OKLAHOMA ARTS COUNCIL NEWS NOTES

2015 Oklahoma Arts Conference in Tulsa, October 21-22
Preconference Events Begin Oct. 20. Register at Hyatt Regency Tulsa, Tuesday, 12 p.m. to 7 p.m., or Wed. – Thurs., 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Special guest speakers Oct. 21 will include:
Dr. Jane Chu, chairman, National Endowment For the Arts, and Dr. William Adams, chairman, National Endowment for the Humanities.

John Hope Franklin Center for Reconciliation Community Conversation
Living Arts of Tulsa, 307 East Brady Street
Oct. 20, 6:30 to 8 p.m.
Special invitation to conference participants for arts-related discussions regarding the transformative potential of the arts.

For additional details, and full conference agenda, visit: arts.ok.gov.

2015 GOVERNOR’S ARTS AWARDS HONOREES REVEALED

OKLAHOMA CITY (October 14, 2015) – The Oklahoma Arts Council has announced the names of 12 individuals and 8 organizations that will be honored for their contributions to the arts in Oklahoma during the 40th Annual Governor’s Arts Awards on Wednesday, December 2, 2015.

Governor Mary Fallin will present the awards during a special ceremony beginning at 4:00 p.m. in the fourth floor rotunda at the Oklahoma state Capitol. A reception will follow outside the Betty Price Gallery in the Capitol’s first floor rotunda. The event is free and open to the public.

Along with presenting awards to the 20 honorees, Governor Fallin and the Oklahoma Arts Council will designate an Oklahoma Cultural Treasure for the first time since 2004.

Oklahoma Arts Council Executive Director Amber Sharples said the 40th annual event will be a special occasion.

“This will be a memorable year for the Governor’s Arts Awards,” Sharples said. “We will honor a group of individuals and organizations whose efforts in the arts deserve our praise, and we will recognize a person who is important to the artistic legacy of our state.” Governor’s Arts Awards recipients are selected from submitted nominations by members of the Governor’s Arts Awards Selection Committee.

For a complete listing of honorees, updates and details, visit arts.ok.gov .

Oklahoma Arts Council Selects Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park to Coordinate State Poetry Out Loud Competition

OKLAHOMA CITY (October 7, 2015) – Following a competitive bidding process, the Oklahoma Arts Council has selected Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park to coordinate the 2015-16 state Poetry Out Loud competition. Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park is tasked with working with high schools statewide to organize and present regional and state poetry competitions from which a state winner will be selected to compete in the national finals in Washington, D.C. in April.

“I am pleased to congratulate Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park on its successful proposal, which included several innovative ideas for engaging Oklahoma students and expanding the program’s reach,” Oklahoma Arts Council executive director Amber Sharples said.

High schools that are interested in organizing a Poetry Out Loud competition should contact Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park executive and artistic director Kathryn McGill at (405) 235-3700 or info@oklahomashakespeare.com.

# # # # # # # 10-20-15 GlendaRiceCollins.com