Press Releases - Current as of February 29, 2008

North Dakota Poetry Out Loud State Finals Winners Announced!

The North Dakota Council on the Arts is pleased to announce that the first place winner of the North Dakota State Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest is Devany Schulz of Shanley High School in Fargo, ND. The second place winner is Beatrice Hill of West Fargo High School in Fargo, ND. Third place was awarded to Kathryn Dorfschmidt of Century High School in Bismarck, ND. Rachel Geinert of Edgeley Public School, and Stephanie Dutenhafer of Newburg United, also placed in the top five. The competition was presented in partnership with The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the Poetry Foundation. The state finals competition took place on Tuesday, February 26, at the North Dakota Heritage Center in Bismarck, ND. Devany Schulz will advance to the National Finals in Washington, DC on April 27-29, 2008, where a total of $50,000 in scholarships and school stipends, with at least a $20,000 college scholarship for the Poetry Out Loud National Champion, will be awarded.

Poetry Out Loud is a national arts education program that encourages the mastery of great poetry by offering educational materials and a dynamic competition to high schools across the country.  Poetry Out Loud uses a pyramid structure. Beginning at the classroom level, winners advance to the school-wide competition, then to the state capital competition, and ultimately to the National Finals in Washington, DC.

At the state competition, Devany recited the poems The Luggage, Mrs. Caldera’s House of Things and Dover Beach. Beatrice Hill recited the poems Still I Rise, It was not death, for I stood up, and Domestic Violence. Kathryn recited the poems Unknown Girl in the Maternity Ward, Annabel Lee, and First Poem for You. Rachel recited The Spider and the Fly, Flood: Years of Solitude and Casey at the Bat; and Stephanie recited Fever 103°, To the Ladies and Lunar Baedeker. All the contestants recited works they selected from an anthology of more than 400 classic and contemporary poems. The NEA and Poetry Foundation created a standards-based teacher’s guide, a comprehensive website, and a CD featuring poetry recitations by well-known actors and writers such as Anthony Hopkins, Alyssa Milano, N. Scott Momaday, and Rita Dove.

State Poet Laureate, Larry Woiwode, presented the awards to the participants. As first place winner, Devany received a plaque, certificate, engraved bookmark, $200 plus an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, DC, and her school will receive a $500 stipend for the purchase of poetry books. As second place winner, Beatrice Hill received a certificate, an engraved bookmark, $100, plus $200 for her school library. As third place winner, Kathryn Dorfschmidt received a certificate, an engraved bookmark and a $50 gift certificate. All participating contestants and teachers received a Poetry Out Loud T-shirt.

During the lunch break a Coffee House and Open Mic were available to the public. Students from participating schools, visiting students, adults, and teachers alike took part in the activities.

The North Dakota state competition judges included: Shadd Piehl, Associate Poet Laureate; Bill Thomas, Director of Radio, Prairie Public; Cheryl Kulas, Executive Director, North Dakota Indian Affairs; and Jan Webb, Executive Director, North Dakota Council on the Arts. Larry Woiwode was the event Emcee, and live entertainment through the event was provided by Trio Apollo of Bismarck, and the Rolla High School Concert Choir under the direction of Sheila Zinke.

NDCA Grant Deadlines Approaching

Application deadline dates for the North Dakota Council on the Arts grants are approaching. Artist-in-Residence, Teacher Incentive, Community Arts Access, and Presenter Support grants must be submitted online by April 1, 2008 for programs taking place between July 1, 2008 and June 30, 2009. The Traditional Arts Apprenticeship grants must be postmarked by May 15, 2008 for project periods of July 1, 2008 to April 30, 2009. Early submission is strongly encouraged for all programs.

The North Dakota Council on the Arts has transitioned to a new online grant system. This new online grant system is designed to simplify and expedite the grant application process for everyone! All grants (with the exception of Traditional Arts Apprenticeship) must be completed and submitted via NDCA's new online system. To access the new grant system, please visit http://northdakota.cgweb.org/. If you have any questions, please email amschmid@nd.gov and/or call NDCA's office at 328-7590.

North Dakota Photographer’s Works Exhibited in Offices of the Governor and First Lady

The North Dakota Council on the Arts (NDCA), along with the offices of Governor John Hoeven and First Lady Mikey Hoeven, is exhibiting the works of Fargo photographer Robb Siverson at the Capitol Building in Bismarck during the months of January, February and March 2008. Siverson’s works are on display in the Governor’s ground floor and first floor offices, the First Lady’s fourth floor office, and the Attorney General’s office.

This is part of an ongoing program between the NDCA and the offices of the Governor and First Lady. Every three months, visual artists from around the state are selected to exhibit their work at the Capitol Building.

Artists looking to represent their region with art work placed in the offices of the governor and first lady can submit a brief resume along with photographs or slides of their work to the North Dakota Council on the Arts, 1600 East Century Avenue, Suite 6, Bismarck, ND 58503. Artists will be selected for quarterly display. The next quarter begins April 2008. 

Following is a short biography of  Robb Siverson:
Robb Siverson was born in Grand Forks, North Dakota in the winter of 1977. It wasn't until college twenty years later when he discovered the medium of photography. In 2004 he graduated from Minnesota State University Moorhead with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Photography. He started studying the Art with an inexpensive 35mm outfit and has grown to favor strictly large and medium format cameras. Although the digital age is increasing in popularity, Robb still prefers black and white silver halide processes; methods that are slowly becoming extinct.

His imagery is made up of a wide variety of subject matter; some left alone showing the true beauty of black and white tones and some manipulated with chemistry in a technique known as bromide staining. Robb processes and hand prints all of his photographs in his traditional wet lab darkroom studio. Robb currently lives in Fargo, North Dakota.

Robb was recently featured in the January issue of Art Calendar Magazine, to read the article, visit www.artcalendar.com. For more information on Robb, or to inquire about purchasing or commissioning work, contact Robb Siverson Photography, 3709 10th Street North, Fargo, ND 58102; call (218) 329-2574; or visit: www.robbsiverson.com.

North Dakota Council on the Arts Awards $79,426.75 in Grants Across the State