RHODE ISLAND FILM FORUM HONORS LOCAL FILMMAKERS & FEATURES CONVERSATION WITH PRODUCERS OF UPCOMING $16M PAZ MOVIE

RHODE ISLAND FILM FORUM HONORS LOCAL FILMMAKERS & FEATURES CONVERSATION WITH PRODUCERS OF UPCOMING $16M PAZ MOVIE

Programming heads from Tribeca and Montreal Nouveau Cinema share Festival secrets

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Providence, RI – July 31, 2013—Flickers: Rhode Island International Film Festival (RIIFF) will offer members of the local filmmaking community an opportunity to meet and ask questions of some true stars of the Rhode Island film industry at its RI Film Forum, Thursday, Aug. 8, 2013. Aspiring filmmakers and those already in the business can network with the most prolific filmmakers in the State, find out how to be a part of their movie-making magic, and learn about new aspects of the industry.

The Rhode Island International Film Festival (RIIFF), in conjunction with the Rhode Island Film & Television Office and The Harrington School of Communication and Media at URI, will host this year’s Film Forum in the Providence Biltmore Hotel Ballroom on Thursday, Aug. 8, 2013, beginning with registration at 8:30 a.m., followed by a buffet breakfast and networking at 9 a.m. and panels from 10 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.Dr. J. Scott Oberacker, RIIFF Educational Outreach Director, will serve as the event emcee.

The Film Forum is a region-wide educational workshop focused on bringing film production to the Ocean State and creating a constructive dialogue about the future of the film industry. The Forum will consist of three panels: Steven FeinbergPresents Conversations with Rhode Island Filmmakers Chad A. Verdi and Tom DeNucci; New Technology and Transmedia; and Road to the Academy: Programming a Festival.

Panelists include Gary Glassman of Providence Pictures; filmmaker Patricia Chica;Sharon Badal of Tribeca Film Festival; Nicolas Girard Deltruc of Festival du Nouveau Cinema; producer/director, Andrew Lund, Canadian filmmaker, Joseph Procopio,filmmaker Jonathan Friesem, and RIIFF Program Director, Shawn Quirk.

At the conclusion of the first panel, Film Office Executive Director Steven Feinbergwill present the RHODE ISLAND “PRODUCER OF THE YEAR” AWARD to Chad A. Verdi. The RI Producer of the Year Award was created this year to recognize someone who really knows what it means to produce—in both quantity and quality—in the Ocean State. Mr. Verdi’s homegrown East Greenwich company, Verdi Productions/Woodhaven

Production Company, has produced six feature films in Rhode Island over the past four years. His most ambitious project to date, “Bleed For This,” is the story of Vinny Paz, and will begin principal photography in Rhode Island this fall with Oscar winnersMartin Scorcese as Executive Producer and Bruce Cohen as Producer.

Mr. Verdi’s two most recent productions, “A Bet’s A Bet” and “Army Of The Damned,” have just wrapped. His two previous films, “Infected” and “Self Storage,” are being released through Screen Media and each will reach over 100,000,000 homes through Universal’s VOD platform.

Mr. Verdi has worked with talent including Kristen Chenoweth, Mena Suvari, Jonathan Silverman, Kenan Thompson, Eric Roberts, Robert Englund, William Forsythe and many others, while maintaining a commitment to developing and nurturing the talents of local actors and filmmakers in Rhode Island and building an industry right here in the Ocean State.

Steven Feinberg stated, “Over the past four years, Chad and his talented team have consistently invested in Rhode Island, putting hundreds of citizens to work, utilizing local resources and building a filmmaking foundation. He has created an amazing infrastructure by mentoring students and helping local crew learn the business from the ground up.” He added, “Chad has one of the most aggressive production schedules we have ever seen. He plans to produce six feature films locally over the next twenty-four months. With his proven track record, we know he will succeed. We could not be more proud of him for making so many dreams come true for so many Rhode Islanders in our beautiful Ocean State.”

The ROBERT ALDRICH “NEW DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR” AWARD will be presented to Tom DeNucci. Robert Burgess Aldrich, of Cranston, RI, was a successful director of many feature films and utilized a variety of genres to tell his stories.  His films included “The Longest Yard,” “The Dirty Dozen,” “Flight of the Phoenix,” “Hush,” and countless others. Robert Aldrich began his career in Cranston, RI, and ultimately rose in the Hollywood ranks to be the President of the Directors Guild of America, serving from 1975-1979. This Award is presented to a director who has begun his career in Rhode Island and is following in the footsteps of Robert Aldrich, preparing to make a lasting mark on the industry.

“Tom is one of the brightest new creative forces with his work in front of the camera, as well as behind the camera,” said Feinberg. “Most recently, Tom has written and directed the genre films “Self Storage” and “Army Of The Damned,” and executive produced “A Bet’s A Bet.” A true professional who always remembers his roots, Tom continues to mentor young filmmakers and actors while his career launches into the moviemaking stratosphere.”

The Forum is free to all filmmakers with films in the Festival and $25.00 for the general public. Additional information about the 2013 Rhode Island Film Forum can be found online at www.RIFilmFest.org

ABOUT THE RHODE ISLAND INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL:
The FLICKERS: Rhode Island International Film Festival (RIIFF), has secured its place in the global community as the portal for the best in international independent cinema, earning the respect of domestic and foreign filmmakers, filmgoers and trend watchers. This confluence of art and commerce brought together world-class celebrities, award- winning filmmakers, new talent and audience members in record numbers last year. Ranked as one of the top 12 Festivals in the United States, RIIFF is also a qualifying festival for the Short Film Academy Award through its affiliation with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences. Only 75 film festivals worldwide share this distinction and RIIFF is the sole festival in New England to have this honor. The Festival takes place every August. For more information about the festival, please visitwww.rifilmfest.org.

SBA Delivers Two Information Packed Seminars On Small Business Lending And Contracting

Upcoming Rhode Island Small Business Training Events 7/16- 26

Tuesday, July 16

Introduction To The Government Market (RIPTAC – 315 Iron Horse Way in Providence from 8:30 – 11:30am and is free of charge.  To register, emailssundberg@riedc.com or call 401-278-9173):

An introduction to federal and state contracting for companies new to government contracting or just considering entering the market.  Topics cover registration and certification processes, the federal acquisition process, basic regulatory issues, and examine the differences between the commercial and government markets.  Learn how to assess your company’s readiness for government contracting if this market might be right for growing your business.

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Thursday, July 18

Data Privacy Seminar (U.S. Small Business Administration, Chafee Center for International Business, RIEDC, and RIPTAC – RIEDC, 315 Iron Horse Way in Providence from 8:30 – 11:00am.  Fee for seminar is $35.  To register, visit www.regonline.com/dataprivacy2013 or call 401-232-6407):

How do domestic and international Privacy Policy developments impact your company?  Data privacy issues are increasingly in the news.  Both here and abroad, privacy issues are taking on even greater significance.  The White House has made privacy policy a high priority, and countries around the world are taking important steps to either revise existing privacy frameworks or create new laws or regulations related to privacy.  All these changes could have an impact on your company and how it complies with privacy-related laws and regulations here and worldwide.

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Friday, July 19

Business Basics:  Ten Steps To Starting A Business (Center for Women & Enterprise – 132 George M. Cohan Boulevard in Providence from 10:00am – 12:00pm.  Fee for workshop is $40.  Partial scholarships may be available.  To register, visitwww.cweonline.org or call 401-277-0800):

If you are thinking about owning a business are in the early stages of starting one, then this workshop is for you.  Register for this class to:
* Develop your business ideas and planning
* Consider your legal structure
* Discuss choosing a name and entity
* Learn how to obtain an employer identification number, licenses, permits and insurance
* Leave the session with an A to Z overview and specific tools and tips that will help you get started quickly

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Tuesday, July 23

HOW TO:  Explore Entrepreneurship (Center for Women & Enterprise – 132 George M. Cohan Boulevard in Providence from 6:00 – 7:30pm and is free of charge.  To register, visit www.cweonline.org or call 401-277-0800):

Attend this workshop and decide whether starting your own business is right for you.  As part of this workshop, you will:
* Explore the process and learn about the risks and rewards of starting up your own business
* Discuss your specific business ideas and needs with a program manager
* Get an overview of various resources at CWE and elsewhere to help you succeed
* Hear success stories of women who have worked with CWE and are now thriving in the business world

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Friday, July 26

Lunch & Learn:  From Employee to Entrepreneur (Center for Women & Enterprise – 132 George M. Cohan Boulevard in Providence from 11:00am – 1:00pm.  Fee for workshop and lunch is $55.  Partial scholarships may be available.  To register, visitwww.cweonline.org or call 401-277-0800):

This workshop will help you identify if you have what it takes to make the leap from employee to business owner. In addition to taking you step by step through the preparation needed to make the transition, this workshop will help you understand the personal sacrifice and time commitments of owning your own business.  Do you have what it takes?  This workshop will help you find out!

RHODE ISLAND FILMMAKER FLEXES HIS MUSCLES WITH PAZ MOVIE

RHODE ISLAND FILMMAKER FLEXES HIS MUSCLES

WITH PAZ MOVIE

The Rhode Island Film & TV Office is delighted to announce that the inspirational feature film, BLEED FOR THIS, is scheduled to begin principal photography in Rhode Island this fall.

BLEED FOR THIS tells the true-life story of world champion Rhode Island boxer Vinny Pazienza as he recovers from a near fatal car accident and goes on to win three additional world boxing titles, one of the most incredible and dramatic comebacks in sports history.

Oscar-winning producer Bruce Cohen (AMERICAN BEAUTY, SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK) will join Rhode Islandfilmmaker Chad A. Verdi, Oscar-winner Martin Scorcese (THE DEPARTED, GOODFELLAS), Emma Tillinger Koskoff and Noah Kraft as producers on the project. Writer/Producer Ben Younger (BOILER ROOM, PRIME) will direct.

Chad Verdi’s home-grown East Greenwich company, Verdi Productions/Woodhaven Production Company, has produced six feature films in Rhode Island over the past four years. BLEED FOR THIS is his most ambitious project to date, with an estimated budget of $16,000,000.

Verdi’s latest two productions, A BET’S A BET and ARMY OF THE DAMNED, have just wrapped. His two previous films, INFECTED and SELF STORAGE, are being released through Screen Media and each will reach over 100,000,000 homes through Universal’s VOD platform starting this month with INFECTED.

Steven Feinberg, Executive Director of the Rhode Island Film & TV Office, said, “Over the past four years, Chad and his talented team have consistently invested in Rhode Island, putting hundreds of citizens to work, utilizing local resources and building a filmmaking foundation. He has created an amazing infrastructure by mentoring students and helping local crew learn the business from the ground up.”

“Chad has one of the most aggressive production schedules we have ever seen,” added Feinberg. “He plans to produce six feature films locally over the next twenty-four months. With his proven track record, we know he will succeed. We could not be more proud of him for making so many dreams come true for so many Rhode Islanders in our beautiful OceanState.”

“My producing partner Noah Kraft and I got involved in the film business in 2009 with one purpose: to have the story of Vinny Paz told,” stated Verdi. Over the past four years, I have produced six feature films. Recently, Ben Younger came on board to write and direct BLEED FOR THIS.  BLEED FOR THIS is Ben's vision and we now have the support of Martin Scorsese, Bruce Cohen and Emma Tillinger Koskoff as producers. I was introduced to Martin and Emma through Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, who has been instrumental in helping me develop these projects."

The Woodhaven Production Company, a subsidiary of Verdi Productions, is
a fully funded film production company, covering all aspects of
filmmaking from conception of script through post production.
www.woodhavenfilms.com
 

The Rhode Island Film & TV Office is a government agency under the umbrella of the State of Rhode Island Department of Administration.

www.film.ri.gov/

Upcoming Rhode Island Small Business Training Events Wednesday, July 10 HOW TO:  Explore The SBA 8(a) Government Contracting Program (Center for Women & Enterprise – 132 George M. Cohan Boulevard in Providence from 2:00 – 4:00pm and is free of charge.  To register, visit www.cweonline.org or call 401-277-0800): The federal government spends over $2 billion on goods and services each year.  Are you getting your share?  A SBA small business certification may make the difference for your company.  Named for Section 8(a) of the Small Business Act, this program was created to help small and disadvantaged businesses compete in the marketplace.  It also helps these companies gain access to federal and private procurement markets. _________________________________________________________________________________ Friday, July 12 HOW TO:  Explore Entrepreneurship (Center for Women & Enterprise – 132 George M. Cohan Boulevard in Providence from 9:00 – 10:30am and is free of charge.  To register, visit www.cweonline.org or call 401-277-0800): Attend this workshop and decide whether starting your own business is right for you.  As part of this workshop, you will: * Explore the process and learn about the risks and rewards of starting up your own business * Discuss your specific business ideas and needs with a program manager * Get an overview of various resources at CWE and elsewhere to help you succeed * Hear success stories of women who have worked with CWE and are now thriving in the business world _________________________________________________________________________________ Tuesday, July 16 Introduction To The Government Market (RIPTAC – 315 Iron Horse Way in Providence from 8:30 – 11:30am and is free of charge.  To register, emailssundberg@riedc.com or call 401-278-9173): An introduction to federal and state contracting for companies new to government contracting or just considering entering the market.  Topics cover registration and certification processes, the federal acquisition process, basic regulatory issues, and examine the differences between the commercial and government markets.  Learn how to assess your company’s readiness for government contracting if this market might be right for growing your business. _________________________________________________________________________________ Wednesday, July 17 Accounting for Non-Accountants (Center for Women & Enterprise – 132 George M. Cohan Boulevard in Providence from 6:00 – 8:00pm.  Fee for workshop is $75.  To register, visit www.cweonline.org or call 401-277-0800): Many entrepreneurs detest the financial piece of their business.  But, they don’t discount its importance.  In this workshop, participants will learn: * How to read and understand basic financial statements * How to use the numbers to make well informed operational decisions * The numbers tell a story; do you know how to read it? _________________________________________________________________________________ Thursday, July 18 Data Privacy Seminar (U.S. Small Business Administration, Chafee Center for International Business, RIEDC, and RIPTAC – RIEDC, 315 Iron Horse Way in Providence from 8:30 – 11:00am.  Fee for seminar is $35.  To register, visit www.regonline.com/dataprivacy2013 or call 401-232-6407): How do domestic and international Privacy Policy developments impact your company?  Data privacy issues are increasingly in the news.  Both here and abroad, privacy issues are taking on even greater significance.  The White House has made privacy policy a high priority, and countries around the world are taking important steps to either revise existing privacy frameworks or create new laws or regulations related to privacy.  All these changes could have an impact on your company and how it complies with privacy-related laws and regulations here and worldwide. _________________________________________________________________________________ Friday, July 19 Business Basics:  Ten Steps To Starting A Business (Center for Women & Enterprise – 132 George M. Cohan Boulevard in Providence from 10:00am – 12:00pm.  Fee for workshop is $40.  Partial scholarships may be available.  To register, visitwww.cweonline.org or call 401-277-0800): If you are thinking about owning a business are in the early stages of starting one, then this workshop is for you.  Register for this class to: * Develop your business ideas and planning * Consider your legal structure * Discuss choosing a name and entity * Learn how to obtain an employer identification number, licenses, permits and insurance * Leave the session with an A to Z overview and specific tools and tips that will help you get started quickly

RISCAnews

RISCAnews Arts and Culture News, Updates and Events  From the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts June 2013 In this issue Farewell to Liz Keithline Ten Rhode Island Creative Entrepreneurs Join Assets for Artists Registration is NOW OPEN for TAAC's Open Dialogue 13 RISCA Grant Program Updates RISCA Seeks Public Art Managers INTERMEDIARY at GREEN SPACE Gallery The First Annual IonaFest News and Events from RISCA Fellows and Grantees

Goodbye Liz!    Abby Suckle of CultureNOW addresses the crowd at a reception coordinated by Liz (center) for the Visual Resources Association Conference in Providence.  Rachel Caine of WESTAF at right. Liz Keithline, RISCA'S Grants to Organizations Manager and Public Art Director, has decided to return to work in the private sector. During her five years with RISCA, Liz managed the selection and installation of nine major works of public art and established Rhode Island's airport galleries program.  Liz was instrumental in transitioning the agency's support to organizations into Arts Access Grants and Investments in Arts and Culture grants, as well as helping Rhode Island organizations to enter into the Cultural Database Program.  Liz has been a tireless advocate for Rhode Island artists and arts organizations, and she will continue that work as an independent artist and consultant.  Liz will be working part-time for theGovernors Island Art Fair in New York and she will continue to consult on RISCA's public art program.  She plans to write more articles and essays about the arts and she has an exhibition at Wheaton College openingAugust 24th. Liz says that she will miss her constituents and the staff at RISCA.  I am sure everyone will agree when we say - not as much as we will miss you, Liz! Ten Rhode Island Creative Entrepreneurs Join Assets for Artists A Partnership Program to Enhance the Business Skills of Rhode Island Artists      Ten Rhode Island artists are participating in Assets for Artists, a program that provides free financial and business training, as well as $2000 in matched savings to help implement the business plans of these creative entrepreneurs.  To date, our ten artists have attended a full-day Personal Finance "Bootcamp" by Esther Robinson of ArtHome, a Day of Legal Training for Artists by James Grace, Esq., Director of the Arts and Business Council of Greater Boston and Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts, and an all-day Business Planning for the Artist workshop by Bill Atherton, Director for Microenterprise and Asset Development at the International Institute of New England.   In July, Deborah Obalil will provide a two-part Marketing Workshop to complete the artists' training.   To learn about each of our Assets for Artists entrepreneurs, click here.  The Assets for Artists site is also running features on each of the participating Rhode Island artists, so be sure to check here often!        Esther Robinson of ArtHome ran an all day Personal Finance Bootcamp The next Assets for Artists workshop is open to the public!     Arts Marketing 101 - Tools of the Trade  Wednesday, July 10, 2-6PM in Providence Lead by Deborah Obalil, Director of the Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design.  This session covers the basics of how to better understand your own arts business and where to look to increase your base of support and achieve your overall career goals.  This workshop is FREE, but you must pre-register here.  Space is limited. The Assets for Artists program is a partnership ofMASS MoCA, The Midas Collaborative, andArtHome. The 2013 Assets for Artists program is brought to Rhode Island through a partnership between the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts and the Rhode Island Foundation with additional program support from the New England Foundation for the Arts. Workshops and technical support provided in partnership with the International Institute of New England's Bridges to Business Program and the Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design.  Registration is NOW OPEN for TAAC's Open Dialogue 13 People, Places, and Policy August 2-4 in Providence, RI    Click here to Register       The Association of American Cultures (TAAC) invites leaders both established and emerging to Open Dialogue 13 to formulate action-agendas promoting equity in cultural policy, funding and leadership in the 21st Century.  At Open Dialogue 13 participants will discuss policies and programs which individuals, organizations, foundations, and policy makers are encouraged to strategize and organize around in order to further advance cultural democracy and cultural equity platforms AND programs in today's new era of change. Recognizing some quantitative progress in equity and diversity issues over the last three to four decades, it is most urgent at this historic time of change to evaluate and set forth action-agendas around TAAC's foundational pillars for real, substantive, long-term change.    Early Registration has been extended to June 28th.    Limited scholarships are available.  Scholarship applications must be submitted by July 8. RISCA Grant Program Updates     Fellowships and Project Grants RISCA Fellowship and Grant panels met throughout the months of May and June and decisions will be announced by mid-July (pending passage of a state budget). Applications for the October 1 deadline will open online in mid-July. Guidelines for Fellowships, the Design Innovation Grant and Project Grants to Individuals can be found here. Guidelines for Project Grants in Education can be found here. Questions?  Contact Cristina or Dan AAG and IAC GrantsChanges are being made to the IAC application, and should be ready to access by June 26th.  The deadline is July 30th and this application also serves as the organization's final report for the 2012-13 season.  Guidelines can be accessed here.  IAC applicants should also be working to update their financial and programming information in the Rhode Island Cultural Data Project.    PAD Grants Professional Arts Development (PAD) grants provide funds to entrepreneurial artists to help address business and professional development needs.  Applicants must submit a completed business/career plan as part of the PAD application.   The next PAD Grant deadlne is Thursday, August 15.  PAD Guidelines and a link to the application can be found here.  For more information on the PAD Program contact Cristina DiChiera.   Big Yellow School Bus Grants During the 2012-13 school year RISCA awarded over 60 grants through the Big Yellow School Busprogram. With major support from Bank of America, these grants enabled Rhode Island schools to rent buses to transport their students to arts events statewide. Big Yellow School Bus grants are closed for the summer and will be available again in September for the 2013-4 school year. For more information on the Big Yellow School Bus Program, contact Dan Kahn. RISCA Seeks Public Art Managers to Oversee Future Projects RISCA is currently recruiting skilled administrators to join its Public Art Projects Management Team and manage future public art projects here in Rhode Island.  Qualified individuals will be chosen to coordinate calls for public art in a variety of settings, including the commissioning of new work for state buildings.  There is no deadline for applying for this "continuous recruitment" opportunity. For details on this recruitment go to https://www.purchasing.ri.gov/RIVIP/StateAgencyBids/CR-16.pdf. If you are interested in applying, visit the Division of Purchases website athttp://www.purchasing.ri.gov/, go to Bidding Opportunities in the leftside menu, and choose "Continuous Recruitement" in the drop-down menu.  In order to apply you must first register as a vendor at http://www.purchasing.ri.gov/RIVIP/VendorRegistration.aspx.    INTERMEDIARY at GREEN SPACE Gallery Sam Duket   I   Emma Hogarth   l   Wilson Lawrence    INTERMEDIARY, the current exhibit at GREEN SPACE gallery at T.F. Green Airport, is on view through September 6, 2013.  The exhibition features 2 and 3-dimensional works by Sam Duket, Emma Hogarth and Wilson Lawrence. Each of the artists is engaged in art making that makes direct reference to the structural support upon which their pieces rely, allowing the support to emerge as a subject of the work. Employing materials that range from traditional ink and wood to industrial steel and digital reproduction, these artists utilize their materials to mediate the practice of drawing to generate pictures and objects that manipulate pictorial space and challenge interpretation.  The artists were selected for exhibition by an accomplished panel: Peter Crump, owner of design-build firm Site Specific; Rossana Martinez, artist and co-director of MINUS SPACE; and Sue McNally, artist. GREEN SPACE is a partnership between the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts and the Rhode Island Airport Corporation.  GREEN SPACE is located in the airport terminal where the skywalk meets the main building. Art is exhibited on both levels of the terminal. Call for Art: The Airport Galleries Gallery spaces at the Block Island Airport and T.F. Green Airport are accepting submissions for their 2014 exhibitions.  The airport gallery program is a partnership between RISCA and the Rhode Island Airport Corporation that promotes outstanding work by artists living and working in Rhode Island.  The spaces will present art to an ever-changing audience of local, national and international travelers.  Work in all media will be considered.  Block Island Airport Gallery includes opportunities for exhibiting indoors and outdoors.  GREEN SPACE includes several large walls and open spaces that are particularly well suited to large scale works.  This call is open to all Rhode Island artists, who are not currently enrolled in high school or college.  Artists will be selected for the 2014 exhibitions by a review panel that will include practicing artists, arts professionals and community members. Artists included in the 2014 exhibitions will receive a $100 stipend for participating in the program. All submitted work will be considered for both gallery locations unless applicants indicate an interest in only one of the galleries. Please note that larger work is better suited to GREEN SPACE while smaller scale pieces are best for The Block Island Airport Gallery.   To apply, please email ONE of the following to riairart@gmail.com: A link to an up-to-date web site that includes images with captions (title, year, media, size), a current cv and artist's statement A link to a Flickr page with 10 images with captions  (title, year, media, size) and attach to the email a current cv and artist's statement To learn more about this opportunity and view photos of the exhibition space, please visit:http://www.arts.ri.gov/public/airports   The First Annual IonaFest    IonaFest will celebrate the life and legacy of Iona Dobbins and her contributions to the arts in Rhode Island. Each year, the event will be hosted by an arts organization (visual, performance, theatre, etc.) to raise funds benefiting the host organization in three categories: scholarship, program, or operating expense. Art League of Rhode Island will be the host organization for the 2013 event. The funds raised will provide a scholarship created in Iona's name, to honor her passionate belief that young artists should be given a chance to study visual art professionally. The Iona B. Dobbins Art Fund, held at the Rhode Island Foundation, will also benefit from Iona Fest. Place Your Bid Now for the IONAFEST Online Auction Each month (June, July and August) leading up to "IonaFest," an armchair auction will highlight and offer for sale through on-line bidding works by members of the Art League of Rhode Island, emerging artists and other Rhode Island artists.  Artists whose work will be highlighted from now until July 15thinclude: Michele Leavitt, Libby Manchester Gilpatric, Wayne Collins, Cynthia Whalen Nelson, Leah Grear and David Kendrick.  The online auction can be accessed here.  Select the number next to the artwork you wish to bid on along with the dollar amount of your bid, your name, email address and phone # and email it to: ngaucherthomas@cox.net   Winners will be notified.  Call for Nominations: IonaFest (IF) Award Honoring A life in the Arts, A life of the Arts, & giving to the Arts - the "IonaFest" Award will be given to a person who exemplifies Iona Dobbins' fearless and universal love of the arts in Rhode Island, regardless of medium or geographic boundaries. The Award will personify Iona's love of art in all media, her great skill at convening diverse artists and audiences, her tireless advocacy for all art forms and her profile as an honest broker who crossed boundaries everywhere and was present wherever art was being made, shown or dreamed. Iona made the pie bigger; she deepened the flavors.  Rhode Island artist Peter Diepenbrock has been commissioned to create the first ever IF Award. The award will be presented at IonaFest, September 28, 2013. IF Award Nominations are due July 30, 2013 News and Events from RISCA Fellows and Grantees Ruth Dealy has a print available on Tiny Showcase. Five dollars from the sale of each print will be donated to AS220 Youth The Rhode Island Council for the Humanities' Major Grant Program for requests over $2,000 has a registration deadline on September 1, 2013 and a final application deadline on October 15, 2013. The monthly Mini Grant Program for requests up to $2,000 will re-open with an October 1, 2013 deadline for projects that begin after November 15, 2013.  Grants Director SueEllen Kroll will offer workshops that provide a general overview of the RICH funding opportunities available to non-profits and independent researchers for public humanities projects. Workshops are free and open to the public; however,attendees must register to reserve a space.           Xander Marro's show at Craftland runs through July 20, 2013.   Prints Puppets & Papermache  Tomaquag Museum received a grant of Fifteen Thousand dollars to host The Big Read across Rhode Island. The Big Read is a program of the National Endowment for the Arts, designed to revitalize the role of literature in American culture and to encourage citizens to read for pleasure and enlightenment. The Big Read in Rhode Island will focus on Love Medicine by Louise Erdrich. Tomaquag will partner with 23 organizations including Brown University, Haffenraffer Museum, Amica, Met Schools, Warwick Museum of Art, RI College, Bryant University, Cross Mills Library, Block Island Free Library and many more. Activities will include book talks, round table discussions, lectures, performances, art reflection programs, and an author visit.  For a full listings of events go to www.tomaquagmuseum.com.  For more information about The Big Read please visit neabigread.org.    Roshkowska Galleries is pleased to announce a solo exhibition for artist Lloyd Martin  at 538 Warren St, Hudson, NY.  Opening on Saturday, June 29 - July 29. Hours: 12-5 pm Friday - Sunday, and by appointment. Silvio Cuellar's family of talented musicians includes the members of Voces de los Andes.  View their performance of Suenos de los Andes here.     The Steel Yard, Rhode Island's industrial arts nonprofit, has been honored with a 2013 Rudy Bruner Award for Urban Excellence (RBA), a national award honoring innovative urban placemaking.  The Steel Yard is one of four Silver Medalists and has been recognized for its game changing site design of a 3.5 acre historic steel fabrication site and its positive impact on the city of Providence.     The next full WaterFire lighting will be on July 13th.  A new feature at this event will be the first WaterFire Arts Festival Plaza, produced by WaterFire Providence in partnership with Bryce Studio. The Arts Plaza is a juried arts market featuring wares for sale by local painters, photographers, ceramics artists, jewelers, and other fine artisans. WaterFire Arts Plaza will be open to the public from 6pm to 10:30pm, located on Washington Street in the heart of WaterFire. If you are interested in becoming a participating artist please submit your application online.  Join RISCA's Facebook Page Log on to your Facebook account and search for RISCA. Our page feeds opportunities from our blog so it's a good way to find out about calls for entry or jobs in the arts.   List Your Art Events On visitrhodeisland.com Find out about upcoming arts events throughout the state on the RI Arts Calendar.  To post your own arts event to the Arts Calendar, click here.