Arts & Humanities Council of Tulsa Receives National Endowment for the Arts Grant

TULSA, Okla. - March 18, 2015 - PRLog -- [Tulsa, OK] — National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Chairman Jane Chu announced December 2, 2014 that the Arts & Humanities Council of Tulsa is one of 919 nonprofit organizations nationwide to receive an NEA Art Works grant. The Arts & Humanities Council of Tulsa is recommended for a $40,000 grant to support INTERTWINED: Stories of a Splintered Past, an exhibition and residency at the Hardesty Arts Center by Eastern Band Cherokee Artist Shan Goshorn, and Chitimacha/Choctaw Artist Sarah Sense. The exhibition will be in the Hardesty Arts Center (AHHA) galleries May 1 through July 5, 2015.

Both Goshorn and Sense are accomplished Native American artists who have individually exhibited their work worldwide but never side-by-side. The NEA grant will make it possible to bring together new work by both artists for the first time at AHHA.

Goshorn weaves baskets from historical/contemporary photographs, treaties, documents, and maps to illustrate Native American concerns. Sense incorporates original basket weaving techniques to reflect contemporary commonalities of indigenous people internationally. The community will be engaged through an exhibition, archival catalog and video, artist talks, panels, workshops, demonstrations, and films presented by Native artists and filmmakers, scholars and contemporary basket makers.

NEA Chairman Jane Chu said, "I'm pleased to be able to share the news of our support through Art Works including the award to the Arts & Humanities Council of Tulsa. The arts foster value, connection, creativity and innovation for the American people and these recommended grants demonstrate those attributes and affirm that the arts are part of our everyday lives."

“We couldn’t be more excited than to receive the support of the NEA for such an important project in our community,” said Kathy McRuiz, Hardesty Arts Center Director. “Both Goshorn and Sense are at pivotal moments in their artistic careers. They are known worldwide for their work addressing issues of Indigenous peoples. This exhibition supports the mission of the Council to provide diverse education programs, and the grant is the second received from the NEA since opening the Hardesty Arts Center in December 2012. We appreciate their support.”

Art Works grants support the creation of art, public engagement with art, lifelong learning in the arts, and enhancement of the livability of communities through the arts. The NEA received 1,474 eligible applications under the Art Works category, requesting more than $75 million in funding. Of those applications, 919 are recommended for grants for a total of $26.6 million.

For a complete listing of projects recommended for Art Works grant support, please visit the NEA website at arts.gov. Follow the conversation about this and other NEA‐funded projects on Twitter at #NEAFall2014.

AHHA is located at 101 East Archer Street in the Brady Arts District. Gallery Hours are Thursday through Sunday from 1:00pm – 5:00pm, First Fridays – 1:00pm - 9:00pm.  INTERTWINED: Stories of a Splitered Past will show in the galleries May 1 through July 5, 2015.

More information about the Arts & Humanities Council of Tulsa and the Hardesty Arts Center may be found online:  http://www.ahhatulsa.org.