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Community Meetings Loryn Lyn Simonsen Community Meetings Loryn Lyn Simonsen

Community Forum Recap

Community Forum (9/14/2022) Recap & Resource Links

  • Atlantic County Arts Renewal Grant applications are open & available online: atlanticcityartsfoundation.org/grant

    • Eligibility: Practicing Atlantic County artists whose income was impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic

    • Awards: 22 $1000 grants available

    • Deadline: 10/27/2022

    • Selection Process: Applications will be reviewed by a panel appointed by the South Jersey Cultural Alliance. Applications are graded by the completeness of your answers & supporting documents.

  • Artist Opportunity - Chalk About AC 2022

  • Join the ACAF Board!

    • There are 6 seats available. We are seeking artists, community members, and Atlantic City residents. Board members are expected to attend monthly 1-hr meetings (at least 75%), at least 2 ACAF events, hire & evaluate staff, align activities of the organization to the mission, participate in fundraising efforts, and review/approve annual budgets.

    • Interested? Email kate@acartsfoundation.org for more information.

  • Lift Certification Course for Local Artists

    • Coming up this fall, we are offering a free OSHA certification in lift operations for up to 20 artists.

    • The course will take place in October, on a weekday after 5 pm. The exact date & time will be determined by the registrants’ general availability.

    • Interested? Email kate@acartsfoundation.org to register.

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Community Meetings Loryn Lyn Simonsen Community Meetings Loryn Lyn Simonsen

March Community Meeting - Recap & Resources

Missed the March Community Meeting? Check out a recap and resource links.

Be sure to check out Atlantic City Free Public Library's community programming! Learn more about the Film Society, join the upcoming Adult Craft Club on 3/25, and view more events on their website. Thanks again for hosting us, ACFPL!

Next Community Meeting - TBD - We have a meeting scheduled for April 8, 2020, however, we are monitoring the spread & recommendations regarding COVID-19. It is possible we will cancel or move the April meeting online - check Facebook for updates.

March Meeting Recap & Resource Links

  • Adirondack Chair applications close on SUNDAY!

  • Project applications will be open March 15th-April 15th!

    • 48 Blocks AC is about tapping into your creativity and trying something new. We encourage applicants to really think outside the box, get creative, and collaborate with other artists and community members!

    • Projects take place during 48 Blocks AC Event Weekend (June 20-21).

    • Most projects take place at an event hub. (We can make exceptions depending on the project & reasons why it's placed elsewhere.)

    • We'll notify applicants by May 1st. If you think you need to know if you're selected sooner, note that on your application with some information why & we'll do our best!

    • Read more about what makes a great project on our blog!

  • Seeking housing for muralists! If you have an AirBNB or other rental property you'd be open to donating room(s) in for May email Zach. Exact dates vary depending on the project.

  • Current volunteer opportunities - reply to this email or register online:

    • Mural Tour Docent - you'll be trained to lead tours during 48 Blocks AC event weekend (June 20 & 21)

    • Knitting/Crochet Circle Lead - Organize your own circle or lead a circle we organize. Teach attendees to knit or crochet.

    1. Register to volunteer: atlanticcityartsfoundation.org/volunteer

  • 48 Blocks AC Yarnbomb Project - donate yarn & drop completed panels (24"x40") in boxes:

    1. Donate knitting needles & crochet hooks at community meetings & during knitting circles (please don't leave in the boxes!)

  • Stay Hungry Basketball Court - we've partnered with Stay Hungry to create a painted court in Venice Park!

    • Sgt Sealcoat will donate the surface prep & sealing

    • Artist collective Amber Art & Design will paint the court, collaborating with Stay Hungry & the community

  • Lighthouse Plaza Mural

    • Confirmed to create a 20-story (largest in AC) mural at Lighthouse Plaza apartments. The selected artist is Slim Safont from Spain.

  • Donate walls! Yes - we always need walls. Have one? Email Zach! 

  • ARTeriors - still seeking space to do a pop-up installation this Spring.

    • Starting to look at permanent options - a place where ACAF can have an office, open space for rotating ARTeriors programming & other community programs. Can you help? Email Zach! 

  • Funding ACAF - did you know we are an independent 501(c)3?

    • We're not a city entity. They do support & promote our work, but they don't fund it.

    • Our budget for 2020 is $250K - that means we need to raise at least this much to complete our planned programs & projects.

    • We have two $10K sponsors so far this year - Tropicana Atlantic City & ACDEVCO. We're talking to several businesses about sponsorships and have applied to grants & other funding entities.

  • You can help by:

    • Talking about art, it's impact. When you talk about ACAF, mention we are a non-profit!

    • Make a donation - every dollar counts. Individuals & businesses may make online donations.

    • Talk to Joyce if you want to learn more about sponsorships.

Ideas/Feedback/Questions

  • Get more info about murals from muralists - for tours, Jitneys, etc. Ask the artists for more information.

    • Great suggestion. We do this already and are working to get more information, as well as building an online database so you can easily learn about the murals.

  • How do we address community response to murals?

    • We weigh community feedback and make decisions about responses based on the whole of the feedback. Thus far, we've found that murals that some people dislike others truly love - and incorporating this into our city is an exercise in building community & seeing your experience as bigger than yourself! Art is subjective & that's what makes it fun!

  • Sponsor or donate towards a specific item - like sponsor a chair ($350)?

    • We're trying to figure out ways to create a balance in how we distribute funds internally and help donors feel connected to giving. All feedback & ideas are welcome!

  • How can we make the Adirondack chairs last longer?

    • Prep! Volunteer team can prep all chairs prior to artist pick-up.

    • Investigate marine-grade paint, may limit color palette as trade-off to extend longevity.

    • Investigate alternate sealants - CRDA handles sealing so we are working with them!

  • Will chairs be on the Inlet side of the Boardwalk?

    • We don't determine placement but we will request that CRDA places some chairs here!

  • Can ACAF provide volunteers for 48 Blocks AC projects?

    • If you need volunteers you can create an outline of what you need & when, and we will distribute to the community. We encourage you to do the same!

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Community Meetings Loryn Lyn Simonsen Community Meetings Loryn Lyn Simonsen

February Community Meeting - Recap & Resources

Missed the February Community Meeting? Check out a recap and resource links & save the date for our next meeting on Wednesday, March 11!

Shout out to Atlantic City Free Public Library for hosting our community meetings. ACFPL does tons of free community programming - concerts, workshops, classes, clubs and more - check their website for more info.

Save the Date - Next Community Meeting - Wed. March 11

Wednesday, March 11
5pm-6:15pm
Atlantic City Free Public Library (1 N. Tennessee Avenue)

More info: facebook.com/events/171531744132149/

February Meeting Recap & Resource Links

  • 48 Blocks AC applications are available online: atlanticcityartsfoundation.org/apply

    • You can apply for multiple opportunities, muralists will be selected first, followed by chair artists, then project creators.

    • Mural applications close on March 1st. We hope to offer a few wall sizes this year to provide opportunities for artists with different levels of experience. Local, Regional, National & International artists are welcome to apply. The number of murals depends on funding!

    • Chair applications close on March 15th. The number of chairs depends on funding! We encourage local artists to apply!! Chairs are placed on the Boardwalk - seen by millions of visitors each year. 

    • Project applications open on March 15th. The event weekend will have two locations for projects to take place. Start thinking of ideas!

  • TRANSITional Art Project Atlantic City - opportunity for Atlantic City (and South Jersey) artists

  • Volunteer opportunities throughout the year -

    • ARTeriors staff & party support

    • 48 Blocks AC ambassadors, mural tour docents, party support, mural assistants (artist & non-artist opps)

    • Chalk About AC event support

  • Register to volunteer: atlanticcityartsfoundation.org/volunteer

  • Advocate for the arts - writing stories, blog posts, OpEds/Letters to the Editor, social media posts, etc sharing how the arts impacts you, how our programs impact you, why the arts matter, etc - this all helps us to get funding and do MORE!

  • Developers, business owners, real estate agents, etc. - we're always seeking walls for murals and properties for ARTeriors!

  • 48 Blocks AC Yarn Bombing project - details will be posted on social media next week! Seeking knitters, crocheters, and yarn donations. We'll organize some knitting/crocheting circles & opps to learn!

  • Ideas/Feedback/Questions

    • Reach more people by connecting to other organizations like Mural Arts (Philadelphia)

    • Post on calendars (Do AC/CRDA) - we do this! If you know of any we should be on please send the info our way.

    • Print & post flyers - we'll start emailing these so you can help with this!

    • 48 Blocks AC event signage/promotion improvements

      • Create banner signs - set up a night to do this as a community

      • Event schedule signs - will be easier this year with central locations!

      • Volunteers/ambassadors on the Boardwalk to direct visitors

    • Partner with other events like Food Truck Festival. We actually tried to coordinate this year but the dates didn't work out. We do want to figure out how to have food at 48 Blocks AC this year. Please share any other orgs/events that we should know about!

    • Reach out to billboard companies (Clear Channel, Garden State Outdoor) for donated billboard space

    • Potential to work with SJTA to have tollbooth signage promoting our events/programs

    • Connect with AC Chamber members for PR/Media contacts & possible donated ad space

    • Can you host paint nights/workshops? There are great workshops through Noyes Museum/Noyes Arts Garge of Stockton University, and a few local groups who organize paint nights. ACAF focuses on larger-scale public art initiatives that involve the community. If you want to host a paint night or workshop & need help let us know - we can connect you with artists, locations, etc.

    • Can we bring back the Sand Sculpture Contest? ACAF is in conversations about bringing this back and will do everything we can to support it. Great opp for the community to write an OpEd/Letter to Editor, tell your representatives - it's a high-cost tourism initiative that would be great to see driven by CRDA/Do AC, etc.

    • Do you still do the art on Atlantic City electric boxes? This is a project of the Atlantic City Arts Commission (not ACAF). More information & application is available on their website: atlanticcityart.org

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