Astra Arts Festivalwins Coveted Our Town
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
October 29, 2013
Contact:
Tony Wood (Volunteer Marketing Chair)
620-252-9246
ASTRA ARTS FESTIVALWINS COVETED “OUR TOWN”
GRANTFROM NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS AND
MAJOR GRANT FROM KANSAS ARTS AGENCY
$200,000 Funding To Spur Arts and Economic Development for Southeastern Kansas
(Independence, Kansas) After a year of planning with community leaders for the new Astra Arts Festival (AAF), the organization has announced it has been awarded two major grants to launch the inaugural eventJuly 3-13, 2014 in Independence, Kansas.
According to Fred Meier, Astra Festival Chairman, the $150,000 “Our Town” grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) was a highly competitive process with only two grants awarded out of a field of over a hundred applicants. This grant must be matched one-for-one with contributions from other sources. The program is unique at the national agency in its objective to improve economic development through artistic endeavors.
Similar objectives resulted in the second major grant for Astra Arts Festival, $50,000 awarded by the KansasCreative Arts Industries Commission (KCAIC). The 10-day regionalevent is being designed to promote economic development, aid community revitalization, engage local and regional residents and attract cultural tourism.
Both grants were the result of efforts by Peter Ellenstein of the William Inge Center for the Arts at Independence Community College. Because of its nonprofit 501-C3 status, the William Inge Foundation is the fiscal agent for the independent Astra Arts Festival entity, governed by a Board of community leaders. In addition to the William Inge Center for the Arts at Independence Community College, thecultural organizations partnering with the AAFincludethe Independence Historical Museum and Art Center, the Little House on the Prairie Museum, the Independence Public Library, and the Booth Theatre Foundation, and the Children’s Theatre of Independence. Community entities also partnering include theMontgomery County Action Council, the City of Independence, Independence Chamber of Commerce, Independence Main Street,Neewollah, and United School District 446.
The fifteen-member festival board is comprised of members of these organizations, among others. Currently meeting twice monthly, they govern and four artistic and three organizational committees established to plan and implement various aspects of the festival. The four artistic
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Astra Arts Festival, PO Box 374, Independence, KS 67301
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Committees areLiterary, Music, Theatre, and Visual Art. Each has hired professional consultants in their respective fields. The other committees at this time are for marketing, fundraising and hospitality. (See attachment for a complete list of committee chairs, members and consultants.)
The multidisciplinary festival will present performances, arts workshops, exhibitions, and concerts in both traditional and nontraditional spaces, including theaters, schools, public streets, retail spaces, museums, and libraries. Over the course of the festival, professional theater-makers, musicians, and fine artists from the Midwestern region will share their expertise and craft through performance, display, instruction, and mentoring.
The festival’s centerpiece will be a rotating four-show repertory of plays that are evocative of small-town America, both past and present. Concerts by major musical artists will open and close the festival that will take place in and around Independence.
The festival will not only expose local residents to artists from various parts of Kansas and the United States but also give them an outlet for creative expression. Astra Arts Festival committee member Hoite Caston believes the event will capitalize on the city’s long history of supporting the arts and will “add opportunities for creative expression by all our citizens and increase personal, artistic, and intellectual interaction with artists and visitors to the city.”
The increased media exposure for AAF is expected to boost cultural tourism and the local economy. It will attract hundreds of new visitors to Independence and showcase the area as a cultural and tourist destination,” said Peter Ellenstein, Director of the William Inge Center for the Arts. “Miracles happen where artists gather. Astra will bring dozens of musicians, actors, painters, authors, sculptors, designers, composers, illustrators and other artists to Independence to entertain, interact, teach and learn in our community.”
Deb Puryear, from the Independence Convention and Visitors Bureau agrees. “It shines the spotlight on our community as well as rural Southeast Kansas. It is an opportunity for us to demonstrate once again that we have the capacity and tenacity to accomplish projects as a result of our strong sense of community and volunteerism,” said Puryear. “And there will be wonderful engagement opportunities for people of all ages.”
Fundraising committee chair, Trisha (Palmer) Purda of the Montgomery County Action stressed the need for festival sponsors and donors to meet the matching requirements of the NEA grant. “Our goal is to raise $150,000 to matchthe NEA grantabove the $50,000 from the KCAIC. We will be seeking this funds from other national, regional and local sources,” she said. To join the committee or donate funds, contact her at 620-331-3830
For more AAF information as it becomes available visit the festival’s website at or visit the Facebook page at
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ASTRA ARTS FESTIVAL BOARD & COMMITTEES
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Fred Meier, President
Ann Crow, Vice President
Debbie Puryear, Treasurer
Kellie Puderbaugh, Secretary
Dan Barwick
Don Farthing
Lea Shepard
Mary Mani
Michelle Martin
Liz Moore
April Nutt
Trisha Palmer
Lisa Paige
Ray Rothgeb
Tony Wood
COMMITTEES
MUSIC
Don Farthing and Ray Rothgeb, Co-Chairs
Jim Halsey and Denney Senseney, Consultants
Mike Flood
John Hamlin
Lee Groth Olsen
Terri Barbara
Eric Rutherford
Judy Jones
THEATRE
Peter Ellenstein, Chair
LITERARY
Heather Mydosh and Lori Martin, Co-Chairs
Bryan Castille, Consultant
Doug Armbruster
Jim Fischer
Denise Sage, Facilitator,
Marsha Hayes
Sue Landwehr
Bob Wullenschneider
VISUAL ARTS
Emily Smith, Chair
Karla Prickett
Donna Rothgeb
Brian Hight
Tim Raglin