prizes totaling $50,000, with the National Champion claiming $20,000 in scholarship funding.

The National Poetry Out Loud competition, sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and The Poetry Foundation, is designed to encourage youth to learn about great poetry through memorization and performance, which helps students master public speaking skills, build self-esteem, and internalize an appreciation for American literary heritage.

Ms. McDonald has taught at and headed the U.S.'s top university harp departments and has served on the juries of most of the important international harp competitions in Israel, Japan, France, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Russia, and The Netherlands. Her students consistently win national and international competitions and are recognized as today's leading concert harpists and teachers.

Through Ms. McDonald, Indiana hosts a world-class international harp competition that promotes the careers of young harpists from throughout the world. The competition also promotes the harp as a concert and solo instrument and introduces the instrument to a broader public, thus making Ms. McDonald an ambassador for the harp, for music, for Bloomington, and for Indiana.

Ms. McDonald and fellow recipients June Edwards, Sylvia McNair, Alexander Toradze, Mark Fauser, and the Children's Museum of Indianapolis will be honored during an awards ceremony and dinner Thursday, April 26, 2012 at the Ernestine M. Raclin School for the Arts on the campus of Indiana University South Bend.

Award winning producer/creator David Wong, the entire Bugs Bunny at the Symphony Team, and Warner Bros. Consumer Products.

"I am especially happy to bring this concert home to Madison County," Daugherty said. "I grew up in the Paramount Theatre. I saw the first performance of my life - and of course, magical movies (including Looney Tunes) - in the Paramount. And, at the age of 19, I conducted my first professional orchestral concerts there. The Anderson Symphony and the Paramount Theatre are incredibly important cultural institutions to Indiana, and all of our team as well as Warner Bros. Consumer Products, are delighted to be doing something to help them continue to flourish and grow in this difficult economy."

Bugs Bunny at the Symphony is the eagerly-anticipated sequel to Bugs Bunny on Broadway. The new concert had its world premiere in May 2012, at the Sydney Opera House, with Daugherty conducting the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. A second world premiere took place in July 2012 at the Hollywood Bowl, with Daugherty coducting the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Both Hollywood Bowl performances sold out to a total audience of over 35,000 people for the two nights.

The Anderson performances will take place on Saturday, April 21 at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, April 22, at 2:30 p.m. Tickets and further information about the performances, as well as a number of special surrounding events including a special recpetion and dinner, can be obtained by calling 765-644-2111,or logging on to: http://www.andersonsymphony.org. (source: press release)

grants made possible from the Cultural Trust. The grants help schools partner with Indiana artists and arts programming providers to bring arts related learning projects into Indiana classrooms. The Trust is funded solely through revenue generated by the Arts Trust license plate sales. You, the Arts Trust plate customers have made this possible, and to you we say, thank you.

The Arts Trust License Plate is available for purchase for any passenger car, light truck, or motorcycle licensed in the state of Indiana. Visit: www.MyBMV.com to learn more.

Fort Wayne-based Lincoln Financial Foundation is strengthening art education opportunities and access to the arts for a broad spectrum of Fort Wayne residents through $402,000 in grants to 17 local nonprofit organizations. The grants are a portion of $2.5 million in charitable funds the foundation has allocated for the area in 2012. Among the grants awarded was $140,000 to Arts United of Greater Fort Wayne for its annual fund drive and the Nonprofit Arts Internship Initiative. The Fort Wayne Philharmonic Orchestra received $49,000 to sponsor Choral, Casual and Coffee Concert Series and the Ensembles in the Schools music program. A $40,000 grant was awarded to the Fort Wayne Museum of Art for its 2012 Contemporary Realism Biennial, highlighting the strength and innovation of artists currently working in the realistic style. (source: Inside Indiana Business)

A new mural project in Kokomo is the latest in a series launched in 2008 by Tippecanoe Arts Federation (TAF) as part of its Mural Art Initiative. The new mural, located at 209 S. Union Street & 117 E. Superior Street, Kokomo. The Howard County project is funded in part by a grant from the Community Foundation of Howard County and with funds from the Greater Kokomo Economic Development Alliance. The Mural Art Initiative is a collaborative educational outreach program that serves area at-risk and underserved youth populations. The three primary objectives of the program are to: beautify community areas, visually promote the clear benefit of arts in the community, and provide a life-long positive impact on all project participants. TAF's long term vision is to bring the Initiative to all 14 counties within Region 4. Howard County becomes the fifth to participate in the project. Other murals in the series are located in Tippecanoe, White, Benton, and Pulaski counties. (source: press release)

The Indianapolis Museum of Art (IMA) is planning to highlight the work of Hoosier fashion designers. The exhibition, An American Legacy: Norell, Blass, Halston & Sprouse, will open May 4, 2012 and feature four designers covering more than 50 years in the industry. The exhibition focuses on the work of Norman Norell, Bill Blass, Stephen Sprouse, and Halston. Adhering to their own creative philosophies, these designers produced bodies of work that contributed significantly to the universal definition of American style. An American Legacy, the first group exhibition devoted to these prolific designers, traces their careers and offers a fresh look at their work, which ranges from the 1940s to late 20th century. The exhibition, which features more than 50 garments from the IMA's comprehensive collection, augmented with major loans, continues through January 27, 2013. (source: Inside Indiana Business)

An army of more than two dozen 250-pound, 10-foot-tall steel men stood grouped together inside an Anderson, Indiana metal fabrication shop, their right feet stepping forward. On the chest of each, names such as Bill, Frank, Michelle, and Bruce representing the employees who helped build them. This summer, these sculptures will be hand painted and decorated, then make their way across Anderson, standing guard outside businesses, schools, and other facilities. Part of the Walking Man Project, the sculptures are part of a public art initiative created by artists Levi Rinker and Laree Blazer. The design of a person in motion was chosen because it is a sign of a progressive, forward-moving city, Rinker said. The statues will be painted and decorated by other artists, school students or company employees. The design is up to the individual sponsors and can represent companies, services or ideas, or can be abstract, but no commercial business logos are allowed. Painting and decorating were scheduled to begin in mid-March and continue through early May. The statues will then remain on display through September. (source: Indiana Economic Digest)

Faculty members from the University of Evansville's Department of Creative Writing have announced a new program for high school students. The Harlaxton Writing Program for High School Juniors and Seniors will give promising students the opportunity to work with experienced authors to further their craft and their global curiosity. The first session is scheduled for June 13-28, 2013 at the University of Evansville's British campus near Grantham, England. During the program, students will attend discussions about British literature, history, music, and art, then take field trips to see plays and visit landmarks about which they have learned and read. Students will also write about their study abroad experiences and discuss their work in writing workshops and personal conferences with faculty members. Students entering their junior or senior years of high school are eligible to apply for the program. An application is available online at: http://hswp.evansville.edu and must be accompanied by up to two poems or 10 pages of prose. For more information, please contact Rob Griffith  at rg37@evansviille.edu or visit: http://hswp.evansville.edu. (source: press release)

Buckingham Companies and the Indianapolis Museum of Art (IMA) recently announced they are collaborating on the art program for the new Alexander Hotel. Twelve site-specific works have been commissioned for the hotel's public spaces. The Alexander, managed by Dolce hotels and resorts, will feature more than 40 works by 24 contemporary artists including four from Indianapolis, selected by Dr. Lisa Freiman, head of IMA's Contemporary Art Department. Buckingham Companies will pay a fee to the IMA for the curatorial services they are providing in selecting the artists for the project. The hotel is located near the Eli Lilly and Co. corporate headquarters on the near southeast side of downtown Indianapolis and will be part of CityWay, a four-block neighborhood encompassing residential, retail, office spaces, a YMCA, and a public park.(source: Inside Indiana Business)

Arts Midwest Touring Fund engages people in meaningful experiences with the fine arts or dance, music, theater, and other performing art forms. The program provides financial support to presenting organizations in the Midwest. Funded engagements feature public performances and in-depth outreach activities by professional touring artists that reach underserved audiences and foster exchanges between artists and Midwest communities. Grants are applied for by and made directly to presenting organizations (organizations that book artists to perform in their venues) in the nine-state Arts Midwest region which includes: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. The application deadline is April 11, 2012 with award notifications sent in June 2012. For more information, email: touringfund@artsmidwest.org. (source: press release)

Reps. Todd Platts (R-PA) and Louise Slaughter (D-NY), the bipartisan leaders of the Congressional Arts Caucus, have circulated a letter to their colleagues in the House of Representatives asking legislators to join in signing a letter to the chair of the Interior Appropriations Committee. That letter, addressed to Rep. Mike Simpson (R-ID), urges increased funding for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) in the coming 2013 fiscal year to the level proposed in the president's budget request of $154.255 million, up from $146 million for this year. The committee is expected to begin budget reviews this summer. (source: NASAA press release)

American Voices and the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs have announced the lineup for the 2012/13 season of the American Music Abroad program. This year, American Music Abroad received more than 300 applications from musical ensembles in over 40 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The tour participants were selected following live auditions in New York, St. Louis, and San Francisco. Twelve music ensembles representing jazz, bluegrass, soul/R&B/ country, hip hop, classical, folk, rock and blues will take part in the tour. Ensembles will travel around the globe for approximately one month each between May 2012 and May 2013. During each tour the ensemble will visit four to six countries. American Music Abroad activities focus on younger and underserved audiences in countries with little or no access to live American performances. (source: press release)

Muncie Arts and Culture Council seeks a part-time director. The Director reports to the Muncie Arts and Culture Council (MACC) Board and under its guidance directs all aspects of the planning, funding and development of MACC in serving the needs of its members and advocating for the arts and culture community in Muncie. The director also represents MACC in the establishment of the Muncie Arts and Culture District, a geographically defined area of the city, working in concert with cultural development organizations, government units and related organizations and their boards to use the district's many cultural assets as a basis for economic development. The director is expected to work an average of 20 hours per week. The successful candidate must have a bachelor's degree in applicable field; 3-5 years leadership experience; strong administrative and interpersonal skills; excellent oral and written communication skills; the ability to motivate, inspire and engage others; demonstrated proficiency in creative problem-solving; the ability to delegate and work independently and constructively in a multi-task, multi-project environment. For more information, call 765-285-5270. To apply for this position, please visit: http://charitableadvisors.myexacthire.com/ViewJob-36245.html. (source: Indy Not-For-Profit News)

Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation seeks an administrative assistant to join the Program team. The administrative assistant provides support to the Foundation's program staff. Responsibilities include general clerical duties, processing of grant applications, database entry and maintenance, panel meeting preparations and logistics, and other tasks related to program administration. The position reports to the Deputy Director, Programs. The successful candidate will bring a focused approach to their work, be detail-oriented, possess excellent communication skills, and have the ability to maintain client satisfaction and confidence under exacting standards and workloads. The position requires a bachelor's degree in the arts or a related field; ability to successfully manage large volumes of data with particular attention to detail and accuracy in information processing; ability to maintain positive working relationships with constituents, clients and collaborating staff; and proficient computer skills with Microsoft Access, Excel, and Word applications. Salary will be commensurate with experience. A full benefits package accompanies the position. The position will remain open until filled. Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Please email a letter of application, resume, and names and addresses of three references to: hr@midatlanticarts.org (please send all file attachments was Word (.doc only) or PDF files. Mail hard copy applications to Executive Assistant, Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation, 201 N. Charles St., Ste., 401, Baltimore, MD 21201. (source: press release)