
http://sfwriters.org/scholarships/
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Glimpse Correspondents Program
The Glimpse Correspondents Program is currently accepting applications from writers, journalists, photographers and filmmakers who are working, living, studying or volunteering outside of their home countries for a period of at least 10 weeks. If you are abroad and are looking for editorial support for a work-in-progress or a funded opportunity to develop a particular story, we want to hear from you. Each fall and spring, Glimpse accepts 10 correspondents into the program. These correspondents are expected to produce two long-form feature stories and/or photo essays, and in return receive one-on-one support from professional editors, free tuition to MatadorU (worth $350), career training in travel writing and photography, a $600 stipend, and publication on MatadorNetwork.com and Glimpse.org. Applications for the Fall 2012 session are open until July 30, 2012. Application Fee $25
http://www.glimpse.org
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Are you a Writer or Artist Living in New York City?
Low Income Artists – including Writers! Are Eligible for Peer Loan Programs
Access to credit is a key resource for artists. The current global credit crisis strikes hardest at those without current access to credit, those who lack collateral, and those with poor credit records or no credit history – a fair description of many low-income artists.
In peer lending, accountability and program participation replace credit history and collateral to secure loans. Additionally, peer lending and micro-loans can serve as a bridge for un-banked and under-served individuals to move toward more traditional sources of credit.
The goal is to provide these artists with financial training, to broaden their access to existing credit sources, and to create new sources of loan capital to develop arts businesses and increase homeownership. This program is designed to serve the most vulnerable members of New York City’s culture sector, while catalyzing economic development in the City’s most under-served neighborhoods. It is also designed as a flexible support framework which can be applied more broadly to catalyze a wide range of new types of entrepreneurship and next-generation home- and web-based businesses. Artists have access, among others, to the following Project Enterprise opportunity:
Peer Lending Program – Project Enterprise’s oldest and largest program connects entrepreneurs of all levels with financing and support to build their businesses. Loans start at $1,500 and increase in steps up to $12,000 after successful repayment of previous loans and are approved by an individual’s peer group as well as by Project Enterprise staff.
Fast Track Program – An accelerated version of Project Enterprise’s Peer Lending Program, the Fast Track is designed for more established entrepreneurs in need of capital. Loans start at $3,000 and increase up to $12,000 after successful repayment of previous loans, and are approved by an individual’s peer group as well as by Project Enterprise staff.
This program is funded by The Rockefeller Cultural Innovation Fund
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Hyper Smash
76% of Libraries in the USA Lend eBooks
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The American Library Association has released the results of the ALA annual survey, which is conducted in October of each year (and released more than 6 months later). Budgets being cut while responsibilities are increased, however things are looking good.
More libraries were lending e-books and audiobooks last fall than the year before (76% vs 67%), and a significantly larger number of respondents said they were lending e-readers as well (39% vs 28%). There is also an increase in the number of libraries that offer free Wifi, internet access, and technical training for patrons trying to use all the technology.
E-book stats are up and the same goes for the e-reader lending stats. 2011 was a tumultuous year for libraries, when HarperCollins deciding to limit checkouts to only 26 per copy. However, libraries are going into e-books no matter what the major publishers do.
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Hyper Smash