Katsunori Hamanishi ‘Silence’ at White Lotus gallery for FFAW

OK, artists and anyone who cares about the visual arts in Eugene — it’s time to rally: The city of Eugene Cultural Services is hosting “Community Conversation about Jacobs Gallery Space” to discuss the closing of yet another gallery in Eugene 5:30 to 7:30 pm Wednesday, Jan. 13, at the Hult Center Studio; FREE. A small, impassioned group-turned-nonprofit saved the gallery from closure by the city in 1997 and have kept it running for 18 years. Why did the gallery close? Lack of financial support and resources? Lack of interest in the visual arts from the denizens of Eugene? What should be done with the space? Share ideas and get insight. For those who want to share ideas with the city in advance, contact hultcenter@ci.eugene.or.us. 

One idea that may save the visual arts scene in Eugene is combining forces with the tech community. Eugene Cultural Services in collaboration with Harmonic Laboratory, Bitforest and CodeChops invites you to “TECH + ART = MAGIC” 6:30 to 8:30 pm Thursday, Jan. 7, in the Hult Center lobby; FREE. The event is “a night of live music, digital art and networking” with a no-host bar for artists and developers of all stripes to mingle. RSVP to bit.ly/TechPlusArt.

The first First Friday ArtWalk of January 2016 actually kicks off on the second Friday 5:30 pm, Jan. 8, at the soon-to-closed Jacobs Gallery “with remarks about the space by those with strong ties to the gallery.” Artwalkers can see the Jacobs Gallery last show, the beloved Small Pleasures Invitational, featuring tiny works in all mediums from more than 45 artists. 

Arts opportunities galore! The Springfield Arts Commission has put out a call to artists who want to exhibit at the Springfield City Hall Gallery in 2016. Applications due Jan. 20; visit springfieldartscomission.org. The city of Eugene’s Public Art Committee has also put out a call to artists and artist teams for the future City Hall. The project budget is $147,000. Applications due 5 pm Wednesday, Jan. 20. For details, visit bit.ly/1msp7Lc. The city of Eugene’s summer series, EugFun!, is starting to book artists, from the performing arts to spoken word and everything in between, for summer 2016 community events; deadline is Jan. 30. Find more details at bit.ly/1PLya5D.

Congratulations to Lane Arts Council on its 40th anniversary year! Lane Art Council runs the First Friday ArtWalk, hosts workshops for art professionals and has been a leader in bringing arts back into schools in Lane County. The next workshop is “ARTiculate: Write and Speak About Your Art with Confidence” with Vicki Krohn Amorose 3 to 5 pm Tuesday, Jan. 26. Visit laneartsconcil.com for details and registration.

More congratulations are in order for the Caldera Youth Program, one out of 12 creative youth developments organization recipients to receive, from First Lady Michelle Obama no less, a 2015 National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award — the first Oregon org ever to receive the prestigious award. According to the press release, Caldera will also receive $10,000 in funding for program support.

And more kudos to the recipients of Lane County Cultural Coalition grants including BRING Recycling’s Tower of Wow ($2,500), Eugene Youth Ballet’s Northwest Dance Festival ($2,000), Oregon Contemporary Theatre’s Removing Barriers Through Radical Hospitality ($2,500) and Oregon Supported Living Program’s Art & Culture Scholarship Program ($2,000). To see all 17 projects that received funding, visit bit.ly/1PLvJA9.