Fresh Produce performs again

Fresh Produce 2.0 will have another all-improvised benefit performance at 7:30 p.m. at the Art Barn, 1060 East End Road. Some material may contain adult themes and/or language. A donation of $7 is suggested and all proceeds will go to the Diabetes Testing Supply  Fund. For information, call Martty Zeller at 509-294-0451.

Nomination deadline extended

 for Governor’s awards

The deadline has been extended until Monday, Sept. 28, for nominations for the 2016 Governor’s Awards for the Arts and Humanities. The Alaska Humanities Forum and the Alaska State Council on the Arts are currently seeking nominations. If you know a worthy Alaskan who has dedicated his or her life to improving our state through the arts and humanities, the organizations invite you to submit a nomination for this year’s prestigious Governor’s Awards. 

The nomination includes a statement of support, two-to-five letters of recommendation from others who know the nominee, the nominee’s biography or resume, and the contact information for the nominee and the person making the nomination. The nomination guidelines and form are available online at fs6.formsite.com/AlaskaGovAwards/form3/index.html.

The 2016 Governor’s Awards categories include Distinguished Service to the Humanities, the Margaret Nick Cooke Award for Alaska Native Arts and Languages, Business Leadership Award, Arts Advocacy Award and Individual Artist Award. 

The Alaska Humanities Forum also announces a new award this year, the Alaska Studies Educator of the Year Award, which recognizes teachers who have fostered a spirit of inquiry and civic participation through the teaching of Alaska’s history and culture. It will be awarded to an educator who has made exceptional contributions in the areas of Alaska history and cultural studies, Alaska history, and Alaska studies. 

Eligibility is open to any individual, organization or institution that has made a significant contribution to the arts and humanities in Alaska, with the exception of current ASCA or AKHF council members or staff, and prior Award recipients. 

For more information, contact the Alaska State Council on the Arts at 907-269-6610 or the Alaska Humanities Forum at 907-272-5341.

Theatre Shakes class starts

Theatre Shakes youth theater workshop runs Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:30-5 p.m. starting Oct. 6 through Oct. 27 and Nov. 3 through Nov. 19 at the Homer Council on the Arts. Taught by Brenda Dolma, the workshop culminates in a production of William Shakespeare’s “The Comedy of Errors.” 

The fee is $160 for HCOA members and $200 for nonmembers. The workshop is for youth age 12 and older. The play shows at 1 and 2 p.m. Nov. 20 and 7 p.m. Nov. 21. For more information, call HCOA at 235-4288.

11th annual Poetry Out Loud

 contest announced

The National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation present the 11th annual Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest, in partnership with the Alaska State Council on the Arts and Juneau Arts & Humanities Council.

Poetry Out Loud is a program that encourages high school students to learn about great poetry through memorization, performance, and competition. In the 2015‐2016 school year, Poetry Out Loud celebrates its eleventh anniversary, reaching millions of students from more than 7,300 schools nationwide.

During the fall and winter 2015-16, Alaska schools are invited to participate in classroom and school-wide contests with 10 regional finalists advancing to an Alaska state competition in Juneau on March 15, 2016. State champions will advance to the National Finals, on May 2-4, in Washington, D.C.

For more information, contact Sara Radke Brown, Alaska Poetry Out Loud Coordinator, at pol@jahc.org, or visit www.jahc.org/poetry-out-loud. That site includes online registration forms.

For information on poems and teaching resources for Poetry Out Loud, visit www.poetryoutloud.org. The deadline to register is Oct. 16.

Apply soon for Combs award

The application for the Alex Combs Award opens Oct. 1 and runs through Oct. 31. Administered by Bunnell Street Arts Center, the $1,500 award helps artists explore new techniques and ideas through workshops and symposiums. Applicants must be Alaska artists working in ceramics, painting or sculpture. The award is based on the merits of the work and proposals. One award is granted yearly. Proposals are reviewed by peers on the award committee. To apply, submit five images, an artist statement and a letter of intent online at bunnellarts.org. The award honors the late Halibut Cove artist and teacher.