Wonderful news! The Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs Awards Art Project Grant to Northeast Iowa RC&D to Help Make the Northeast Iowa Artists’ Studio Tour Virtual in 2020.
Mark your calendars to “Do the Tour” Virtually!
The Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs notified Northeast Iowa Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) this week that their project Northeast Iowa Artists’ Studio Tour Reimagined was awarded IDCA Art Project Funding. Through the project, the RC&D will provide direct technical assistance to the Northeast Iowa Artist Studio Tour (NIAST) Board, NIAST Director, and artist members to turn the October 2020 Northeast Iowa Artists’ Studio Tour into a virtual tour.
The Northeast Iowa Artists’ Studio Tour has been organizing and implementing a driving tour for over twenty years with as many as 50 artists participating. It traditionally draws thousands of visitors to the region to visit art studios where the artists showcase and sell their art, teach different techniques, and answer questions about their media, their art, and their tools. NIAST Director, Darla Ellickson, noted that it has traditionally been a very personal experience. “Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic made opening studios to the public not only a risky endeavor but nearly impossible. Nearly 80% of the artists are considered “at-risk”. We want to protect them and the public but we also know that these artists rely on their NIAST sales. For some of the artists, the NIAST is the only event they participate in all year.”
Amanda Streeper, Associate Director at the RC&D said the RC&D has helped NIAST in the past with mapping and signage and were eager to help out this year with the virtual tour. “We have the technical experts who can help NIAST convert their site so it can include videos and on-line sales, as well as equipment, and experienced videographers and video editors who can help the artists with other very specific tasks to make this a great virtual tour.” In addition to technical assistance, the grant will also help NIAST pay to print and mail postcards to past tour participants across the United States.
Winneshiek County Development and Tourism (WCDT) is also helping with the project. WCDT Project Coordinator, Lora Friest said, “I knew the RC&D could help with this project so, after I spoke with the NIAST Board about developing a virtual tour, the RC&D was my next call. We know that some of these artist’s businesses have been hit extremely hard by the pandemic and we want to help them recover. The vast majority didn’t qualify for the Paycheck Protection Program and many of the events and galleries where they usually sell their art are cancelled or closed.” Friest will be helping artists film videos to use on the new website. The videos will introduce the artists to the visitor and then provide an opportunity for each artist to showcase their studio, techniques, and, in some cases, show the artist creating a specific piece of art.
Although the tour will not be a driving tour, Ellickson noted, “The enhanced virtual tour will reach more people and keep both the artists and visitors safe. The grant and the new partnerships with the RC&D and WCDT provide an opportunity for us to share our tools, techniques, and processes in a new way. Sometimes spending one-on-one time with the tour participants during the tour has been difficult when our studios are so busy. Therefore, the videos will be something we can use in 2020 and far into the future.”
Since receiving the award, the RC&D has been contacted by local school teachers, who have expressed interest in the project, noting that the on-line artist videos might be a great way to incorporate new content into art classes.
For more information, contact Amanda Streeper at Northeast Iowa RC&D 563-864-7112. Artists should contact Darla Ellickson at darla@earloops.com.