USArtists International has added Russia and the Ukraine to the list of countries eligible for support. Music and dance ensembles invited to perform at festivals in the 27 EU countries, as well as Russia and the Ukraine, may apply for the next program deadline of May 7, 2007. Supported festivals must take place between July 2, 2007 and June 30, 2008.

The next ArtsCONNECT deadline is Wednesday, March 23, 2007. This is an in-house deadline. If you plan on applying, you should read through the guidelines carefully - changes have been made for the 2007 cycle.

ArtsCONNECT provides access to high quality live performing arts engagements to audiences across the mid-Atlantic region. The program also encourages a deeper understanding of artists’ work through support of activities that enhance the concert experience. Participating presenting organizations must be located in the Foundation’s service area of Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Virginia, and West Virginia.

The Middle Atlantic Folklife Association will join the Mid Atlantic Chapter of the Society for Ethnomusicology (“MAC SEM”) for a joint conference March 30-April 1, 2007 at The College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, VA. MAFA conference sessions will begin on Friday morning, March 30, with a three- hour audio workshop. An afternoon site visit to at Colonial Williamsburg will follow for a presentation on African American culture. Saturday morning sessions will open with "Engaged Scholarship I: Working Across Disciplines” followed by "Engaged Scholarship II: Applied Ethnomusicology and Public Folklore.” A MAFA business meeting and a session on "Music in Immigrant Communities" are planned for Saturday afternoon.

The Friday evening reception, the keynote presentation on Saturday afternoon, the Saturday evening gala performance of creative writers/storytellers/music ensembles, and the Sunday morning discussion on "Scholarship and Performance" will all be joint sessions with MAC SEM members. All sessions will be open to conference attendees regardless of sponsorship.

The keynote speaker will be Barbara Hampton, Professor of Ethnomusicology and Director of the Graduate Program in Ethnomusicology at Hunter College, City University of New York.

For more information, contact douglas@midatlanticarts.org

John Lilly, editor/folklife director for the West Virginia Division of Culture and History's Goldenseal magazine, reads his delightful forum piece on Shetland musician Thomas Fraser in our newest Mid Atlantic podcast.

Thomas Fraser's story and recordings have spurred a rebirth of American country and traditional Shetland music on the Isle and resulted in the creation of the Thomas Fraser Memorial Festival held each November on Burra Isle. John had the pleasure of playing at the Festival in November 2006.

For more information on Thomas Fraser and his legacy, please visit www.thomasfraser.com

PennPAT Grant Application Deadlines for Fee-Support and New Directions grant applications

February 15, 2007: For projects scheduled between June 1, 2007 and May 31, 2009.
June 15, 2007: For projects requesting $1,500 or less, scheduled between September 1, 2007 and August 31, 2008.

New! As of the February 15, 2007 deadline applicants will be able to use the new eGRANT system by connecting through a link on the PennPAT website at www.pennpat.org. eGRANT is easy to use and allows you to store data in an online profile that can then be used to create final reports and subsequent applications.

Save the date! PA Presenters Conference and PennPAT Showcases May 31 – June 2, 2007

The PA Presenters Conference provides networking, block booking and educational opportunities for Pennsylvania presenters and presenters from many neighboring states.

As part of the conference, PennPAT will host two days of Roster Artist showcases. (Artists will be selected by late March.) Showcases will take place from 2:45-4:45pm on Friday, June 1 at the Williams Center for the Arts at Lafayette College in Easton, PA and on Saturday, June 2 in the Diamond Theater at the Zoellner Arts Center at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA.

For conference and registration information go to www.papresenters.org

Reminder – PennPAT Travel Grants are available to help presenters see Roster Artists perform.

If you are a presenter from outside Pennsylvania coming to see a PennPAT roster artist who is showcasing at the PA Presenters Conference for the purpose of considering that artist for a booking, you may be able to receive a grant for up to 50% of reasonable travel/lodging expenses (up to $500) for this purpose.

Presenter Travel Grants may also be used by presenters based anywhere in the U.S. to see a PennPAT roster artist in a full performance of their work. Visit www.pennpat.org for more information and application form.